"Come on," I said, and headed toward the suite's bedroom. Scanlon and Karl followed me inside, and Karl closed the door.

  "This is supposed to be a big secret, and the FBI wants it kept that way. I think I oughta tell you, but I'd rather those other guys in there not hear about it. OK?"

  "Oh, damn," Scanlon said, deadpan. "And here I was planning to post it on my blog."

  "Yeah, all right," I said. "Here's what's going on."

  Karl and I took turns telling him all about the snuff films, but I didn't share my theory about Helter Skelter – not just yet.

  "So, Mister Milo out there was in town trying to find the sick bastards who're making these snuff films," Scanlon said, "before they hurt the reputation of the porn industry. If you ask me, that's kind of like a Mafia family worrying about its public image, but OK."

  "Even the Mafia does PR these days," Karl said.

  "Whatever," Scanlon said. "So, who hit him?"

  "The logical answer is – whoever's making the snuff films," I said. "Only problem with that is, Milo didn't know anything worth killing him over. Or if he did, the oily bastard didn't share it with me."

  "Hard to imagine, isn't it?" Scanlon said.

  "Maybe he shared it with Sharkey, instead," Karl said.

  Scanlon looked at him quickly. "Sharkey's dead."

  "Be nice to think so," I said. "But there's a rumor going around that he's back in town, and the pupils of Milo's eyes gave him away when I mentioned Sharkey's name."

  "Sharkey," Scanlon said. "Jesus."

  "The fact that Milo got hit must mean that he stumbled onto something useful, even if he didn't tell us about it," I said.

  "Not necessarily," Karl said. "Maybe whoever's making these fucking snuff films is just real thorough, that's all. The Columbian drug lords operate the same way, I hear. The slightest threat to their operation appears, they don't worry about how important it is – they just wipe it out."

  "That still doesn't explain why the killer, or killers, went to work on the ghouls and not Milo," Scanlon said.

  "No, it doesn't," I said. "Maybe we don't have enough information to answer that yet."

  "We don't have enough information to blow our fucking noses," Scanlon said.

  "Fuckin' A," Karl said.

  "Speaking of information, you'll send us a copy of the case file?"

  "Yeah, sure. It'll help me fool myself that I'm actually accomplishing something on this case."

  "I'll be sending you a file, too," I said. "We've got a murder that looked at first like a supernatural case, but now I'm not so sure."

  "I can hardly wait," Scanlon said.

  In the car, Karl said, "There's something about the way Milo was knifed that's been nagging at me."

  "It's pretty unusual, all right," I said.

  "That's not what I mean – it reminds me of something I heard about once, but I can't remember the details."

  "Stop thinking about it, you'll drive yourself nuts," I said. "Your subconscious will come up with the answer when it's good and ready."

  "Hope it's ready before Helter Skelter gets here."

  "Well, with any luck – what did you say?"

  Karl was looking at me strangely. "I said, 'I hope I remember before–'"

  "Helter Skelter. Damn!"

  "You can start making sense any time now, Stan."

  "That's why the killer back there mutilated the two ghouls, but not Milo. He was going for a twofer."

  "Stan–"

  "He cut up the ghouls because, once word got out, it would piss off the supe community. And somebody's been working pretty damn hard lately to rile up the supe community – and the humans, too, if that fake vampire kill we saw tonight is any indication."

  "Wait – I thought Milo was killed by the snuff film people," Karl said.

  "He was – because they're the same people."

Back at the squad, I asked Louise where the two Feebies were.

  "No idea, Stan. They haven't been in all night."

  "Did they leave you contact info?"

  "No, nothing. I asked, but…" She made a "What can you do?" gesture.

  "Yeah, I know," I said. "The pricks think they're too good for us – as usual. Where's McGuire? He's not in his office."

  "Went home an hour ago. Says he's maybe got that twenty-four-hour bug that's going around."

  "Great, just great. I guess I'll have to tell everybody about my brilliant deduction tomorrow night."

  "If you really need to tell somebody, you can tell me," she said with a smile. "I don't mind listening."

  Louise is pretty sweet, most of the time. It's hard to believe that she's Civil Service.

  "That's all right, Louise," I said. "It would take me an hour to give you the background, and I'm not sure if the payoff would be worth it for you. But thanks."

  She gave a toss of her head that sent the blonde curls bouncing. "That's OK."

  "When you see the Feebies again, ask them to do something for me, will you?"

  She pulled a pad over and grabbed a pencil. "Sure – go ahead."

  "Tell them I think it would be a good idea to find out who owns the People's Voice – I mean who really owns it, not what it says in small print on page 2."

  She wrote busily for a few seconds. "Got it, Stan – I'll tell them the next time they come in."

  "Thanks. Hey – how'd the tournament go last weekend? Did you take First again?"