Page 31 of Midnight Creed

“Your profile suggests he’s also homeless?” Tully asked.

“I’m not sure yet. I don’t have enough information. But so far, it’s been his targets.”

“No other connection between the victims?” Gwen’s eyes were already out the window, examining the line on the sidewalk.

“Racine doesn’t have identities yet. I learned more this morning talking to a woman who lives on the street than I did from the homicide department.”

“So, what exactly are we looking for?” Tully wanted to know.

“I’m not sure.”

“If you’re not sure what we’re looking for, isn’t this a bit premature?” Gwen asked.

“Maybe.” Maggie hated how uncertain she sounded. “But it’s also early enough,” she continued, “that he won’t expect us to be watching. He could make a mistake. What I know is two men have been killed in a matter of ten days within blocks of each other. We need to start somewhere because I doubt that he’s finished.”

Tully nodded. “Okay. Is there anything at all we do know about him?”

Maggie remembered the contents of the bag. She hadn’t been allowed to sort through it, but she did get a good look at the pair of shoes inside.

“He has really big feet.”

21

Maggie, Gwen, and Tully split up so they wouldn’t draw attention. Into their second hour, she started thinking Gwen was right. It was too early. They didn’t know enough. She thought something might stand out. Maybe she believed her gut instinct would point her in the right direction.

She took a plate to a wheelchair-bound man who sat patiently at a table in the far corner. Maggie didn’t even see the woman come in. The dining area filled quickly with bundled bodies waiting in line or seated at small tables. She grabbed a couple more dinners to distribute, and when she turned around, the woman in the pink scarf stood in front of her.

“Hello,” Maggie said, politely but not addressing Nessie by name. She should have anticipated that they might run into each other here. Her mind spun into gear. What could she say so the woman wouldn’t blow her cover?

“Can I get one of those?” Nessie asked, pointing to the plates in Maggie’s hands. “Or is there some sort of order to this chaos?” She jutted her chin to the right where some people stood in corners, others in line and still others sat at tables eating.

Maggie thought the process looked organized in the beginning, but the snow seemed to bring more people than expected.

“Sure,” Maggie said, handing her one of the meals. “We’ve got roasted chicken, mixed veggies, garden salad and apple crisp.”

Nessie licked her lips just like she had earlier that morning when she first saw the pastries Maggie had brought to their table. Maggie tried not to say anything more. She couldn’t risk engaging with the woman or even looking like she had met her before.

“Thank you.” Nessie took the plate carefully between her mittened hands as though she were being handed something heavy and precious. She didn’t move. She stood still, waiting.

Maggie realized she was holding her breath. She did a quick check to see where Gwen and Tully were. When her eyes came back and met Nessie’s, the woman did something Maggie never expected. She winked at her. Then she turned and headed over to a table with two others who seemed to recognize her. They greeted her by name and started talking. Nessie didn’t look in Maggie’s direction again.

Almost an hour later, the crowd dispersed back out onto the snowy sidewalks, hopefully to find their way to one of the night shelters. Anytime the door opened, Maggie could feel the sharp cold. She looked for Nessie, now disappointed the woman hadn’t lagged behind. Not that she knew what she would have said to her.

Tully and Gwen waited for her in the far corner, next to a window overlooking the snow-covered sidewalk. They had intended on having their free meal here before heading out.

“You mind if we go somewhere else?” she asked, looking at Tully, who she knew was probably starving. He was always starving. Even now, she had to draw his attention away from the volunteers at a corner table digging into their dinners.

She and Tully had worked as partners in the field for several years, and Maggie had gotten used to “catching a bite,” as Tully put it, at roadside diners. She didn’t mind him dipping his shirt cuff into gravy or various stains on his ties.

Gwen elbowed him and nodded at Maggie. “What do you think, R.J.? Burgers and beers?”

“Now you’re talking,” he said. “I’ve been wanting to check out that place a couple of blocks over.”

Maggie wasn’t surprised he could come up with a place so easily. They got their coats, then Tully went around back to get his car. As they waited at the door, shoulder to shoulder, Gwen leaned against her and said, “I’m glad we did this.”

“Did you notice someone?”

“I noticed a bunch of people that I should have noticed a long time ago. This was a good reminder. Thank you.”