Mira shot Eve a warning look and turned her attention back to Nixie. “Lieutenant Dallas told me you were very brave and very strong. Because she’s both of those things, I know she’s telling the truth.”
“She found me. I was hiding.”
“It was good that you hid. It was good that she found you. I know what Lieutenant Dallas just said is hard for you to hear, but she’s right. There was nothing more you could have done last night to help your family. But there are things you can do now.” Mira glanced at Eve, signalling her.
“Listen, Nixie,” Eve said, “this is rough, but the more you can tell me, the more I know. This is my recorder.” She set it on the table, sat across from Mira and the child. “I’m going to ask you some questions. Dallas, Lieutenant Eve, in interview with Swisher, Nixie, minor female, with Mira, Dr. Charlotte, in attendance. Okay, Nixie?”
“Okay.”
“Do you know about what time it was that you got out of bed?”
“It was more than two o’clock. Like ten after, about. I had my Jelly Roll on.”
“Wrist unit,” Mira translated.
“What did you do when you got up? Exactly.”
“I went downstairs—really quiet. I thought, for a minute, since Linnie didn’t want to wake up, I’d get Coyle. But maybe he’d tell, and I liked being up by myself. I went to the kitchen and got an Orange Fizzy out of the friggie, even though I’m not supposed to. And I went to sit down and drink it in the breakfast area.”
“What happened then?”
“I saw the shadow come in, but it didn’t see me. I got down on the bench. It went into Inga’s room.”
“What did the shadow look like?”
“It looked like a man, I guess. It was dark.”
“Was he tall or short?”
“As tall as the lieutenant?” Mira prompted and gestured for Eve to stand up.
“Taller, probably. I don’t know.”
“What was he wearing?”
“Dark stuff.”
“What about his hair?” Eve tugged her own. “Short, long?”
On a short sigh, Nixie nuzzled the cat. “It must’ve been short, ’cause I couldn’t really see it. It was . . . it was . . . covered. Like.” She made a gesture, as if pulling something over her head. “It covered him up. His whole face, and his eyes, they were all black and shiny.”
Protective gear, Eve surmised. Night goggles. “Did you hear him say anything?”
“No. He killed her, with the knife. He killed her, and there was blood. And he didn’t say anything.”
“Where were you?”
“On the floor, at the door. I wanted to look inside and see . . .”
“It was dark. How could you see?”
Her eyebrows came together a moment. “From the window. The streetlight through the window. He had a light.”
“Like a flashlight?”
“No, a little dot, a little green light. It was blinking. On his hand. On his . . . here.” She closed her fingers around her wrist.
“Okay, what happened then?”