She stared out the window as the streetcar headed north, threading its way through old brickyards and tenements, beneath the L and far from the new canyons of towering brick and steel that loomed closer to the lake. She thought dully of the heroine of The House with the Closed Shutters, disguising herself as her cowardly brother only to be killed in battle. Pin had always loved that movie—but why did the girl have to die? Why hadn’t she been the one to kill that soldier, instead of some man?

And why didn’t the girl have a name? She was known only as the sister.

Something moved on the floor at her feet, a discarded newspaper. She picked it up and read a headline:

$1,000 Reward to Any Man Who Captures the Hell Gate Killer

The reward. She’d seen it on the flyer that morning, then completely forgotten about it.

…to Any Man…

Her thoughts began to wheel.

Max wouldn’t know that she had seen his photos. He’d believe that Pin had seen them. A skinny kid in knickerbockers and beat-up boots. A skinny boy who’d betrayed him.

But Max wouldn’t recognize her, not if she were dressed in her old clothing. Not if it were dark. He’d never be threatened by a girl. He sought them out. They were nothing but toys to him, like the cheap celluloid dolls given as prizes that broke if you tried to play with them. Her mouth went dry; she hardly dared to let her thoughts slow, lest she lose track of them. She’d need help, she couldn’t do it alone, but maybe she wouldn’t have to. She couldn’t tell Glory the truth; it would be far too dangerous for her to know about Max. And if Glory knew who Pin really was, what she was…

Pin squeezed her eyes tight. She could do this. It was dangerous, but she’d have someone with her, someone who’d be in on her plan. Not Glory, it couldn’t be another girl. And she would never let Glory come to any harm. No: she knew who would help her.

She reached in her back pocket for the homemade card she’d found in the poplar grove, the one with the pictures of a rolling pin, a murdered girl, a sweet grey rabbit.

Sorry I scared you last night. I was a very dangerous boy. I killed a man, too, but nobody knew about that. We keep them safe. Girls. Because. I protect them. So we don’t forget.

She would find Henry. He was crazy as a bedbug, but he wasn’t afraid. She got off at the stop for Essanay and walked to the studio, entered the enormous building, and hurried to Glory’s dressing room.

Chapter 85

Chapter 85