Jenny flashed Quinn a quick glance. Her gratitude and relief were obvious, and he smiled back and lowered his head in a small nod.
He’d reached Royal Street and hit the clicker to open the courtyard gate. But even as he pulled the car into its spot next to Danni’s, he heard Wolf barking.
He was drawing his gun from the small holster tucked into his waistband even as he exited the car.
“Stay behind me,” he curtly ordered Brad and Jenny.
He moved quickly across the courtyard, with the two of them following him. But as they walked between its umbrella-shaded tables, the door to the house opened.
Wolf came bounding out to greet him.
Danni stood at the door, with Bo Ray right behind her.
“He was here,” she said softly. “I saw him in the glow of the streetlight. I saw him there—and then he was gone. Just gone. As if he’d disappeared into thin air.”
*
“I think that, in an odd way, it’s good that Danni saw the killer on the street. It means that he was going to come in here, but then he heard Wolf,” Quinn said.
He’d gone out and searched the streets, but he hadn’t found a man in a trench coat or a mask. Then again, he hadn’t really expected to; he’d just been going through the motions. He’d taken Wolf with him, but whatever scent the dog had started out following had gotten lost in the mixture of odors once they got to Bourbon Street.
By the time he returned to the house, Billie was back, too. Natasha and Hattie had been safely returned to their own homes, but Father Ryan was sitting with the rest of the group around the table. Danni had brewed a pot of coffee and set out beignets and Danish; it was getting close to breakfast time.
“Why is that good?” Jenny asked Quinn. “It just means that he’s still out there.”
“It means that we’re after a person,” Quinn said. “One reallive person who can be warned off by a barking dog, and that’s an advantage for our side. His whole MO has been based on taking people by surprise. When he killed Holton Morelli and Lawrence Barrett, he just walked up to their houses and knocked on their doors, and they let him in. At least that seems logical, since there was no sign of forced entry, which means he’s almost certainly someone they knew. Someone they would just let in. But by the time he got to your place,” he told Brad and Jenny, “he was back to wearing his mask. He didn’t want anyone knowing who he is, which means he’s aware that people are being cautious and that you wouldn’t open your door to just anyone, even someone you knew.” At Jenny’s stricken look he hastened to add, “Calm down. I’m not saying you knew him, just that you might, and so might other people he passed, so he was making sure no one could recognize him.”
Jenny breathed an audible sigh of relief. “Everyone in the city knows to be cautious now,” she said.
“He’s got to be after the sax,” Danni said. “He’s after every sax in this city. And maybe a particular song, but mostly I think it’s the sax.”
“Yes, I believe that’s true,” Quinn said.
“At least partially true,” Father Ryan said.
“What do you mean?” Quinn asked him.
“There’s a sax in this house, and Billie’s been out there playing and calling attention to it. But there’s more than that here, Quinn. You and Danni are here. You’ve been playing music in public. You’ve been snooping around. The killer might have come here after the two of you,” Father Ryan said.
“Or a two-in-one,” Danni said softly. “The two of us—and a sax. But Father, he came when Quinn wasn’t here. What if he’s really after me?”
“Or maybe he thought it would be easier to take you out one at a time. Get in and get you, and the dog and Bo Ray if he had to, then wait to jump Quinn.” Father Ryan turned to Jenny. “I’d guess he was well aware that Brad wasn’t home last night. He was either trying to get in and get out before Brad got back or take you down one at a time because that would be safer and easier for him.”
“Maybe he doesn’t even want Quinn. I mean, he’s not part of the Survivor Set,” Jenny said.
“No, of course not,” Danni said then frowned. “What about the Survivor Set?” she asked. “How does that fit in?”
“Everyone who’s been killed was part of the Survivor Set, Danni, or they had something to do with it,” Jenny said. “We just realized that when we were talking tonight. You were into art rather than music, but you were still part of the group. Even Holton Morelli and Lawrence Barrett, they taught us. Jeff was part of it, too.”
“So was Arnie Watson,” Brad added.
“So this person is trying to kill all of us...why? Because we were friends or at least knew each other years ago?” Danni asked.
“I really don’t think so,” Quinn said. “Every time something has happened, the common denominator has been a sax.”