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Once they were alone, he lifted a hand before she could speak "I heard, of course," he said softly

"We have to call a general asses will start getting ugly Everyone--every being--is going to be up in arain To," he said He looked at her sadly "Who would do this? Who would risk everything?"

"I don’t know We have to find out," Fiona said "And we have to keep the peace while we find the killer, and I think an asse to be the best way The others have to believe you when you say you want the killer as badly as they do You have to be beyond convincing"

"You got it, kid," he said softly "Tooodbye and left

She hoped the next night was going to be soon enough, but there was no way to meet any sooner It wasn’t as if they could broadcast this particularon the airwaves

Back out on the street, she saw that the sun was setting She got in her car and headed for Martin Luther King Boulevard

Darkness was falling, but it seeer waited, watching the entry, watching the sky

Finally he could wait no longer

He turned toas he passed by A chill "Footsteps walking over their grave" Bad expression for New Orleans--there weren’t raves to actually walk over

He headed to the autopsy rooail would be in the same situation as Tina Lawrence With the autopsy scheduled for first thing in the , a tech would have prepared the body He wondered what thoughts had accoht , with so urney at the ton should have been working, stopping anyone who can in, but Billy wasn’t there

As Jagger stood there for a one very quiet Most of the day workers had left at last

He strode down the hall, quietly opening the door to the room where he’d so recently seen Tina

And there she was: the beautiful young victim

He entered silently, and there he found Billy

The boy was standing in front of the gurney, holding a stake It wasn’t nearly as efficient as Jagger’s oeapon, but it was apparent that Billy had intended to carry out what he saw as his duty

Or his necessity?

Was Billy the killer?

Jagger glared at him "You were seen," he said "One of the frat boys saw you, Billy"

The look Billy gave him as he turned in surprise was one of sheer astonishment "What?"

"You were seen at the party The frat party The last place Abigail was seen"

"I wasn’t there!" Billy protested "You knohere I was I was at the "

"She could have been killed as "

Billy shook his head, astounded "Jagger, I’ you, I wasn’t there I swear it I swear it on , except for a rat here and there And they’re awful! I get my blood the same places you do I wasn’t even born into human life before the peace was made, much less reborn as a vaer, I don’t want anything like happening again It wasn’t me, I swear it!"

"You’ll have to appear before the council, Billy," Jagger said "For now, you need to step aside I’ll take care of this matter"

Billy didn’t er I knew her Abigail was a sweetheart She’d never hurt anyone, alive ordead She irl was murdered The entire city knows she was murdered The raphed and bathed Her time of death has been listed"