“But what more do you know?” Kate asked.
Quinn gestured at Janus.
“He’s been my eyes in the sky,” he replied. “I’m waiting for his report.”
“Quinn called me this morning and had me head out to the site,” he explained to Kate.
“Where the body supposedly is?” she asked.
“We didn’t know exactly where, but…” Quinn said.
“We know where now,” Janus said.
“What did you find?” she asked.
“The cops are swarming around the woods along a side road between Leesburg and Waterford. They’ve roped off a whole chunk of it. It isn’t very well traveled, but…”
“Not exactly subtle,” she said.
“They never are,” Quinn replied. “Secretive, but not subtle.”
“I got there and parked far enough away,” Janus said. “I started taking photos pretty far back. I have a good telescope lens, so I could see quite a few uniforms combing the woods.”
“Did they see you?”
“Not at first,” he said. “I got pretty close before anyone came over to me. When they did, though, you would have thought I killed the lady.”
“What happened?”
“A whole bunch of cops-like five or six-started coming toward me and shouting and shit,” he said. “I switched the film because I figured they might try and hurt the camera, but they weren’t that dumb. Instead they just started trying to intimidate me.”
“What did you do?” Kate asked.
“I told them they could go fuck themselves,” Janus said and grinned.
“This is his usual response to most inquiries,” Quinn said.
“Really?” she asked.
“Oh yeah,” Quinn said, holding up his hands. “Honest to God.”
“So I imagine they took that well,” she said.
“Well, I also showed them my press badge,” Janus added. “That made them calm down, but one of them went running back and brought out Stu.”
“Who’s Stu?”
“Brown’s deputy,” Quinn said.
“What did he say?” Kate asked.
“He didn’t say jack,” Janus replied. “I asked him what the hell was going on. I said I got calls from some locals about the police out here, so I came to take some pictures and I get the fucking Nazis coming down on me.”
“Good, good,” Quinn said.
“No locals called, I assume,” she said.
“Not a bloody one,” Janus replied. “So Stu just glares at me and you can see the hamster wheel running in his head. Then he said something about how it was dangerous and there was a chemical spill in the woods and how I needed to keep away from the area.”
“If it was a chemical spill, where were the masks and suits?” Quinn asked.
“Bingo, man,” Janus said. “Exactly the question I asked him. He just told me to leave.”
“Is that about it?” Quinn asked.
“Well, I got enough art for you,” Janus said. “But I will tell you this. Those kids-the other cops-they were scared. You could just feel it coming off them. I don’t know if they were told the chemical bullshit or not, but I doubt it. Whatever body is back there, I think it’s pretty messed up.”
“Or they didn’t just find a body,” Kate said.
“Meaning?” Quinn asked.
“They found something else,” she said. “Something that is worrying them.”
“Like?”
“A note,” she said. “Lord Halloween’s calling card.”
“Wait a minute,” Quinn said. “We don’t know that yet. I agree it’s a possibility-maybe even a good one, but…”
“How many murders happen in October, for God’s sake?” Kate asked.
“I know,” he replied evenly. “But it is far too early to tell yet. We have to find out more.”
There was a silence between the three of them.
“I might be able to help,” she said finally.
The two men looked at her.
“How?” Quinn asked her.
“Do you trust me?” she asked him and the two of them stared at each other.
“I said I did,” Quinn replied.
“Then let me worry about it,” she said. “I have some experience with police procedure. And I may have a source.”
“Whoa, hang on, we can’t let this get out,” Quinn replied.
“You have to trust me, Quinn,” she said. “I’m not going to burn you. But if this story is what we think it is, this source will know. And he won’t lie to me about it.”
“How is that possible? You just came to this town,” Janus said.
Kate didn’t answer him.
“You’ve been here before,” Quinn said. “Haven’t you?”
Kate looked at both of them, but said nothing. She looked at her watch.
“I have to run guys,” she said. “But I promise I’ll keep this quiet for you. If he comes through, I’ll let you know.”
She stood up and started to walk away. Suddenly, she came back to the table.
“Quinn?” she said.
“Yeah?” he asked uncertainly.
“Thanks for trusting me. You won’t regret it.”
And she left them both watching her leave.
“Wonderful girl,” Janus said. “Either I’m going to kill her or I’m beginning to like her.”
“ Empire Strikes Back?” Quinn asked.
“Nah, man,” he said. “Original Star Wars. You are off your game today. And if she screws us, you will have blown the biggest story of your life. Return of a brutal serial killer?”
“I know what I’m doing,” Quinn replied.
“I hope you’re right,” Janus said. “We don’t know an awful lot about her, you know. And notice how she didn’t answer if she had been here before? I’m not the reporter, but when someone doesn’t answer a question, it usually means there is a story.”
“I know,” Quinn said.
“You dig her?” Janus asked.
Quinn just looked away.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Janus laughed. “So you aren’t going to answer my questions now?”
“I don’t know how to answer it,” Quinn said. “Yeah, I ‘dig’ her.”
“Good,” Janus said. “God knows you’ve needed a girlfriend in the worst way.”
“Leave my personal life alone,” Quinn said.
“Why start now?” Janus asked. “Just be careful about trusting her too far. She’s holding back. That much is obvious.”
“I’ll be careful,” he said.
Janus grunted and they finished the rest of their lunch in near silence.
Kate stood outside on the curb, uncertain exactly what to do. The barrier between her and the door was little
