“Yes.”
Abby looked through her list of email contacts, selected a few of the influential people she knew on city council and wrote something vague about finding the information while investigating the cemetery on an FBI case. She asked that the situation be rectified, that the gravestone defaced during the Civil War be repaired.
As she typed, Malachi walked over to her.
“How many people around here dress up as pirates?” he asked. She realized that he was holding a cup of coffee for her, which she accepted gratefully.
“Lots of people dress up as pirates,” Abby said. “Why?”
“Come on back to the computers when you’re done there,” he told her. “Finish your emails first.”
She did, and when she approached the computer screens, she saw that Malachi had frozen a frame of the video. It showed someone standing in front of the Dragonslayer.
Someone who looked very strange.
She could see nothing of the actual person. A massive, plumed pirate hat hid the face, and a sweeping black cloak encompassed him to a degree that hid his size. If it was a him. Abby thought that it was—the person appeared to be tall.
“When was that?” she asked Malachi.
“At 3:32 a.m.,” Malachi told her.
“When we were down by the river,” Abby said.
“He was trying to get in here?”
“So I assume. But he stopped.”
“Did he try the door? Or did he not even reach it?”
“Never tried it,” Malachi said, leaning back. “They saw it on the screens at your house on Chippewa, too, of course. They called the police right away, but by the time a couple of officers arrived...”
“He was already gone,” Abby concluded with a sigh.
“Yup. And I don’t think he was afraid of the cameras. I think he knew about them and that’s why he was smart enough to keep his head down. I think he was afraid of Blue.”
Abby stepped back. “You saw Blue? Was he on one of these screens?”
“No,” Malachi told her. “But...here’s an image the camera did pick up.”
Abby looked over his shoulder as he replayed the footage of the host stand and bar area, along with the front of the restaurant.
A dark shadow appeared just behind the entry door.
“Is that a trick of the video, of the light? Or is it...something?” Abby asked.
“Well,” Malachi mused. “It’s definitely something.”
“Do ghosts record this way?”
He smiled at her. “Maybe. I don’t really know. But...I do believe that Blue is watching over this place.”
“And you believe this...killer is someone who spends a lot of time in the Dragonslayer. And it’s the guy in the plumed hat.”
He nodded. “Let’s head over to the cemetery. We’ll see what our old folks have to say.”
Macy was at the host stand, and Abby went over to her. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes, of course, Abby. What about you? How are you doing with all this?”
“I’m okay.”
Macy glanced past Abby at Malachi and smiled. “I’m so glad you’re here—all of you. For Abby.”
“Thank you, Macy,” Malachi said. “By the way, do you remember much about the day before Gus’s funeral?”
“Um, it was pretty much a day like any other. We had the signs up, that the restaurant would be closed the next day. There was an announcement made at the service that the mourners were welcome to join us here after, and we wanted to limit it to the people who’d known Gus well, not have casual tourists wandering in.”
She seemed perplexed, uncertain about his reasons for asking.
“I’m talking about the time just after Helen Long left the restaurant,” he said. “Do you remember anyone who might’ve left soon after she did? How about our barflies?”
Macy looked at him blankly for a moment. Her lower lip trembled slightly. “Helen’s been found. Abby saved her.”
“Yes, but another young woman is missing and Helen hasn’t been able to give us much information. I’m hoping you can help us.” He leaned on the host stand, meeting her eyes. He really had a curiously charming way about him, Abby thought. More so, perhaps, because he had no idea.
“I’d love to help you!” Macy said. “I wasn’t down here the whole time. I was going back and forth, between the restaurant and supply room. And we were so distracted that day, too. But...oh, I think both Aldous and Bootsie left in the early afternoon. And wait! Yes, I know Dirk left even before they did because he took his ship out. He worked the Black Swan’s morning and afternoon shifts because he knew he wouldn’t do either one the next day. But...I could be off on my times.”
“Terrific, Macy. Anything else?”
Macy shook her head. “No, I was here. Later Sullivan went up to do an inventory to get our orders in, since we knew everyone would be preoccupied the next day. More than that, I can’t say.”
“You’ve been very helpful, Macy,” Malachi told her. “Thank you.”