Page 23 of Damian’s Conquest

“Two.”

“Only two? Always the same men?”

“At least one was always the same, the other one I’m not sure. I couldn’t see his face clearly.”

Naomi looked down to the club again, wondering if there was anything to the woman’s claims. “Did you ever record the men on your cell phone so you could show the police what was happening?”

“I don’t have a cell phone. It fries the brain. You know, microwaves.”

“Okay, and did you ever see anything else that looked suspicious? Like did you see any drugs being exchanged? Any cash? Or anything else that seemed odd?”

“Hmm. I remember that one of them always gave the other one something. But it was too small to see what it was.”

“And when did you last see these two men?”

“Not last night, and not the night before either. But the night before that I saw one of them, but not the other.”

“And that was the last time you saw either one of them?”

“Yes, and—” She stopped herself, and started again, “Last night there was something else that was strange.”

“During the Halloween party at the club?”

She frowned. “It was even louder last night than normal. I woke up several times. A man came out, well at least I think it was a man. He was wearing a mask, you know, one of those they wear at the carnival in Venice?”

“I know what you’re talking about.”

“And he was wearing some sort of black and white costume. He was carrying something. He was looking over his shoulder and stumbled. Something made a noise, like glass breaking. I saw him toss something in the dumpster, but he missed. It made an awful noise.”

“Which dumpster?”

Mrs. Zhang pointed out of the window. “The one in the middle.”

“And why did you find the person strange?”

“Well, it was around 3 o’clock, and he looked like he didn’t belong there.”

“But there was a costume party there last night.”

“I know. But the way he looked around. It was as if he was scared that somebody would see him.”

“You said he wore a mask. You couldn’t see his face.”

“I could tell by the way he moved.”

“Hmm.” Naomi took that statement with a grain of salt. “And did you see where the person went afterwards?”

“He hurried down the alley and got into a car.”

“Do you remember the make and model of the car?”

“I’m not good with cars. Some American car I think.”

“Did you note down the license plate?”

“No, why? That’s not why I made the complaint. You asked if I saw anything else. So I told you. But it’s about those men with blood on them. That’s who you should go after.”

“Of course, but I’d like to be thorough, just in case it’s connected.”