“Flesh-colored, or maybe clear. They made it look like he had mannequin hands,” she said. She sat back suddenly. “I heard the sirens, and I think he left then. I just froze there. The next thing I knew, Danni was there in my room.”
“Okay, let’s go back a step,” Larue said. “You looked through the peephole at him. You saw the mask. Can you tell me anything else?”
“No,” Jenny said.
Larue produced the drawing the police artist had done.
“That’s him,” Jenny said.
“Do you remember the color of his eyes?” Larue asked.
“No. He was on the step,” Jenny said. “The light was bad. I remember they...they seemed to glow. I couldn’t see the color, though. I told Danni that. I remember that they scared me to death. I kept thinking they were demon eyes, filled with malice and hatred and evil...but I can’t remember a color.”
“That’s all right,” Larue said. “Maybe it will come to you later.”
“He was like a freak, like a mannequin. He must have been obvious. How come no one saw him? How come the police couldn’t find him?”
“Our officers started looking for him as soon as we got Miss Cafferty’s call, Miss LaFleur,” Larue told her.
“But they didn’t catch him,” she whispered.
“Jenny, the police did their best,” Quinn said. “I’m sure he strips off the disguise as soon as he hits the street. And there are courtyards and alleyways everywhere. I’m certain that before he ever knocks on someone’s door he’s scoped out exactly how he’s going to get away.”
Jenny looked at Brad. “What are we going to do?” she said desperately.
“Get some sleep,” Quinn suggested. He looked at Larue. “We’re taking them back to Danni’s house. After a few hours of sleep, maybe Jenny will remember something else.”
“All right. That’s reasonable,” Larue said.
“Before we go, though, there’s one more thing,” Quinn said.
Danni looked at him in surprise.
“Brad Henderson, for the record, please tell Detective Larue—and the recorder—what you found to be missing when you looked around the parlor.”
“My harmonica, a tambourine, some sheet music and my sax,” Brad said.
“Thank you,” Larue said, meeting Quinn’s eyes with a curious look.
Jenny spoke up again, her voice hard. “He left our place in a mask and gloves, carrying all that stuff—and no one caught him?”
“Jenny,” Brad said gently. “You’re alive, probably thanks to Danni calling the police and their sirens scaring him away. Let’s be grateful.”
Jenny began to shake again. “Oh, I am, I am grateful. But still...that freak is still out there. What if he comes back?”
“He won’t come back,” Quinn said.
Larue looked at Quinn questioningly.
“He took what he wanted. He’ll move on to someone else next. But we do have to catch him—quickly. The next person might not be so smart or so lucky.”
*
When they got back to the house, Quinn was pleased to see that Bo Ray was doing much better. His chipmunk cheeks were down to slightly puffy, and he was even managing to down some soft scrambled eggs. He hadn’t shaved, so he looked a little the worse for wear, but not too bad. Bo Ray was a good-looking young man in his early twenties, and in much better shape in every way than when they’d met on the first case Danni and Quinn had worked together. He’d committed no crimes himself, but he’d become involved with some very dark characters because of his drug addiction. Father John Ryan had seen to it that he went to rehab, and Bo Ray had proved to be a valuable asset ever since. He was brave in the best way, Quinn thought. Even when he was afraid, he still did what needed to be done. To Quinn, that was real courage.
Billie had cooked, but he looked both aggravated and exhausted, his white hair going every which way. He was clearly still angry with Danni; Quinn could tell by the way he looked at her. But she would weather the storm. When you got right down to it, Quinn thought, he was still angry with her himself. Given what they knew about this killer, it had been insane for her to run out in the night, even if she had called the police first.
Bo Ray forgot his breakfast when Jenny and Brad followed Quinn and Danni into the kitchen. Luckily it was still a few minutes before opening time and they were able to sit comfortably in the kitchen while Jenny told her tale again. Wolf sat with his big nose on her lap, as if he knew she was upset and was trying to make it better.
“I’ll call Father Ryan and Natasha and bring them up to speed,” Billie said. “Then I’m taking a nap. You four, go to sleep and let Bo Ray open the shop. Night will come again soon enough.”
“Night...how can I play again tonight? Or any night?” Jenny asked, looking at Brad with terrified eyes.
“It’s how we make our living,” he reminded her.