Chapter 81: Portrait Of A Man's Back – James

Klempner marches away in long ground-eating strides. Lorelei follows him with her eyes, then returns her attention to Charlotte. "So, what is it you want to know? Or... your father... was it?"

At the mention of Klempner, Charlotte seems suddenly uncertain, looking to me. I nudge Michael, who launches his charm like turning on a switch. Ambling over, he taps into his phone, displaying the screen with Klempner's image of the fleeing Hoodie. "We're helping in the hunt for the serial killer. We all know he's out there. Larry has reason to think this might be him. It's you girls he's targeting. You're in the best position to ID him."

Lorelei takes a pack of cigarettes from a minute purse, glittered with sequins to match her dress. She lights up, then draws long, blows blue smoke upward. "Yeah, we know there's a psycho coming after us. The 'Surgeon' they're calling him now."

"The Surgeon. Yes, that's him. Does the photo mean anything to you?"