“I’m not sure that matters now that you’ve been seen with us.”
Hattie laughed softly. “Don’t you worry, Danni Cafferty. I learned my lesson last time I worked with the two of you, and I never count on anything. But I have a brand-new and foolproof security system for the house, not to mention I have Billie to see me home.”
“About that,” Danni said. “There’s safety in numbers, and you’re always welcome over here.”
“And y’all can escape over here whenever you desire,” Hattie said. “But I know you stubborn people. You’re a little army unto yourselves, and you see The Cheshire Cat as your fortress.”
“You’re part of that army, Hattie,” Danni assured her.
“Well, thank you. I like that. I’ll email you the flight info as soon as I have it.”
Danni thanked her and walked back out to the kitchen, where the evening news was replaying the press conference.
She prayed it would help.
More than anything, she hoped the visual would keep someone alive.
She had complete faith that the Sax Murderer would be caught and brought to justice. She just didn’t know how many people would have to die before that happened.
*
Quinn wished Jenny didn’t see him as the ultimate weapon.
He also wished their household hadn’t gotten so big.
When he returned to the house on Royal Street, Jenny was overexuberant, Danni was overly quiet, Billie seemed to be perplexed and the Watsons were so busy trying to be helpful he felt as though he was constantly tripping over them.
“No one knows you’re here, right?” Quinn asked Woodrow.
“No, sir. We just locked up and left, even brought our things out in grocery bags,” Woodrow assured him.
“Good. I’ve asked Detective Larue to see to it that patrol keeps an eye on your house,” Quinn said. “Meanwhile, make yourselves at home here. Bo Ray and Wolf will be on guard through the night while we’re gone, but if anything troubles you—anything at all—don’t be afraid to call. I keep my phone in my pocket and tuned to vibrate, so I won’t miss a call.”
He kept looking for a chance to talk to Danni alone, but with everyone getting ready to eat and head out to their respective gigs, there never seemed to be a chance.
He was pretty sure she was angry with him, but just as he was about to head out with Brad and Jenny, Danni stopped him.
“We have reservations for tomorrow,” she told him.
“What?” Quinn asked.
“What?” Jenny, standing nearby, echoed.
“I called Hattie,” Danni said, looking at Quinn rather than Jenny. “We have reservations to fly to Washington and from there—”
“Danni, I don’t think we should be gone at night. That’s when he strikes.”
“We’re not going to be gone at night. We leave in the morning, and we’re back by seven thirty.” He could tell she was trying to keep her voice level. “Quinn, I’m going.”
With or without you...
She didn’t speak the words, but he heard them anyway.
He nodded. “Send me the details,” he told her, disturbed that she had made arrangements without settling the situation between them first. He was sure she knew just how he felt, too, but they were surrounded by people, so this was neither the time nor the place to have it out.
He walked out. Brad and Jenny followed him.
“I still don’t see why it’s so important that you guys have to go to Washington now,” Jenny said.
“Jenny, stop second-guessing,” Brad said.
“But...there’s so much going on here,” she said. “People need to be kept safe here.”
Quinn had reached a stop sign. He turned to look at her. “No one is going to be safe—no matter where they’re staying or what precautions we take—until this killer is caught, and this trip could help us catch him. I hadn’t thought of going up and back in a day—it’s actually brilliant. That way no one has to be alone at night.”
“Feels like we’re afraid of vampires,” Brad muttered.
“A killer who comes out just before dawn,” Jenny agreed. “Do you think he’s some kind of supernatural monster? I know you and Danni collect weird things. I know what you two do.”
“The killer is not a vampire, Jenny. I was joking,” Brad said. “He doesn’t even think he’s a vampire. It’s not like he’s drinking blood or anything. He’s flesh and blood, right, Quinn?”
Quinn moved through the intersection, heading toward Canal and on to Magazine.
“The killer is flesh and blood,” he said. “But that doesn’t make him any less evil.”
Chapter 10
SUNDAY NIGHTS WERE usually slow—slower than Friday and Saturday nights, at any rate—unless there was a festival in the city or a major convention.
But when they took their breaks, Danni realized a lot of people in the audience were talking about what was going on.