Dead Hunt

and see me at the museum sometime,’’ said Diane.
‘‘We will. We’ve visited the museum and loved it. I’m glad there’s something like that in Rosewood.’’
Leslie looked like she was going to get teary eyed again. Diane could see she was very tenderhearted. It’s always uplifting to be around nice people when your job is to hunt so many bad people.
‘‘This is all right,’’ said Diane. ‘‘There have been a lot of... well, events. And I imagine they’ve scared some people.’’
‘‘Maybe,’’ said Leslie, ‘‘but to blame you for the explosion. That was ridiculous.’’
‘‘Ramona just wants your apartment. She thinks it has two bedrooms. She’s the one who spearheaded this,’’ said Leslie’s husband. ‘‘We just now heard her talking to the landlady’s nephew.’’
‘‘She’s going to be in for a surprise,’’ said Diane. ‘‘It’s just one bedroom and has a very small kitchen. I believe it’s one of the smaller apartments.’’
Diane said good-bye and walked downstairs with a few more items she wanted to take with her. She met Garnett on the first floor. Several of her neighbors were leaving the landlady’s apartment. Some were going back to their places; others went out the front door. Only a few met her eyes. Diane guessed those were the ones who’d voted to keep her.
‘‘I didn’t get much information from this group. I think Bobby Banks kept a low profile—by the way, he is a he,’’ said Garnett.
‘‘Oh, he had an Adam’s apple?’’ said Diane.
‘‘A penis,’’ said Garnett. ‘‘The men’s room has urinals.’’
‘‘Okay, that’s also mainly a male characteristic,’’ said Diane.
Garnett coughed and laughed at the same time. ‘‘I thought you were on to something,’’ he said.
‘‘So did I,’’ said Diane. ‘‘He still may be associated with Clymene and company in some way.’’
‘‘I think so too. I heard these folks are running you out of your apartment.’’
‘‘My life is a little too eventful for them,’’ said Diane. ‘‘This episode was the last straw, I think.’’
‘‘I’m real sorry to hear that,’’ said Garnett. ‘‘Anything I can do to help?’’
‘‘No. I appreciate your offer. I’ll be fine. I’m staying at Frank’s since the event the other night. I’ve been sort of toying with the idea of buying a house. This might push me into it.’’
Neva came out into the hallway and walked toward Diane when she saw her. ‘‘Did they really ask you to leave?’’ she said.
‘‘News travels fast,’’ said Diane.
‘‘Your neighbors were talking about it when David and I arrived,’’ said Neva. ‘‘That’s just... just plain mean.’’
‘‘I’m apparently a hard neighbor to live with. Finding anything?’’ she asked.
‘‘Blood,’’ said Neva.

Chapter 36
    ‘‘You found blood?’’ said Garnett. ‘‘So this kid . . . Bobby Banks is involved with Clymene?’’
    ‘‘We’ve found a few drops on the bed frame. And a couple of drops in the bathroom. It’s not much. He could have had a nosebleed, but...’’
    ‘‘But what?’’ said Garnett.
    Diane noticed the landlady watching them behind her partially closed door.
‘‘Is there a clear path in the apartment?’’ Diane asked, meaning, had David and Neva processed a place in the apartment where they could walk and not contaminate evidence.
‘‘Sure,’’ said Neva.
Neva led the two of them back to 1-D. Diane heard the landlady’s door close softly behind them. Once inside, Diane glanced around at the apartment. It wasn’t much different from hers in layout, larger perhaps. The sofa, chairs, table, and lamps were new but very cheap. There were no paintings or photographs or accessories of any kind.
‘‘Spartan,’’ said Garnett.
‘‘Isn’t it?’’ said Neva. ‘‘Bed and bath’s the same. Nobody really lived here. He just stayed here.’’
‘‘You had a but you were going to tell us about,’’ said Diane.
‘‘We found an IV needle wedged in the floorboards,’’ said Neva. ‘‘I think this is where they donated the blood and rested up afterward. I think Clymene and her sisters were in the bedroom when David came to the door to ask if the guy in the apartment had heard anything.’’
David entered from the kitchen. ‘‘Neva tell you what we found?’’ he said. ‘‘They were here. Right here. I talked with that kid there in the doorway. He told me he’d been studying and didn’t hear