McCune has located the costume store where Janet Davis took some pictures. Hes on his way there, and says hell meet us there. Lets get going.
*When Crivaro pulled up to the store called Costume Romp, Agent McCune was already there waiting in his own vehicle. He got out and joined Riley and Crivaro as they approached the store. It looked to Riley at first like a modest storefront establishment. The front windows were filled with costumes, of courseranging from a vampire and a mummy to fancy dress outfits suggestive of earlier centuries. There was also an Uncle Sam costume for the upcoming Fourth of July.
When she followed Crivaro and McCune inside, Riley was startled by the vastness of the long brick interior, filled with racks loaded with what appeared to be hundreds of costumes, masks, and wigs.
The sight of so much make-believe took Rileys breath away. The costumes included pirates, monsters, soldiers, princes and princesses, wild and domestic animals, space aliens, and every other kind of character she could imagine.
It boggled Rileys mind. After all, Halloween only came once a year. Was there really a year-round market for all these costumes? If so, what did people want with them?
A lot of costume parties, I guess.
It occurred to her that she shouldnt be surprised, considering the horrors she was starting to learn about. In a world where such awful things happened, it was small wonder that people wanted to escape into fantasy worlds.
It also wasnt surprising that a talented photographer like Janet Davis would enjoy taking photographs here, in the midst of such a rich array of images. No doubt she used real film here, not a digital camera.
The monster masks and costumes reminded Riley of a TV show shed enjoyed during the last couple of yearsthe story of a teenage girl who fought and slew vampires and other kinds of demons.
Lately, though, Riley had found that show less appealing.
After learning about her own ability to enter a killers mind, the saga of a girl with superpowers and super-obligations now seemed to cut a little too close to home for comfort.
Riley, Crivaro, and McCune looked all around but didnt see anybody.
McCune called out, Hellois anybody here?
A man stepped out from behind one of the costume racks.
May I help you? he asked.
The man cut a startling figure. He was tall and extremely thin, wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt that was printed to resemble a tuxedo. He was also wearing familiar Groucho glassesthe kind with an enormous white nose, black-rimmed glasses, and bushy eyebrows and a mustache.
Obviously taken somewhat aback, Crivaro and McCune took out their badges and told the man who they and Riley were.
Seeming utterly unsurprised to be visited by the FBI, the man introduced himself as Danny Casal, the owner of the business.
Just call me Danny, he said.
Riley found herself waiting for him to take off the nose glasses. But as she looked at him more closely, she realized
Those are prescription glasses.
They also had remarkably thick lenses. Danny Casal apparently wore these glasses all the time, and he surely would be quite myopic without them.
McCune opened a manila folder.
We have photos of two women, he said. We need to know if youve ever seen either of them.
The eyebrows and fake nose and mustache all bobbed up and down as Danny nodded. He struck Riley as a peculiarly serious and dour man to be wearing such a getup.
McCune pulled out one photo and held it for the shop owner to see.
Danny peered at the photo through his glasses.
He said, Shes not one of our regular customers. I cant guarantee that shes never been in the shop, but I dont recognize her.
Youre sure? McCune asked.
Quite positive.
Does the name Margo Birch mean anything to you?
Uh, maybe something in the news. Im not sure.
McCune pulled out another photo. What about this woman? We believe she came to your establishment to take pictures.
Riley, too, looked closely at the photograph. This must be Janet Davis. It was the first time shed seen her living, unpainted facesmiling and happy and unaware of the terrible fate that awaited her.
Oh, yes, Casal said. She was in here not long ago. Janet something.
Davis, Crivaro said.
Thats right, Casal said with a nod. A nice lady. A nice camera tooIm something of a photography buff myself. She offered to pay me to let her take pictures here, but I wouldnt accept. I was flattered that she found my establishment worthy of her efforts.
Casal tilted his head and looked at his visitors.
But I dont suppose youre here with good news about her, he said. Is she in some kind of trouble?
Crivaro said, Im afraid she was murdered. Both of these women were.
Really? Casal said. When?
Margo Birch was found dead five days ago. Janet Davis was murdered the night before last.
Oh, Casal said. Im sorry to hear that.
Riley barely noticed any change in his tone of voice or facial expression.
McCune changed tactics. He asked, Do you sell clown costumes here?
Of course, Casal said. Why do you ask?
McCune abruptly took another photo out of his folder. Riley almost gasped when she got a look at it.
It showed another dead woman dressed in a clown costume. She was splayed on concrete next to an alley dumpster. The costume was similar to the one that Janet Davis, the victim found in the park this morning, had wornpuffy fabric with huge pompom buttons. But the colors and patterns were somewhat different, and so was the makeup.
Margo Birch, Riley realized. The way she was found.
McCune asked Casal, Do you sell costumes like this one?
Riley noticed that Crivaro was scowling at McCune. McCune was obviously testing Casals response to the photo, but Crivaro seemed to disapprove of his blunt approach.
But like McCune, Riley was curious as to how the man was going to react.
Casal turned to look at Riley. She simply couldnt read his expression. In addition to the bushy eyebrows and mustache, she could now see how really thick the lenses were. Although he was surely making eye contact with her, it didnt look like it. Refracted through the lenses, his eyes appeared to be directed slightly elsewhere.
Its like hes wearing a mask, Riley thought.
Is this Ms. Davis? Casal asked Riley.
Riley shook her head and said, No. But Janet Daviss body was found in a similar condition this morning.
Still with no change in his tone of voice, Casal said to McCune
In answer to your questionyes, we do sell this sort of costume.
He led his visitors over to a long rack full of clown costumes. Riley was startled at how varied they were.
As Casal browsed among some tattered jackets and baggy, patched up pants, he said, As you can see, there are several different types of clowns. For example, theres the tramp here, often personified as a hobo or a vagabond, with a worn-out hat and shoes, sooty sunburned makeup, a sad frown, and a painted stubble of beard. The female equivalent is often a bag lady.
He moved on to group of more motley costumes.
Somewhat related to the tramp is the Auguste, a traditional European type, more of a trickster than a vagabond, an underling and a flunky. He wears a red nose and mismatched clothes and alternates between inept clumsiness and agile cunning.