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Gray was certain Vandal was lying, but as of yet there was no need to call him on it.
“This girl who talked to me says someone is after Andreas.”
“Competition? Someone wanting his business?”
Vandal shook his head. “No, revenge. Something about Billy’s—Andreas’s—wife. Something personal.”
“Is that why this person is killing Billy’s girls?”
“Yeah. To get to him off balance. That’s what this girl says anyway.”
There might be something there Gray could work with. “I need her name.”
“I-I told you I don’t know it.”
“Does this girl work for Andreas like the ones who were killed?”
Vandal nodded.
Gray needed an angle, something that might make him crack. Vandal seemed to be a decent person at heart. “You’re worried about this girl.”
“No. Yes. Fuck, I’m worried about all of them. If what she told me is true, there will be more deaths.”
Gray hoped to God he could find this asshole before that prediction came true. “I need a name or a number to contact her, something.”
“I’ll try to get her to call you. I’ll do my best, but that’s all I can do. I swore I wouldn’t tell anyone.”
“Why did she talk to you? Did she want you to help?”
Vandal looked away and fiddled with his napkin. “Maybe. I don’t know.”
Another lie.
“I want to help, man. But this is all I can do.” Vandal pushed his chair back and stood. “I gotta go.”
He was out of the door lightning fast. Gray considered going after him, but he wasn’t sure it would help. Maybe he could charge Vandal with obstructing a murder investigation, but he wasn’t sure that would stick and he’d lose any chance of Vandal’s help in the future. He’d just have to try to figure out the girl’s identity on his own.
The waitress brought their food. “Where’s your friend?”
“He had to leave suddenly, but don’t worry, I’ll eat his bread pudding.”
She winked at him. “You won’t be sorry.”
And he wasn’t. He was only sorry he’d gotten just enough information to tease him but nothing to actually answer any of his questions.
9
Gray was running. The woods were dark. Where was his dad? Somewhere on the path ahead? No, his dad wasn’t there anymore. He was long gone. Wasn’t he?
A scream. A young girl’s scream. Not another one, please not another one, I’ve got to stop him, got to get there in time.
He ran faster, but he didn’t seem to be getting anywhere, the woods didn’t change. Then he saw a shadowy figure, a man with a hoodie and… a knife? “Dad?”
The man looked at him, but his face was all shadow as if there were nothing under his hood.
The girl screamed again. Suddenly she was right in front of the man.
“Nancy?” Gray called.
