Fromadistance,LucouldseethatthegiantFerriswheettheamusementparkstoodmotionless.Otherridesalsofrozemid-operation.
Thepcefilledwiththeroarofmaeryandtheshrieksandughterofvisitors,haddissolvedintoaneeriesilence,brokenonlybythelowmurmurofonlookers''''''''whispering,liketlessisvibratingtheirwings.
Staffstruggledtopushthecrowdback,butgawkersstillpressedagainstthenewlystrungpolicetape,ingtheirneckslikeduaspit,desperateflimpseinside.
Beyondthebarrierloomedthehauntedhouse,itsentranceboardedupforseasonalmaintenance.Everyyeararoundthistime,itshutdownforafewweeksforupdatesaheadofHalloween.Now,withabodyfoundihenamehadbeealittletooliteral.
PatrolofficerswavedLu''''''''steamthroughthebarricade.Forensicsmovedinfirst,yingdownsteppingptesandbeginningpreliminaryevidencecolleoxiandChrisfollowed,readytoexamihebody.
Afterfirmingwithpatrolofficersandparkstaffthattheamusementparkhadbeenclosedafterthei,andthatnoonehadenteredorexitedsince,Luorderedauxiliaryofficerstostartrecvisitors''''''''informatioainingeveryonewouldbeimpractiddisrupttheiigation.
Oneyoungofficerhesitated."Whatiftheyrefusetogivetheirinformation?"
"Pystaff,"Lusaid."Offerpensationfortheruinedvisit.They''''''''llply."
Lutheiohestruworkerwhohadfirstdiscoveredthebody,alongwiththeparamedics.
"...Hefellfromthesed-floorscaffolding.Landedjustafewstepsawayfromme.Madealoudthud—wham!Itscaredthehelloutofme,"theworkershuddered."Atfirst,Ithoughtitwasoneofmycoworkers.Imean,we''''''''djustpaihatsethism.Itodrybeforeainuework.Whatwashedoingupthere?"
"Iwentoverandtookalook."theworkertinued."Itwasastranger.Hisfaceale,likeaghost.Icouldn''''''''teveostare.Hisleglookedtwistedatastrangeangle—definitelybroken.Icalledforanambuncerightaway."
Aparamedifirmed."...Bythetimewearrived,heshowednosignsoflife.Weavoidedmovinghim.Initialexaminationshowedafracturedfemur,likelyndedfeet-first.Thereweresomeabrasionsonhisbody,butnothingfatal.Thescaffoldingonthesedfloorisn''''''''tthathigh.Normally,afalllikethatshouldn''''''''tbedeadly."
DeterminiualcauseofdeathwasMoxi''''''''sresponsibility,soLudidn''''''''tpressfurther.
Aparkmarepresentativesoonarrivedtoidentifythebody,firmingitwasastaffmemberfromthehauntedhouse.
"...Puy,"themanagersaid."Whenhewasatoddler,hefellheadfirstintoaboilingpotduetohisparents''''''''negligence.Hewasseverelydisfigured.Hegotbulliedatsdeventuallydroppedout.Ajanitorreferredhimtous,andwehiredhimforthehauntedhouse.You''''''''duandifyousawhim.Hedidn''''''''tevenneedmakeup—juststandingtherewasscaryenough.EveryonecalledhimQuasimodo..."
Ohevisitorswereevacuated,themaheredallparkstaffstogether.Luswepthisgazeacrossthegroup,butReyawasobeseen.
"IsawReyathism,"saidagirlinarabbitmase."Shewaswearingthebearetoday.I''''''''msojealous—sheneverseemsbotheredbytheheavysuit.Meanwhile,I''''''''mabouttopassoutevenwithacooli."
AflickerofguilttwistedinLu''''''''schest.HehadneverpaidmuchattentiontowhatReyaactuallydidatthepark,alwaystoofocusedoncases,maybegtoolittleaboutherdailylife.
Thepolicesplitthestaffintogroupsforquestioning.Everyemployeescheduledthatdaywasatedfor—exceptReya.
Nooneknewwhereshehadgohebearehadvanishedaswell.
Chegtheclorecords,theyfirmedReyahadhepark.Atleast,shehadn''''''''tofficiallyclockedoutorrequestedleave.
WhenMoxideliveredherpreliminaryautopsyreport,Lubarelylistened—untilshesaid:
"...Initianalysissuggestsaheartattackasthecauseofdeath,"shereported."Butafulutopsybackatthebisrequiredtobecertain.Also..."
Lu''''''''suneasedeepehoughhecouldn''''''''texpinwhy.
Moxihesitated,thenadded,"Wefoundsomesuspicioussubstahevictim''''''''sgenitarea."
"Sexuactivitybeforedeath?"Lublurted,theelygrimacedathisownwords.
Moxirepliedcarefully."We''''''''tbecertainitwassexualintercoursewithanotherperson.Theacidphosphatasetestcamebackpositive,butboththePhadebastestandLugol''''''''siodiwereive.Notracesoflubritnsofuseweredetected.We''''''''llowaitforthebtofirmfurtherdetails."
TheimageofthevictimfshedthroughLu''''''''smind—pale,broken,grotesque.Itwasdifficulttoimagineanyonewillinglyengaginginsexuactivitywithhim.
Wasthissomekindofthrill-seekingbehavior?
ThestaffinterviewsalsoilyfirmedLu''''''''ssuspis.
"DidQuasimodohaveagirlfriend?"Thegirlinthebunedthequestion,"Noway.Imean,hedidn''''''''tdoanythingbad,buthewasreallywithdrawnandhardlyspoketoanyone.Hedidn''''''''tevenhavefriends.Howcouldhepossiblyhaveagirlfriend?"
Theparkmanageradded,"Quasimodoalwayscameaalone.Hisjobwassimple—justwanderingaroundadesignatedareaihehauntedhouse.Hedidn''''''''tojumpoutandscarevisitorsoriwiththematall.There''''''''sneverbeenanyrehavingflictsoriswithguestseither."
"But..."thebunnygirlhesitated,asifrememberingsomething.
"Ithinkhedidhaveacrushonsomeone.Onem,justbeforethehauntedhouseclosedforrenovations,hewasgettingreadyforworkwheerslippedoutofhislocker,andsomeonehappeopickitupandtakeagnce.
"Hegotfuriousandsnatcheditback.ThatwastheonlytimeIeversawhimangry.Hisfacetwistedup.Itwasholyterrifying.
"Theletterwastitled,''''''''ToMyDearestEsmeralda.''''''''"