Sweet Dreams Boxed Set

There were a lot of really pretty people about. Apparently, Lucinda only the killed young people who looked really great in bathing attire.

She was stopped by a security officer, but Pratt had walked her through; he told the security officer he was getting her to Andrew, the director, and that she was a friend. That was probably pushing it, Danni thought, but she reached the beach chair where Andrew was sitting with no problem and he did seem ready to greet her as a friend. He begged her to forgive him as he shouted out orders to his actors, extras, and cameramen.

Vanessa waved to her, as did Joe Tybalt and Sasha. She had to admit, Sasha looked good; she made a great evil mannequin. And it was fun watching the shooting. Some of the extra players were good—running and screaming with real terror—while some seemed like caricatures.

Joe and Vanessa came off the beach as the first “assault” scene was filmed. In the scene, there was no real dialogue—Andrew explained that he was hoping Kathy would be back with them soon.

Lucinda broke out on the beach, lethal—throwing men aside as they tried to protect their wives or girlfriends.

As she watched, Danni wondered how she would find out anything about the group. What did she do? Ask if any of them had found one of the missing zombie-nuns? Better yet—ask if they were using zombie nuns to kill people, or if they knew of anyone evil who might have somehow set the things into motion?

She never got to ask anything. A girl burst out of the pine woods that bordered the beach, screaming in earnest. At first, Danni thought that they’d found themselves a really good actress; even Andrew looked perplexed. “Wow,” he murmured.

But then he jumped up, just as those “on set” froze.

“She’s not a part of the movie!” Someone shouted.

The girl made it to the beach where she fell, still screaming, trying to form a word.

And the word was, “Help.”

***

All three of the victims were laid out.

Dr. Gruber went body by body with Quinn. Each was a healthy young male and all three had been twenty-two years old. None bore defensive wounds; they had not fought their attacker. Death had been the same in all three instances—a razor sharp blade, severing the arteries, had sliced across the neck, left to right pattern.

“Bizarre—it’s as if the three just stopped and gaped at their killer and had no idea that they were about to be killed. They just stood there—and that blade ended their lives,” Gruber said. “We looked for fluids, we looked for skin cells, and we looked for any possible minute specks of evidence. There was nothing. Nothing at all. Idiots. They were cutting up in the cemetery, from what I understand. Trying to create trouble. Well, sadly, they learned a lesson.”

It had been a harsh lesson, Quinn thought.

He thanked the medical examiner who told him they were still waiting for some tests to come back and that he’d inform Quinn about anything he found. He didn’t really seem to know or care why Quinn was involved. Maybe he thought that the situation was bad—and any help was good.

The M.E.’s office was in Marathon and Quinn asked Sandy Burnett if they could stop by the hospital quickly.

Sandy was fine with it, saying she’d be glad to see Kathy Kennedy herself.

They found Colby Kennedy in the room with his sister. Kathy still looked the worse for wear—she was having surgery on her leg that afternoon, she explained.

“I’m really doing better,” Kathy said. “Anything?”

“We’re working on it,” Quinn told her.

“I told you it was a zombie nun,” Kathy said. “If anyone had listened to me—those frat boys might still be alive.”

“You heard that they were killed by a zombie nun?” Sandy asked her.

“I heard what that lady said the witness told her, so, yes, even if the police are denying it, I know they were killed by a zombie nun.”

“Oh, lord,” Colby murmured miserably.

“Not Colby’s nun,” Quinn told Kathy, even though he wasn’t really sure about anything. “She’s all taken apart. Don’t worry; she’ll be long gone.”

Kathy wanted to know what Quinn thought about her film people and Quinn assured her that they seemed just fine.

“I talked to Andrew this morning; he’s filming around the scenes with dialogue, waiting for me,” Kathy said.

“You’re good—and they need you,” Colby said proudly.

Kathy smiled at that. “Thank you.”

“When do you get out, do you think?” Quinn asked.

“She’s in here at least another three or four days,” Colby told them. He glanced over at Quinn. “I think that Tracy is going to drive down tomorrow to get some more things from the house for us. I won’t be leaving Kathy.” He laughed softly. “She just ran out to a shop here to buy us a few things for tonight—we weren’t supposed to be gone this long.”

“I can’t tell him that I’m not afraid of being alone!” Kathy said.

“Well, the important thing is that you work on being better—and don’t mess with your leg. Do everything that they tell you to do,” Officer Sandy said.

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