Simon wasn’t rattled. “Their dresses were longer than the coats.”

“Did you have a flashlight?” Ray sniffed and wiped at his nose with a tissue.

“Yes, but I rarely use it. I know my way around and batteries are expensive.”

“Did you see how they entered the park? Did a vehicle drop them off?”

Simon shook his head. “They were already a half mile in before I came across the first one. No, they didn’t see me. At least the girls didn’t. It was when the guy—”

“A man was there?” Mason interjected. Their unknown death scene arranger?

Simon looked Mason in the eye. “Yes, a man, older than the girls. Tall, thin. He stared into the brush in my direction, so I left. I don’t know if he saw me or not. There were three girls with him when I left. I figured they were in a group big enough to be safe.”

“You’re the Lone Ranger of Forest Park? Watching out for people?” Ray asked.

The transient’s mouth twitched on one side. “I’ve broken up a scuffle or two. Drunken idiots. Usually I keep to myself.”

“You know your way around Forest Park in the dark? That’s a big place. Thousands of acres.” Ray sneezed again.

“I know that section of Forest Park perfectly. I don’t venture into the rest that much.”

Mason glanced at Bud, who was nodding along with Simon’s statements. The park ranger seemed to be comfortable with the man and was taking him at his word. Nothing Simon said had set off any concerns for the park ranger.

“So why follow the girls?” Mason asked. He wasn’t getting a predator vibe from Simon. He seemed smart and composed, but some of the sharpest criminals fit that description.

Simon was silent and glanced down at his hand on the dog’s head. “I have a daughter.”

Mason wondered how long it’d been since he’d seen her.

Bud Rollins spoke up. “Simon’s given me a hand a time or two. He didn’t want to come down today, but when I explained what’d happened up there, he said he’d describe what he’d seen.”

“What else can you tell us about the man? Age? Clothes?” Ray had his pencil poised over his notepad. “Would you recognize him again?”

Simon looked thoughtfully at Ray, paused and then shook his head. “I don’t think so. What sticks with me the most is that he was the opposite of the girls. Dressed in black. The girls listened to him, seemed to know him well. He wasn’t their age, definitely not teens like they were… but not middle-aged either, somewhere in between… maybe twenties or thirties?”

“You said they seemed excited?”

Simon nodded. “Chatter, body language.”

“You didn’t catch any of the conversation?”

He shook his head. “Wasn’t close enough.”

“Were they carrying anything else?” Ray made a note.

Simon’s brows came together. “I think some of the girls may have been carrying a small bag or purse. The man had a large duffel he’d slung over one shoulder. I only saw three girls—you say there were six altogether?”

Mason nodded. “You didn’t go look at where they were found?”

“I went to look this morning after hearing about it. Saw the police everywhere and left before I could get anywhere near it. One of the girls survived?” Simon asked.

“So far,” Mason said. “Doesn’t look good.” He glanced at his watch. He hadn’t heard an update on the girl at Emanuel Hospital in more than two hours.

“I’m gonna have someone come take a full statement. Tell them everything you can remember, no matter how insignificant it seems,” Ray directed. “Anything else you think we need to know right away?”

Simon was silent for a few seconds and then shook his head.

“What’s your last name, Simon?” Ray asked.

The room was silent as Simon and Bud exchanged a look.

“Parker,” Simon stated, looking calmly at Ray.

Mason held out a hand to the man. “We appreciate your help.” Simon stared at Mason’s hand for a brief second and then shook it firmly. Ray did the same and the detectives left the room. Mason took a deep breath of fresh air.

“Seems like a decent guy,” Ray commented as they headed back to their desks. “Think he has a camp in the forest?”

“Probably,” Mason muttered.

“Think he’s nuts?”

“No. But I don’t know what to make of him. He’s a little hard to read. Very mellow, very in control, and thinks before he speaks. Not like the usual transient from the street.”

Simon seemed to be a straight shooter, and Mason respected that. But he knew to not rush to judgment. By offering his help, Simon became their first suspect to clear.

“I knew there had to be someone else with that group. What do you think about an older guy possibly influencing a bunch of high-school girls?” Ray asked.

“It’s possible. Now tell me why he did it.”

Ray was silent for a minute. “Good question. What did he get out of it? He didn’t get sex, according to the initial evaluation at the scene. At least last night he didn’t. Maybe it was to cover up what he had gotten previously from the group of girls? Dead girls tell no tales?”

Mason’s mind raced at a hundred miles per hour. He didn’t want to think about a man sexually abusing teen girls. “I’ll wait to hear back from the autopsy. It’ll show if the girls had been abused.”