“Oh, for Christ’s sake,” said Francis. “Just tell me your name.”

“Henry,” the man said sullenly.

“Who’s the girl?”

“Not a girl!” The man trembled in agitation. “It’s Pin! Pin!”

“You may need to use that,” Bennie said to Francis, indicating the billy club. “He’s deranged.”

Francis didn’t hear him. He stared at Henry. “What did you say? Pin? Did you say Pin?”

“Yes, of course! Pin! He’s in a dress—a mess, a disguise. Lies! The killer, we—”

“Pin?” repeated Francis. “You mean Pin Maffucci? In a dress?”

“Yes! I am telling you! The boy knows the man, he went to trap him, we have a plan, but you are preventing us—”

He gazed down to where Fairyland’s trees tossed in the wind and lightning spiked the haze of smoke from Bricktown. “Oh, damn you!” he shouted. “He’s alone there now, he’ll be murdered!”

“Forget this nonsense, Francis,” Bennie broke in. “The girl’s gone, she’s safe. Let’s take him and go.”

“Wait.” Francis looked at Henry. “Are you saying that was Pin we saw you with? The boy named Pin Maffucci?”

“Yes, Pin! We are great friends.”

“And he was, what—in a costume?”

“He is dressed as a girl. His idea.”

“And Pin knows the murderer?”

“Yes!” Henry cried. “I just told you!”

“Who is he, then? Tell me!” Francis urged him. “The killer.”

“The man with two faces.”

“Two faces?” Bennie frowned. “Someone in the freak show?”

Henry shook his head. “No, the She-Male.”

“Good God.” Francis stared at Bennie. “He means Max—the actor who dresses as a woman. Half woman, half man.”

“He’s a fairy?”

“Obviously he’s not, if he’s killing girls,” snapped Francis, and turned back to Henry. “Where’s Max gone, then? Do you know?”

“To Fairyland, Pin says he goes to the woods every night. Pin’s going to entice him. For the reward. I have to find them…”

Without warning, Henry butted Francis’s head, twisting to kick Bennie in the groin. Bennie doubled over as Francis staggered backward, and Henry sprinted down the hill.

“Henry!” Francis yelled as the small figure grew even smaller in the distance. “Henry, wait!”

“Pin Maffucci—that’s the same boy who found the body, right?” Bennie gasped. “And this fellow says that was him, disguised as a girl? Who the hell is Max?”

“I told you, a burlesque performer. That’s why no one’s recognized him—he wears a costume for his act. So one person says he has a mustache, the other says he’s clean shaven. Fairyland’s the name of the picnic area. It sounds like Pin’s trying to trick him into thinking he’s a girl, so they can claim the reward.”

“If Henry’s telling the truth,” said Bennie, “the guy could’ve killed that kid by now.”