‘You think she was telling the truth about her ex-colleague?’

‘Could be. You weren’t wrong in there. Hookers are treated like dirt, and violence leads to violence. I can see one of Warner’s girls snapping, and killing seventeen men.’

‘With Luxford’s help?’

‘That’s the part that doesn’t make sense,’ I say. ‘He’s a rapist, and she must have known it. Why would they team up?’

‘Maybe they met some other way. Old friends? Relatives?’

‘I don’t think …’ I trail off.

‘What?’ Thistle asks.

‘What if she’s one of the women he’s been blackmailing?’

Thistle looks doubtful. ‘There’s a big difference between making someone give you a ride and making them kill seventeen people.’

‘I meant the other way,’ I say. ‘She killed them, he found out about it, and he’s been extorting her ever since. Maybe that’s why Biggs doesn’t fit the victim profile. Luxford made her kill him.’

‘Why?’

‘Maybe because Biggs knew what he’d done to Hope. I’m not sure.’

‘Well, we’ll know when we find him.’

We look out at the pouring rain. We’re still huddled in the doorway like smokers.

‘You remember last night …’ Thistle begins.

‘Yes,’ I say immediately.

She grins. ‘That’s great, but I wasn’t finished. You remember how I said I couldn’t hold down a normal job?’

‘Right. Me neither, for the record.’

‘Well, I feel better about it now. At least I never had to sell my own hair to get by.’

I laugh. ‘I’d buy your hair.’

‘You would, huh?’

‘Yeah. You’ve got great hair.’

She chuckles. ‘How much? Maybe I’m open to it after all.’

‘Fifty bucks.’

‘Is that all?’

‘Per strand. Just let me mortgage my house first.’

Thistle shoves my shoulder, smiling. ‘All right, that’s enough.’

I hug myself for warmth. Even standing near the closed door is cold. After a second, she puts her arm around me.

‘Until Vasquez gets that list of Warner’s ex-employees,’ she says, ‘there’s nothing to do but wait.’

I nod. I can’t think of any other leads to pursue.

After a pause, she says, ‘My roommate is probably home. How about we wait at your place?’

The tub’s empty. The stuff in the freezer is covered.

‘Sounds good,’ I say.

CHAPTER 39

CHAPTER 39

What stinks when alive but smells good when dead?

The sex is better the second time. Less hurried, maybe. We make it to my actual bed, and we have the patience to get completely undressed, to kiss each other all over, to try a few positions and find each other’s rhythm. It feels less like it’s our only chance, now. Or maybe I’m just less scared that I’ll lose control and bite her.