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“Did you see anyone, or any unusual activity?”
“No.”
Randall said, “Your car was already burning when you saw it the next morning.”
“Yes.”
“How long had it been burning, do you think?”
“Not long, because the paint on the doors wasn’t scorched.”
“So, minutes.”
“I think so, yes. And then I walked along the shore down to Hollywood and the boardwalk. I saw no one following me, and didn’t see any trouble until I saw the groups of black men in Hollywood.”
Hunter said, “I want you to think back to the ceremony, and see if you remember any of the men being at it.”
Ariel was silent as she thought about that night. She rose and walked to R
andall, then sat close beside him, leaning her body against his side from hip to shoulder, like a boyfriend and girlfriend sometimes did. Randall felt her body sandwiching the izze-cloth and the tzi-daltai between them. He knew she felt the objects, but Ariel didn’t mention it. She said, “Being here helps me. There’s an aura around you.” She looked at Randall’s face, “Plus, you’re nice looking.” Then she winked.
Randall looked at the others, “If this works, I’m not gonna knock it. I can do my part for hours if need be.”
Ariel closed her eyes for a long moment. When she opened them, she said, “They were there, all of them. On the far side near the three djab, the three devils.”
Andre said, “The woman and two men?”
“Yes.”
Hunter asked, “Did you recognize any of those three?”
“No. Their faces were made up, and they wore robes and loose clothes.”
John’s phone rang. He answered, “Detective Quick.” After listening for almost a minute, he gave Randall the let’s go hand sign and turned off the cell. “We’ve got a homicide.” He looked at Hunter, “We’ll touch base with you this evening.”
Randall seemed hesitant to leave Ariel’s side and said, “You know, if it’s only one little old body, I could stay here and be more valuable to the American people.”
Ariel moved away from him, a somber look on her face, “Go, I feel this is a bad one.” The others looked at her, then Randall stood and the two homicide detectives left.
Hunter said, “What did you mean, ‘a bad one’?”
Ariel said, “I hope I’m wrong, so no more will be said until we hear from them.”
Hunter glanced at Andre, who said, “Let’s do what we need to do and catch up with John and Randall later.”
Andre said, “We need to see the warehouse where the ceremony took place. We can check for evidence they might have left.”
Ariel shivered. “I’ll show you.”
Traffic was light, and they reached the area in forty minutes. Ariel directed Andre where to turn at the different intersections and soon they were at the warehouse. It appeared abandoned, with nothing showing activity. A half-collapsed cyclone fence circled the grounds and a dual entrance gate hung half open, with one side bent at an angle like a leaning drunk. They went through the gate to the warehouse door, and Hunter turned the knob. It opened, and the first thing they noticed was the smell of bleach.
The warehouse was empty. Andre and Hunter snapped photos with their cell phones as they checked the space. No chairs, no tables, no furniture of any kind. Someone had swept the concrete floor so that not even a grain of sand was evident. Ariel pointed at a place on the floor, “That is where the goat died.”
The chlorine smell was stronger there, but nothing tangible stood out. Andre said, “Think luminal might show something?”
“They sprayed down every square inch in this place with bleach, and probably more than once. I’m not sure any traces are left.”
Ariel walked the floor, remembering that night. She angled to the back of the building where the three djab had emerged from another room. The smell was very strong there, and a sense of dread made the fine hairs on her forearms prickle. She left the room to join Hunter and Andre.
