He did discover that a certain variation of the cross, where its arms extended a bit beyond the circumference of their circle, was known as the Celtic cross and widely used by Aryan hate groups. The form of the cross he was researching, the solar cross, adhered to the inner circle and was more like a wheel with spokes. There were so many variations of the design, it seemed like an idea humanity came into being with. The young woman with the baby they’d encountered the previous night made the idea of the tattoo being an Aryan hate symbol unlikely. He figured the group must have some larger purpose, but then remembered Helen on the floor behind the counter and the grim flower of her throat. That’s when he gave up his search, the information he’d already found having swamped him.

In the afternoon, the rain came down harder, and since there were no patrons, for lunch he sat on the adult side and watched the downpour through the big window while eating his sandwich. It was then he hatched a plan to get Melody to go downtown with him and visit the house of the gas station attendant on Margrave Street. If he had more time before being snatched back to himself the previous night, he could have searched the woman’s apartment for clues to her connection to the others marked with the tattoo. She didn’t strike him as very threatening or nefarious, considering how lovingly she had held and rocked the child. He wondered what Melody would think of the plan. He’d have to explain the whole tattoo connection and about his “stakeout” with Mrs. Hultz.

Still, he was almost sure she would go with him. Although he was getting to know her a little better every night, he felt she was holding something in reserve. Perhaps she was waiting until she knew she could trust him. On the other hand, he wondered if it was that he was uncertain of her. She was spending a lot of time showing him the ropes of the night world. He had to ask himself why. She did say it was sort of her duty to help a fellow traveler. Owen doubted most people would go out of their way for a stranger, but then, maybe that was one of the lessons the night world taught.