She was being interrogated, she knew. He just hadn’t taken her to the station.
“Quinn and I came to Marathon first to meet up with Colby Kennedy at his sister’s hospital room. That was the first I ever heard of zombie nuns—in my whole life. Sad to say, my cultural history does not include a viewing of Zombie Nuns of the Apocalypse. Kathy described the nun that attacked her—whether it really attacked her or it was her imagination, I don’t know.” She hesitated, then decided to tell the truth. “We found the one that Colby had purchased in the attic. We took the batteries out of it and locked it up in the shed in back of his house.” She determined not to hesitate—if she did, she’d most probably look all the more guilty of something to the man. “It was a different doll that Davy Gray saw in the cemetery; I sketched that one from his description. But, you know that. You know that there were three dolls still in existence. Police found one in the woods today—and they will probably find that the girl who was attacked was attacked by that zombie nun—manipulated by someone, perhaps, but the animatronic was used in some way.”
Mason straightened and stood back, staring at her.
She’d told the truth.
And she realized that he knew it.
“Could you give me my phone back?” she demanded.
“Get up,” he told her.
“What?”
“I’m taking you to Colby’s house. And I’d better find a zombie nun in his shed,” Mason told her.
She stood and wagged a finger at him. “I don’t think that this is legal,” she warned him.
“I’m managing this case—the way I see fit,” he told her.
His officer—the driver—had already risen.
“We can walk to the house from here,” Danni said.
“We’re driving; you’re with me and that’s the way it is,” Detective Ralph Mason said, drawing up all his dignity and irritation.
“If you would just return my phone—“
“So that you can call your accomplice and have him clean things up?” Mason demanded.
“Accomplice!” she exclaimed. “Oh, you are desperate, aren’t you?” she asked.
“Let’s go.”
Danni headed for the door; it was opened by the officer standing there.
As they left the house, she realized that it had grown dark. Quinn was certainly back—and probably combing the city for her.
Maybe he’d be at the house.
Mason sat in the backseat with her—as if wary that she might try to jump out.
The ride was just a matter of blocks.
They passed the cemetery. It was still guarded by a number of police cars. She wondered if she should cry out or try to flag down an officer. It would do her no good, she thought.
She was going by in a sheriff’s car.
The officer driving pulled up in front of Colby’s house. “Stay here,” Mason commanded the driver. “And you—open the house.”
Danni walked to the porch and opened the front door; Mason was right behind her.
His behavior was not what one would expect from an experienced detective. She was sure that the way he was treating her was illegal. She could complain later. For the moment, she had little choice but to do as he told her.
In the house, she turned on the lights.
Mason walked in and made a noise of disgust. He wasn’t a fan of movie memorabilia, she decided. He pointed at her. “Where’s the mannequin?”
“I told you—it’s in boxes in the shed,” Danni said. Her hopes that Quinn might have come to the house were not to be fulfilled. He wasn’t there. The house was silent.
“Lead the way,” Mason said.
She did, opening the back door and walking out to the small yard. The shed was just a few feet from the house. It was locked.
She looked through the key chain to find the key to the shed.
At last, she did.
“You’re stalling,” Mason said.
“I don’t live here,” she muttered.
She found the key and opened the shed. “There!” she announced.
“There—where?”
She turned in the shadows to stare into the shed.
The boxes were there.
The seals had been broken; they were empty.
“So, your boyfriend has been here,” Mason said. “I guess that’s it; you’re under arrest, Miss Cafferty.”
“Yes, please, arrest me!” Danni snapped. “I’ll get to make a phone call.”
“And warn your friend to take off?”
“Oh, no, Detective Mason. Quinn would never take off. And I promise you, he’ll see that you’re directing traffic on Duval within a night!”
Danni turned and strode back into the house, anxious to be arrested—and to get to a police station. Mason followed her into the house. She strode for the front door—in a hurry now to get back into the car and get to the station.
But Mason didn’t follow her then. He let out a startled scream.
She turned.
A zombie nun was standing in the house—between her and Mason.
Mason drew his gun.
Too late.
The zombie nun was on him.