Page 75 of The Whispering Night
Jeremiah: Let the record show the photograph is of two corpses in the forest, their bodies burned beyond recognition. They each wear a mostly melted hound mask like Dianacanéswear. Now, Ms. Wednesday, I am going to guess by your reaction that you know who these Dianas are. That, in fact, you were with them when they died.
[Winnie shakes her head.]
Jeremiah: You can protest all you want, but I know you were there [taps photograph] because of… oh, where is it. [He searches the folder while still speaking.]You see, we found signs of a changeling on the morning we found the dead bodies. But the changeling itself was missing. Until thefollowingnight, when the Thursday hunters found it and killed it. [He slides a second photograph onto the table.]
[Winnie gags. Then turns away.]
[5:25]
Jeremiah: Let the record show this is a photograph of a dead young woman who looks exactly like Winnie Wednesday, except for the telltale claws that indicate it’s actually a changeling. So what happened that night, Ms. Wednesday? Did you kill your fellow Dianas, and then decide to attack the old museum too?
Winnie: [voice weak] I didn’t attack the old museum. You know I didn’t.
Jeremiah: I don’t know anything, actually, because whenever I press you for answers, you fill the air with trivia. Which is—I can only assume—a tactic your mother taught you. But you know what, Ms. Wednesday? I have time. I have lots and lots of time.
[Jeremiah picks up his coffee mug and sits back in his chair. He takes several sips, watching Winnie. She sits slumped in her own chair.]
[7:20]
Jeremiah: I have witnesses too, Ms. Wednesday, of youandyour friend Jay Friday. So if I want, I can lock you up forever—and have him killed as soon as we find him.
[Winnie sighs. Then rests her forehead on the table.]
Jeremiah: I won’t do that yet though. Instead, I’ll wait. Because there’s obviously a network of Dianas here in Hemlock Falls, and I intend to find out who they are. Each and every one of them. Let the record show I am now withdrawing a book from the folder. Do you know what this is, Ms. Wednesday?
[Winnie looks up as Jeremiah places a paperback book on the table.]
[7:56]
Jeremiah: This is calledShooting Stars: Identifying Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors.Do you recognize it?
Winnie: [sighs again] Yeah. It was in Professor Samuel’s office.
Jeremiah: So you know what he was.
Winnie: I do, although not for the reason you’re implying. Andyouknow this already. Just asIknow you went to Samuel’s office to destroy evidence.
Jeremiah: I’m sorry, to do what now?
Winnie: Why else would you go there?
Jeremiah: Because it took us almost a full week to ID his body, and we were hoping to find evidence of other Dianas. This is all we found though. Now tell me: What’s important about this page? For the recording, I am opening to page 273, where the spine is split and worn. It’s a page dedicated to the Lyrids, a meteor shower that happens each April.
[Winnie swallows and stares at the book.]
[8:33]
Jeremiah: Well, Ms. Wednesday?
Winnie: I don’t know. It’s April now,Jeremiah,so I guess the professor was enjoying the meteors.
[Jeremiah frowns.]
Jeremiah: So these constellations, Lyra and Hercules, mean nothing to you?
Winnie: Obviously not. I didn’t even know they were constellations until right now.
Jeremiah: Sure you didn’t.
