“You’ll never be old, Hattie,” Danni told her.
“Of course not. She’s way too mean,” Father Ryan teased.
“What was it you said earlier, Father? Lord and Mother Mary, help me,” Hattie said, rolling her eyes. “Let’s move it now, children.”
“Anything new?” Bo Ray asked Danni anxiously after the others had left.
She shook her head. “No. Earlier today Tyler mentioned another old friend of Arnie’s, and I’m curious if that’s something we should pursue. He’s an army vet, wounded and still at Walter Reed. Maybe he knows something about the sax. I have to talk to Quinn first, though. And speaking of Quinn, have you heard from him?”
Bo Ray nodded. “Oh, yeah. I left you a note on your bedroom door. He said not to worry if he came in a bit after you, said they were stopping by Jenny and Brad’s place to pick up a few things.”
“That’s fine. Everyone wants their own things. I’m not sure I can wait up for Quinn, though. I’m beat.”
“I know just how you feel,” Bo Ray said. “I’m going back to bed, since I have a feeling I’ll be the one keeping The Cheshire Cat going for the next...whatever. Night, Danni.”
“Night, Bo Ray.”
It was still dark out, not quite 5:00 a.m., and Danni decided to give staying up a little longer a try. She made herself a cup of tea and laced it with milk and sugar—“comfort food,” as her father had called it—and sat down at the table.
But after she nearly fell asleep with her face in her teacup, she gave Wolf a dog treat and told him, “Say hi to Quinn for me. I’m out.”
Wolf barked. She would swear the dog understood her words. As she headed for the stairs, Wolf circled a few times and then lay down in front of the courtyard door.
Up in her room, Danni shimmied out of the dress she had worn and into a long sleep T. She lay down on the bed, tired in every pore of her body.
But she kept thinking about Father Ryan’s words, wondering whether evil really could reside in objects, in buildings, even in the air.
Her eyes began to close as she lay there. Just when she was beginning to drift off, she heard Wolf begin to bark.
At first the noise was just irritating. In her still half-asleep stage, she figured Quinn had gotten home and the dog was happy to see him.
But then she jumped out of bed. That wasn’t Wolf’s ecstatic Quinn-was-home bark. It was one of his warning barks.
She heard the dog bounding up the stairs; he was coming to stand guard over her, she knew.
When she opened the bedroom door she heard Bo Ray hurrying down from the attic. Obviously he had heard the dog, too. Wolf reached her side and barked with new fervor then bounded back down the stairs to the courtyard entrance.
“What is it?” Bo Ray asked tensely.
“I don’t know. Wolf doesn’t like something.”
“You got a gun, right?”
“In the drawer by the bed.”
“Get it,” he said.
Danni did. She hated guns, but Quinn had taught her how to shoot, and she had a Glock 19 he had gotten her just a few months back.
She paused in her room, walking over to the window and looking out to the street.
There was someone staring at her house. Someone wearing a trench coat and who had what appeared to be a wild shock of dark hair.
And no face.
*
“We really do need to move back home, Jenny,” Brad told her as Quinn drove. Jenny was in the front, and she lowered her head slightly. Brad, in the back, couldn’t see her expression, but Quinn could.
It was clear to him that the last thing Jenny wanted at the moment was to go home, away from the protection of Danni’s house and everyone there. Back to the scene of her terrifying close encounter with a killer.
“Soon, Brad,” Quinn told him. “But not yet. Things are still too dangerous at the moment.”
“I don’t think he’s coming back to our house,” Brad said. “He already took what he wanted. He can’t possibly be afraid that Jenny would identify him, because no one can identify him. Quinn, you know how much I appreciate what you and Danni are doing for us, but...I have a gun, you know.”
Quinn was sure Brad was hurt that Jenny didn’t believe he could defend her. He wasn’t an idiot; he wouldn’t push things to the point that might get her hurt, all for the sake of his pride. But he also had logic on his side.
Quinn didn’t think the killer would head back to Brad and Jenny’s house. He would move on to another musician—and another saxophone.
“For Danni’s peace of mind,” he said, knowing that Danni wouldn’t care in the least what ploy he used to keep their friends safe, “it would be great if you would stay with us a few more days. I know she feels much safer with you two in the house.”
“Brad, please, for Danni,” Jenny said quietly.
“All right, fine—and thanks, Quinn,” Brad said.