“And shark attacks are rare,” Joe reminded them. “More people are killed by bee stings!”
“We all hear that there was a witness—and he saw a zombie nun killing the frat boys,” Joe said.
Quinn waved a hand in the air. “You know how rumors start. Though, of course, with rumors like that flying around, I’d certainly run if saw a zombie nun on the loose.”
“Right, absolutely!” Andrew said. “And tomorrow, you’ll be running from an evil mannequin. So, kiddies, let’s move it on out!”
They bid one another goodnight. Quinn slipped an arm around Danni’s shoulder and walked with her, but he didn’t talk until they had turned off Duval to reach Elizabeth Street.
“Did you learn anything?” Quinn asked Danni.
“One interesting piece,” Danni said. “Vanessa was in Zombie Nuns of the Apocalypse.”
“Oh? Was she good in it?”
“Quinn, I’ve never seen Zombie Nuns of the Apocalypse. I’m assuming she was just fine. She played corpse #3. I certainly hope you learned more than I did,” Danni said.
“I learned that the boys were killed by someone facing them—and reaching out and ripping their throats in a single strike with a razor-sharp instrument. Davy Gray—the ‘drunk’ witness—seems to have told me a true story. He saw the zombie nun walking. The police don’t want that out—the detective in charge who heard the zombie nun thing is incredulous. The woman working with him, Officer Sandy, is far more open. She’s going to find out what happened to the other dolls for me in the morning.”
“There have to be more of them,” Danni murmured. “Quinn, if not, what we’ve done is illegal. We’ve tampered with what may be a murder weapon.”
“It wouldn’t help for us to be in jail, Danni,” he told her.
“I agree. But….”
Her voice trailed. For a moment, she felt the balmy air of the night and noticed the way the moonlight fell over the street. There were beautiful plants and flowers everywhere. They passed shotgun houses and more Victorian mansions and all manner of architecture. Key West was distinctive; some of the houses were bed and breakfast inns, quiet now, all residents in for the night. Some were private homes. Bicycles rested on old Southern porches; a doctor’s office was advertised in what looked like someone’s home. Here and there a sign advertised a restaurant or a coffee shop.
All quiet now.
As they neared Colby’s house, they were in a strictly residential area. It seemed friendly, homey—nice. A real bit of life in a tropical paradise. Not rich, and yet very rich in charm.
“But?” Quinn asked.
“What if that doll did kill the boys in the cemetery?” she asked, a chill seeping into her despite the balmy night.
“This has to do with the dolls—but it has to do with someone out there, too,” he said. “Danni, I’m convinced. The zombie nun we took apart was incredibly creepy. But, someone is manipulating all of this. In one way or another, we know that to be true. We have to find out how.”
They’d reached Colby’s house on Elizabeth. It’s nice, Danni thought. A family home. Colby had purchased it with his own hard-earned money. He’d married and brought his wife there.
She and Quinn had left it blazing with light.
Quinn set the key in the lock and they went in. “Don’t worry,” he told her. “I’m going to go out back and make sure that the zombie nun we took apart is still apart—and in separate boxes.”
Danni stood in the entry. She heard Waldorf meow and saw him come to her. He didn’t squeal, he didn’t let out any kind of a howl. He just purred and wove around her legs.
“The house is okay,” she said.
Quinn had been heading toward the back.
“What?” he asked her.
“The zombie nun is still apart—and the house is okay.”
“How do you know?”
“Waldorf,” she told him. “Okay, he’s no Wolf, but Waldorf knows what’s up. He’s a cat; he has instincts.”
“So you don’t want me to check on the boxes?”
“Oh, no! I still want you to check on the boxes. I don’t trust his instinct that much!” Danni said.
Quinn went on out. Danni gave the cat treats and some attention. Quinn came back in.
“The zombie-nun we took apart and put in boxes is still in pieces and in boxes—just as we left them,” he told her.
“Good,” she said.
She noted that Quinn was frowning as he locked the back door.
“What is it?”
“Colby needs to get some extra locks on this place. Each door has one lock; he should have a second bolt that he can slide when he comes in.”
“Great. Thank you. I’m feeling really secure now,” Danni told him.
He turned to her grinning and walked to her, taking her into his arms. “You have me, you know,” he reminded her.
“But, are you a match for an animated zombie nun?” she asked him.
“I’m not sure about that, but I have friends who are,” he assured her.
“Oh?”
“Smith and Wesson,” he said, and she grinned.