The Frenzy Way (22 page)

12:06
AM

When Lloyd walked over to Patty again, she ordered a seltzer with a slice of lime in it for appearance’s sake. While waiting for her drink, she scanned the crowd, searching for loners. She saw groups and couples, but most of the available men had already hit on her. Then she saw him, sitting alone at a table in the far corner, gazing at her with intense eyes. Her first instinct was to look away, but she did not want any of her actions to seem obvious. So she held his gaze.

Contact.

She felt a tingling sensation at the nape of her neck: Perp Fever. Lloyd set her drink down behind her. As she turned to pay him, she searched the mirror over the back bar for her suspect. She pinpointed his face, which seemed to bleed out of the darkness. Then a dancing couple blocked her view, and she said out loud behind the glass she had raised to her lips, “Got a possibility here.” She sipped the seltzer, and as the couple moved out of her way, she saw the man still staring at her.

Mace did not have to look at Willy to know that his subordinate was studying his reaction. “Doesn’t mean a thing. The moon isn’t full.”

“Ever hear of a comic book called
Werewolf by Night?”
Mace shook his head. “I never collected comics as a kid, just baseball cards.” But he understood Willy’s point.

12:11
AM

Patty felt naked standing at the bar waiting for the man to approach her.
If he’s not going to come to me, I’ll just have to go to him.
Drink in hand, she circled the dance floor. The man’s eyes followed her, and as she drew closer to him she sensed arrogance radiating from his handsome features. His short, wavy hair, slacks, and long-sleeved shirt matched the darkness around him. He looked almost thirty, just as Dr. Lockhart had calculated. Stopping at the table, she looked down at him.

He stared back at her, silent and expectant, the drink before him half finished.

He’s enjoying this
, Patty thought. “Is this seat taken?”

His eyes abandoned hers long enough to glance at the empty seat beside him. Then he raised his eyebrows in mock innocence. “Does it
look
taken?”

Oh, you smug prick
, Patty thought. But she smiled anyway. “No, it doesn’t. Mind if I join you?”

Without taking his eyes off her, he gestured at the chair. “I never refuse the company of a lovely woman.”

Patty slid onto the seat and held out her hand. “I’m Patty.”

The man took her hand in his. His skin felt warm and dry. “Jason,” he said, releasing his firm grip on her. “I’ve never seen you here before.”

“This is my first time. How often do you come here?”

His smile tightened. “What difference does it make?”

I’m going to put the cuffs on you myself if you’re the right guy.
“It doesn’t. I’m just trying to get to know you.”

Jason leaned closer, dark eyes gleaming. “Why do you want to get to know me?”

“He’s playing with her,” Willy said.

Mace nodded. “That just makes him cocky. It doesn’t make him our perp.”

Now Patty leaned closer, accepting his unspoken challenge. “I find you attractive.”

Jason seemed even more amused. “So you ask me pointless questions?”

She brushed her fingernails against the back of the hand he had set on the table’s surface. “Isn’t that how it’s done?”
Turn on the charm
.

“You don’t belong here.”

The comment disarmed her. “Where do I belong?”

“Uptown. Midtown. Another borough. In some Irish pub. But not here, with these fey and pretentious children of the night.”

“You’re wrong. I only live a few blocks from here.”

Jason cocked his head. “Really?”
Bingo.

“Mm-hmm.”

“Let’s go there.”

Time to rein him in and gain control of the situation. “I’m not sure I want to.”

“Of course you do.” Jason stood.
“That’s
how it’s done.” He held out his hand.

Looking at his haughty smile, Patty slid her hand into his, and he helped her stand.

“Look alive,” Mace said into his hand radio as he started the Cavalier’s engine.

“Here they come,” Willy said, raising a camera with a long lens to one eye.

Patty exited the club with a tall man with dark hair, dressed in dark clothing, and they descended the concrete steps.

Willy snapped several photos, then lowered the camera. “What do you think?”

“I don’t think Patty’s dating on the clock.”

“Which way?” they heard Jason say over the speaker, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his slacks.

Facing him on the sidewalk, Patty pointed to her left. “My car’s right around the corner.”

Jason’s voice turned cold. “You said you only lived a few blocks away.”

“Canny motherfucker,” Willy said.

“It’s not far,” Patty said. “Just eight or nine blocks. On Grove.”

“Okay,” Jason said.

Patty led him toward the corner, and Mace pulled into traffic, inching the Cavalier forward.

“Can you see them?” he said into his mic. “Over.”

“Affirmative,” Landry said. “Over.”

At the corner, Mace and Willy looked to their right, where they saw Patty and Jason get into a red Rabbit.

“This is Grandma’s house,” Kramer said over the speaker. “We have a good image. Over.”

“Copy that,” Mace said.

As Patty sagged into the Rabbit’s front seat, she felt the cold metal barrel of the snub-nosed .38 strapped to her inner right thigh press between her legs. Candice had made sure the tight skirt Patty wore wasn’t so short that the gun would become visible by accident. Patty turned the ignition, and the Rabbit’s engine came to life. Although she had never driven this particular vehicle before tonight, she was careful to appear familiar with it. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she saw Mace and Willy’s Cavalier at the corner. She shifted her gaze to the passenger beside her.

Jason studied her with intense eyes, making her nervous. Then, without warning, he leaned forward and kissed her lips. Caught off guard, she felt compelled to respond in character. With her heart beating faster, she parted her lips, allowing his tongue to enter her mouth and flick against hers. Then he sat back with a satisfied smile on his face. For a second, she believed he could not possibly be the killer they sought.

“I have an idea,” he said. “Let’s go to my place instead.”

“What the hell is he doing?” Willy said.

It’s him
, Patty thought, gazing into her companion’s gleaming, dark brown eyes.
It has to be him.
When his lips parted to speak again, she realized she had waited too long to answer him. “Which way?” she said before he could comment on her hesitance.

“Just go straight for now. I’ll tell you when to turn.”

Patty shifted the car into gear.