Sweet Dreams Boxed Set (89 page)

He didn’t answer right away, but she didn’t expect him to—he was probably in with Sandy Burnett and the medical examiner.

Officer Pratt drove her to the beach by the old fort where the filming was going on; he regaled her with stories as he did so. While Florida had been the third state to secede from the Union during the Civil War, the Union had had held tight to both Ft. Zachary Taylor on the Island and Ft. Jefferson out west in the Dry Tortugas. It had made for controversy throughout the Civil War—and constant conflict between blockade runners and the American military. He was pretty sure that they were throwing some real history into the movie and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

“It’s not going to be any ‘War and Peace,’” he warned rolling his eyes.

And it wasn’t.

When she reached the filming area, she saw that they were doing a scene in which the Lucinda mannequin was attacking sunbathers.

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.

“We’d better get back,” Quinn said.

He gave her a kiss on the forehead; Sandy Burnett did the same.

Colby thanked Quinn again—and Sandy.

Leaving the hospital, they ran into Tracy Kennedy who was returning with a bag from a nearby clothing store.

“Underwear,” she explained, grimacing. “Home is an hour away in light traffic; I’m coming down to Key West soon, but I promise I won’t surprise you. I’ll let you know when I’m on the way.” She smiled. “I just have to get back into my house, you know!”

“Of course,” Quinn said. “It is your house.”

As they stepped out of the hospital, both of their cell phones started beeping and buzzing.

“No satellite connections seem to work in there,” Sandy said, shaking her head.

She looked at her phone.

“Oh, no,” she said.

Quinn looked at his own.

His heart seemed to lodge in his throat.

There were several messages from Danni.

She was heading to the beach. A couple asking about the film people. And then the last….

Get back here! There’s been another attack!

Chapter 6

The film set scene was absolute chaos.

At first, of course, there was the confusion. Some people watching or even taking part were convinced that it was all part of an elaborate show.

Police and security rushed in. Andrew was gone, tearing onto the beach, trying to determine what had happened.

It seemed that everyone was rushing to the beach—when the girl had come from the thicket of pine trees.

Danni walked along the edge of the trees as people rushed by to the injured girl; Danni prayed that she was only injured—that she had managed to run from her attacker.

She was dimly aware of Andrew shouting to someone. “Did you get it—were you filming? The police will want that film…and I’m going to want that film!”

Danni walked more and more quickly along the edge of the pines. They grew at a bit of a distance from one another—pinecones littered sand and scruff grass beneath them.

She stood still, thinking that she’d seen movement.

And she had.

Something black…a tall figure…moving between the trees.

“Hey! Police!” she screamed. “In the trees!”

At first, she wasn’t even heard. She raised her voice. Suddenly, there were several officers and buff men in beach trunks running toward her; she motioned toward the pines. “I can see someone in there—someone walking!”

She was almost mowed down.

Sirens were blaring. An ambulance was on its way; police vehicles were screeching toward the area. Danni looked at the spot on the beach where the girl had fallen, shading her eyes from the sun.

She still had no idea if the girl was alive or dead, but security and the police had moved in—at least keeping her from being suffocated by those who wanted to try to help her.

Shouts from the area of the pine trees alerted her to the fact that someone had found something. And then, the police came out with bullhorns, announcing that the beach was closed—everyone was to get off.

Danni desperately tried to find out what was going on.

They had to have found something. Something in the scattered pine forest by the beach—something black that moved like a zombie nun.

Danni found an officer and tried to explain that she’d been working with the police; that she was the one who had sounded the alarm. He wanted nothing to do with her—and insisted that she follow the crowd and leave the beach.

She tried to find Andrew or Vanessa or Joe—or any of the film people, but there was tremendous confusion and she didn’t see anyone that she knew.

Finally, she moved out herself—no one there was going to listen to her. She could head back to the station, or see if Quinn had gotten her messages and if he was on his way back.

She had barely broken free from the crowd when a Monroe Sheriff’s Department car stopped by her side. A man in a suit came out; he was lean and hard looking and apparently angry.

“Get in the car, Miss Cafferty.”

He evidently knew who she was.

“Why? And who are you?” she asked.

He produced his wallet and credentials. “Detective Ralph Mason. I want you down at the station for questioning—now!”

Another office was driving the car she noted. She had thought about heading in to the police station. But she was instantly on the defensive. Why did he want
her?

“Why in God’s name would you question me?” she asked him.

“Miss Cafferty, this all started when you and your Louisiana P.I. friend arrived in town. You and Mr. Quinn have insinuated yourselves into this investigation. You don’t think it’s a little bizarre that a young woman is attacked and you are the one to give the alarm—after you and your boyfriend have been running around insisting that a zombie-nun doll did all this?”

She looked at him, completely aggravated. “Detective, Quinn and I didn’t come down until after Kathy Kennedy was attacked. And while everyone was rushing to the girl, it occurred to me whatever happened to her had happened in the trees—the direction from which she had come running. And, yes, I saw something there—no big surprise! But, now you’ve found it, and I’m assuming that it was a zombie doll and you don’t really know what the hell happened so you need a scapegoat.”

She’d nailed it—and she knew it.

“Get in the car, Miss Cafferty.”

“Fine!”

Danni slid into the back seat of the sheriff’s car. The driver—an expressionless man—looked at Detective Mason.

Mason nodded.

They started to drive.

A moment later, Danni looked out the window, frowning.

She wasn’t from Key West, she’d only been there once before.

But it was an island, and she had a good sense of north, south, east, west, Duval Street, Front Street, Old Town—and how to get off the island.

She knew that they weren’t heading for the station.

She pulled her cell phone from her bag. Before she could begin to dial Quinn, Detective Mason reached into the back seat.

“I’ll take that!” he announced.

And he did.

Chapter 7

“You all right?” Sandra Burnett asked Quinn.

He nodded grimly.  Was he all right? Sandy had called in to find out that there had been another attack—in broad daylight—on the beach. The victim was being rushed to the hospital in Marathon even as they were speeding—as best one could in the Keys—in the opposite direction. She was unconscious, so no one knew what had happened. She’d been with a group of girls down for a bachelorette party; she’d just wandered off looking around at the lay of the area—before she’d come running out screaming to the beach where they’d all been watching the filming of
Lucinda.

“I’m not getting an answer now from Danni,” he said.

“Not to worry; there is so much commotion going on. I understand she was the one who alerted them all that there was something in the pines,” Sandy said. “In all that confusion, she might have dropped her cell phone.”

Dropped her cell phone? Sure, it could happen. But, that would be far too convenient.

And what the hell had she been doing on the damned beach? She’d told him that she was going to be at the police department.

And she’d written him that there were definitely at least two dolls on the loose—the doll Davy had described had been different!

“Can you get an officer out there looking for her, please?” he asked Sandy.

“Sure thing,” Sandy promised.

She picked up her radio again; he heard a Sargent Gonzalez come on the line and promise that every officer would be on the lookout for Danni Cafferty.

“I’m sure she’s fine,” Sandy said.

Her voice sounded a little weak.

Nothing was fine.

As they came closer to Key West, they noted the opposing traffic. People were leaving the “Conch Republic” in droves. Quinn felt that they couldn’t get there quickly enough.

“Where to?” Sandy asked him as they turned on to Roosevelt.

“Let’s stop by Colby’s house,” he said. He hoped against hope that maybe she had gone there.