The Dead Play On (14 page)

Father Ryan lifted a hand and looked toward the night sky. “Lord and Mother Mary, help me. Both of you listen to me. We will all walk Danni home. Then Natasha. Then we get in my car, and Billie and I drop Hattie off, and then I drop Billie and head on home.” He looked firmly at each of them in turn. “And there will be no arguments.”

There were none.

Billie and Hattie took the lead. Behind them, Danni walked between Father Ryan and Natasha.

As they walked, Father Ryan asked Danni, “What’s your feeling on this case? You and Quinn would know... Are we looking at greed and obsession or cold-blooded murder? Or is there really something...special about that instrument?”

“I don’t know, Father. I tried to find something relevant in the book my father left me, but...I just don’t know.”

“Can it be one person? Just one person doing this?” Natasha asked. “I keep my eyes and ears open, both to those I know and those who come for readings. And all I’ve heard so far is fear.”

“Just one person can cause nations to fall, remember,” Father Ryan said. “And the police can hardly go door-to-door demanding to know if someone owns a Mardi Gras mask and a trench coat—and if they’ve been brutally murdering musicians.”

“That person might have killed Jenny last night,” Danni said. “But now, of course, she’ll never be without Brad—and they’re both staying at my place for now.”

“Evil is such an elusive quality,” Father Ryan said thoughtfully. “And I can’t say I begin to understand it. Some say that it can and does reside in inanimate objects, and we’ve seen how a malignant soul can linger on. People believe in residual hauntings, when, say, a Civil War soldier fights the same battle over and over again. But no matter how you slice it, the earth itself isn’t evil, and neither is the sky or the sea. Evil always begins and ends with man.”

“Amen, Father,” Natasha said quietly.

They’d reached Danni’s house; Quinn’s car wasn’t back yet.

“Guess I beat him home,” Danni said.

“So we’ll see you in, check everything out and make sure Wolf is on duty,” Natasha said.

Wolf was indeed on duty. He was waiting by the courtyard door, and wagged his tail and wriggled his massive body as he greeted Danni and said hello to the others. Bo Ray, bare-chested with his jeans thrown on, came down the stairs to meet them. He seemed happy to see everyone, but it was obvious that the noise they’d made had awakened him. He was especially pleased to see Hattie, whom he hadn’t seen in a while.

After a few minutes’ conversation, Billie sighed and pointed out the hour.

“Everything fine here?” Father Ryan asked Bo Ray.

“Yep. Fine. I fell asleep about two, but there’s nothing going on here. And I’d know, because Wolf would let me know, and he hasn’t made a peep,” Bo Ray assured them.

“Then we’ll lock you two and Wolf in,” Billie said. “I’m going with the good Father to see Hattie home.”

“Okay,” Bo Ray said, grinning knowingly.

Billie looked away, blushing. Hattie gave Bo Ray a tap on the arm. “Behave, young man. They’re all just very politely seeing an old lady home.”

“You’ll never be old, Hattie,” Danni told her.

“Of course not. She’s way too mean,” Father Ryan teased.

“What was it you said earlier, Father? Lord and Mother Mary, help me,” Hattie said, rolling her eyes. “Let’s move it now, children.”

“Anything new?” Bo Ray asked Danni anxiously after the others had left.

She shook her head. “No. Earlier today Tyler mentioned another old friend of Arnie’s, and I’m curious if that’s something we should pursue. He’s an army vet, wounded and still at Walter Reed. Maybe he knows something about the sax. I have to talk to Quinn first, though. And speaking of Quinn, have you heard from him?”

Bo Ray nodded. “Oh, yeah. I left you a note on your bedroom door. He said not to worry if he came in a bit after you, said they were stopping by Jenny and Brad’s place to pick up a few things.”

“That’s fine. Everyone wants their own things. I’m not sure I can wait up for Quinn, though. I’m beat.”

“I know just how you feel,” Bo Ray said. “I’m going back to bed, since I have a feeling I’ll be the one keeping The
Cheshire Cat
going for the next...whatever. Night, Danni.”

“Night, Bo Ray.”

It was still dark out, not quite 5:00 a.m., and Danni decided to give staying up a little longer a try. She made herself a cup of tea and laced it with milk and sugar—“comfort food,” as her father had called it—and sat down at the table.

But after she nearly fell asleep with her face in her teacup, she gave Wolf a dog treat and told him, “Say hi to Quinn for me. I’m out.”

Wolf barked. She would swear the dog understood her words. As she headed for the stairs, Wolf circled a few times and then lay down in front of the courtyard door.

Up in her room, Danni shimmied out of the dress she had worn and into a long sleep T. She lay down on the bed, tired in every pore of her body.

But she kept thinking about Father Ryan’s words, wondering whether evil really could reside in objects, in buildings, even in the air.

Her eyes began to close as she lay there. Just when she was beginning to drift off, she heard Wolf begin to bark.

At first the noise was just irritating. In her still half-asleep stage, she figured Quinn had gotten home and the dog was happy to see him.

But then she jumped out of bed. That wasn’t Wolf’s ecstatic Quinn-was-home bark. It was one of his warning barks.

She heard the dog bounding up the stairs; he was coming to stand guard over her, she knew.

When she opened the bedroom door she heard Bo Ray hurrying down from the attic. Obviously he had heard the dog, too. Wolf reached her side and barked with new fervor then bounded back down the stairs to the courtyard entrance.

“What is it?” Bo Ray asked tensely.

“I don’t know. Wolf doesn’t like something.”

“You got a gun, right?”

“In the drawer by the bed.”

“Get it,” he said.

Danni did. She hated guns, but Quinn had taught her how to shoot, and she had a Glock 19 he had gotten her just a few months back.

She paused in her room, walking over to the window and looking out to the street.

There was someone staring at her house. Someone wearing a trench coat and who had what appeared to be a wild shock of dark hair.

And no face.

* * *

“We really do need to move back home, Jenny,” Brad told her as Quinn drove. Jenny was in the front, and she lowered her head slightly. Brad, in the back, couldn’t see her expression, but Quinn could.

It was clear to him that the last thing Jenny wanted at the moment was to go home, away from the protection of Danni’s house and everyone there. Back to the scene of her terrifying close encounter with a killer.

“Soon, Brad,” Quinn told him. “But not yet. Things are still too dangerous at the moment.”

“I don’t think he’s coming back to our house,” Brad said. “He already took what he wanted. He can’t possibly be afraid that Jenny would identify him, because no one can identify him. Quinn, you know how much I appreciate what you and Danni are doing for us, but...I have a gun, you know.”

Quinn was sure Brad was hurt that Jenny didn’t believe he could defend her. He wasn’t an idiot; he wouldn’t push things to the point that might get her hurt, all for the sake of his pride. But he also had logic on his side.

Quinn didn’t think the killer would head back to Brad and Jenny’s house. He would move on to another musician—and another saxophone.

“For Danni’s peace of mind,” he said, knowing that Danni wouldn’t care in the least what ploy he used to keep their friends safe, “it would be great if you would stay with us a few more days. I know she feels much safer with you two in the house.”

“Brad, please, for Danni,” Jenny said quietly.

“All right, fine—and thanks, Quinn,” Brad said.

Jenny flashed Quinn a quick glance. Her gratitude and relief were obvious, and he smiled back and lowered his head in a small nod.

He’d reached Royal Street and hit the clicker to open the courtyard gate. But even as he pulled the car into its spot next to Danni’s, he heard Wolf barking.

He was drawing his gun from the small holster tucked into his waistband even as he exited the car.

“Stay behind me,” he curtly ordered Brad and Jenny.

He moved quickly across the courtyard, with the two of them following him. But as they walked between its umbrella-shaded tables, the door to the house opened.

Wolf came bounding out to greet him.

Danni stood at the door, with Bo Ray right behind her.

“He was here,” she said softly. “I saw him in the glow of the streetlight. I saw him there—and then he was gone. Just gone. As if he’d disappeared into thin air.”

* * *

“I think that, in an odd way, it’s good that Danni saw the killer on the street. It means that he was going to come in here, but then he heard Wolf,” Quinn said.

He’d gone out and searched the streets, but he hadn’t found a man in a trench coat or a mask. Then again, he hadn’t really expected to; he’d just been going through the motions. He’d taken Wolf with him, but whatever scent the dog had started out following had gotten lost in the mixture of odors once they got to Bourbon Street.

By the time he returned to the house, Billie was back, too. Natasha and Hattie had been safely returned to their own homes, but Father Ryan was sitting with the rest of the group around the table. Danni had brewed a pot of coffee and set out beignets and Danish; it was getting close to breakfast time.

“Why is that good?” Jenny asked Quinn. “It just means that he’s still out there.”

“It means that we’re after a person,” Quinn said. “One real-live person who can be warned off by a barking dog, and that’s an advantage for our side. His whole MO has been based on taking people by surprise. When he killed Holton Morelli and Lawrence Barrett, he just walked up to their houses and knocked on their doors, and they let him in. At least that seems logical, since there was no sign of forced entry, which means he’s almost certainly someone they knew. Someone they would just let in. But by the time he got to your place,” he told Brad and Jenny, “he was back to wearing his mask. He didn’t want anyone knowing who he is, which means he’s aware that people are being cautious and that you wouldn’t open your door to just anyone, even someone you knew.” At Jenny’s stricken look he hastened to add, “Calm down. I’m not saying you knew him, just that you might, and so might other people he passed, so he was making sure no one could recognize him.”

Jenny breathed an audible sigh of relief. “Everyone in the city knows to be cautious now,” she said.

“He’s got to be after the sax,” Danni said. “He’s after every sax in this city. And maybe a particular song, but mostly I think it’s the sax.”

“Yes, I believe that’s true,” Quinn said.

“At least partially true,” Father Ryan said.

“What do you mean?” Quinn asked him.

“There’s a sax in this house, and Billie’s been out there playing and calling attention to it. But there’s more than that here, Quinn. You and Danni are here. You’ve been playing music in public. You’ve been snooping around. The killer might have come here after the two of you,” Father Ryan said.

“Or a two-in-one,” Danni said softly. “The two of us—and a sax. But Father, he came when Quinn wasn’t here. What if he’s really after me?”

“Or maybe he thought it would be easier to take you out one at a time. Get in and get you, and the dog and Bo Ray if he had to, then wait to jump Quinn.” Father Ryan turned to Jenny. “I’d guess he was well aware that Brad wasn’t home last night. He was either trying to get in and get out before Brad got back or take you down one at a time because that would be safer and easier for him.”

“Maybe he doesn’t even want Quinn. I mean, he’s not part of the Survivor Set,” Jenny said.

“No, of course not,” Danni said then frowned. “What about the Survivor Set?” she asked. “How does that fit in?”

“Everyone who’s been killed was part of the Survivor Set, Danni, or they had something to do with it,” Jenny said. “We just realized that when we were talking tonight. You were into art rather than music, but you were still part of the group. Even Holton Morelli and Lawrence Barrett, they taught us. Jeff was part of it, too.”

“So was Arnie Watson,” Brad added.

“So this person is trying to kill all of us...why? Because we were friends or at least knew each other years ago?” Danni asked.

“I really don’t think so,” Quinn said. “Every time something has happened, the common denominator has been a sax.”

“Where is Arnie’s damned sax?” Jenny asked. “We need to find it and give it to him, so he’ll stop killing.”

Quinn looked at Danni and weighed his words carefully. “We need to find the sax,” he agreed. “But we also have to find whoever is doing this and stop him.”

“Maybe he’s not real. Maybe he’s a monster. We think it’s a mask, but maybe it’s his face,” Jenny said. “But,” she added anxiously, looking at Quinn and Danni, “you kill monsters, don’t you? Oh, Lord. Listen to me,” she said. “I sound like a crazy person.” She laid her head down on the table and groaned.

“Everyone should get some sleep,” Quinn said. “Being overtired doesn’t help anything.”

“Yes,” Jenny agreed. But she didn’t move. She looked at Quinn and said, “We’re safe, right? I mean if the killer were to come back, well, you’ve got your gun?” She looked at Brad. “And you have yours, too, right? And you’re ready to use them on that creep if he does come back?”

“We’re armed, Jenny,” Quinn assured her.

“I even know how to shoot,” Father Ryan said. He smiled grimly and told Jenny, “God’s warrior, you know. Don’t get the wrong idea. I
am
a man of peace. But sometimes the innocent need to be protected.”

“But you’re going home, Father,” Jenny said.

“We’ve always got another bed,” Danni offered.

“Thank you, dear. But I think I will head back to the rectory. Mass later, you know? And I have never had a sax. I can’t play a sax—trust me, you wouldn’t want to hear me try. So...time for me to go now.”

“Alone?” Jenny asked him.

“I wasn’t kidding when I said I can shoot. And I have a permit for a concealed weapon, which I have on me, under my jacket. I’ll see you all tomorrow night,” he assured them.