CHAPTER FIVE
It was three in the morning before we were able to go home and go back to bed. I was not looking forward to getting up in three hours. This was going to be a day I had to make damn sure I fed. I really didn’t want to fall out in front of everyone. Food is just a temporary fix for vamps. Blood gives us the nourishment we need. Nothing else will work. After changing out of my uniform and into some comfy sweats and a t-shirt, I climbed into bed and let Sadie snuggle close. She has her own bed in the room but prefers mine. She is yet another friend that accepted me without problems after I was changed. She was by my side the whole painful experience.
For the first time in three years, I called Courtney over early. With her being the sweet women she is, she was there in no time. As she rested and ate (turkey sandwiches were her thing but it was a ham omelet for breakfast) she lay on the couch watching the morning news. My living room is set up so the couch faces the 46 inch, flat screen TV with two recliners to one side of the couch. The other side has a fireplace that warms most of the house during the winter. By the time I was done with my run, she was gone and had left me a note to call her as soon as I got home. She knew with the stress of this I needed more than the normal amount of blood. I wouldn’t call her though. I won’t feed from her more than once a day. It’s just too much blood loss.
When I pulled into Davis’ drive to pick him up on the way in, I found him and his wife, Mary, waiting on the porch. Mary is about 5’6” and has a few extra pounds (as she would put it. I think she looks fine). She has short blonde hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a summer dress with no shoes and was looking very concerned as she walked Davis to the car. After kissing him, bye for the day she walked over to my side of the car. Leaning in, she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, told me to be careful and told both of us to watch the other’s back. Shocked from the kiss, I watched as she walked back to the house.
“Um, what was that all about?” I was asking this as I backed out of the drive.
“She’s worried. She knows we’ve been assigned to this case and is afraid if we get too close to finding this freak, he will try to hurt us.” He and I both knew that was a real possibility.
Pulling into the station parking lot, guess who was there waiting for us. Yep, it was Sergeant Jones.
“Boss, Sheriff Anderson is waiting for you in his office.” What a way to start my day. I couldn’t even get to my office before he sent for me. Well, there goes this morning’s nasty cup of coffee.
When we entered the office, I found Sheriff Anderson was not in a good mood. “What have you guys come up with so far?” Short and to the point, that’s my Dad. He’s actually not what you would picture a Sheriff to look like. He looks a lot like me (well, I look a lot like him) but add twenty-five years. He has salt and pepper hair and blue eyes. He’s very active but while I don’t have any extra weight, he’s still about ten pounds heavier than me. He stands with the confidence of respect that he has worked very hard over the last thirty years to earn and because of that respect, there’s not really much trouble with his team that he needs to deal with. He’s the kind of boss that gets the job done with the help of his team but doesn’t have to be an ass to get it.
I stood in front of his desk and answered his question. “This is not the work of a vampire. There are too many things that do not fit.” Um, that came out wrong.
“Like what? There are two puncture wounds on the left side of the victim’s necks, they are drained of blood, and the attacks are at night. Have I missed anything?” Sheriff Anderson was starting to get hot under the collar now.
“What about the fact there is no such thing as vampires? This is some sick puppy causing trouble. All we have to do is look at the evidence and find out who this is.” Davis covered for me perfectly.
“Well, how about finding them. We can’t have this county going crazy over the chance vampires really do exist. And we have another murder. This one is at the lake.”
“Yes sir.” What else could I say? He is my boss.
Before heading out to the new crime scene, I stopped by my office to get my Excedrin. I could already tell this was going to be one of those days. As I open my desk drawer, I noticed an envelope sitting on my keyboard. I didn’t recognize the handwriting so I stuffed it in to my back pocket to look at later.
The lake was busy this time of year so the crime scene had a lot of spectators close by. Some of them were in boats floating near the water’s edge and docks led out over the water where people could fish and there were several picnic tables set up with grills for cooking out. Off to the side, near the back of the lake are public restrooms. Next to the women’s room is where the victim is.
And guess who I found at the crime scene. Yep, it’s going to be one of those days. Damn, I need a vacation. Maybe I’ll take one as soon as we find the freak pulling this gross shit.
“What have you got for us today?” Davis took the lead on this one and man was I grateful. I just wasn’t in the mood for her today.
“Same thing, two puncture wounds in the left side of the neck. This victim is nude. It looks like she put up a fight. She has something under her fingernails. Maybe she got a piece of him.” What a shock. She isn’t acting like a know it all. But with the last DNA that was found not being a lead, I really don’t think this one will either.
We looked over the victim and collected everything we could. She also had long blonde hair. She was average height and weight. And again the scent was there. I still couldn’t pinpoint it. And after gathering everything we could, we headed out to get some coffee. Yes, at Julie’s.
“Davis, before you say anything, I have two reasons I want to go there today. One, I really need some coffee. And two, I want to see if I can get Casey to talk again. See what she knows. That still bothers me. No one that doesn’t know what they are talking about calls us vamps.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything. I want some coffee, too.”
“Oh, and you’re treating today.”
“Yes, boss.” I saw the smartass grin on his face he thought I missed. That’s okay. I’ll get him back later. Right now I just wanted to find out what Casey knew. I just hope she will tell me.
Julie’s store was located at the corner of a busy intersection. It stood alone here and if it weren’t for the fact neither Casey nor Julie left the store alone at night, I would be worried about one them becoming the next victim.
“Well, if it isn’t my two favorite men. How are you two doing today?” Same smile, same pep. That’s Julie.
“Same as always, Julie; and you look lovely as always.” Julie gives me that same award winning smile that Casey does whenever I try to flatter them.
“Blacker the better day or cream and sugar Hun?”
“The blacker the better, Davis is picking up the tab on this one. Where is Casey? I need to talk to her.”
“She’s in the back. Go ahead. Just call for her. She’ll let you know where she is.”
I head for the back of the building but didn’t need to call for her. She was already heading back to the front with her arms loaded with boxes and we just about ran smack into each other. I helped her set the boxes down and asked her to join me in the office. I knew Julie wouldn't mind me using the office as long as Casey was with me. I didn’t want her to overhear us in case I got Casey to talk.
“Casey, yesterday you sounded like you knew about vampires. Can you tell me what you know?” I gave her the smile that she has never been able to say no to. Well, except for now.
“Deputy, you won’t believe me if I tell you. All I can tell you is that vamps just don’t attack like the murderer is portraying. This is someone that is trying hard to make it look like something it’s not.”
“Listen, I know you will find this hard to believe but you can tell me anything and chances are good I will believe you. How do you know this?”
“Deputy, I like you and I don’t want to scare you away. I really don’t think it’s a good idea to tell you. If you have to arrest
me for interfering with an investigation then you will just have to do that. I’m sorry, I just can’t tell you.”
“Okay, first off, this has nothing to do with the investigation. This is just me asking. But just answer me this, do you believe vampires are real?”
“Yes.” Straight answer, just what I wanted.
“Okay, I have never done this before but if you promise not to tell and not to freak out I want to show you something.”
“I promise.” At that, I smiled and showed her my fangs. Giving me a big smile, I saw something I never thought I would see from her, a nice pair of fangs.
“Deputy, Julie isn’t really my mother. We play this role because I feed from her. In human years I am thirty. In vamp years I am two. So how did you know I wouldn’t freak out if you showed me your fangs?”
“You called us vamps. No one does that unless they are one, feeds one or are friends with one and knows it. That drove me crazy all day yesterday trying to figure out why you called us vamps. Other than Julie, who know about you?”
“You do, now. How many people know about you?”
“My two best friends who have let me feed from them for the three years I’ve been one, Davis, and now you.”
We smiled at each other and headed back to the front of the store. It was an unspoken agreement that Davis would know about her and Julie would know about me. Good to know the woman I have the hots for is a vampire, too. That will make asking her out just a tiny bit easier. Yeah, right.
“Julie, there is something you need to know.” Casey announces as we rounded the corner.
“This is for you too, Davis.”
“Um, okay, this sounds strange. Did you just call her Julie?” Davis seemed more confused than I have ever seen him. I couldn’t help but laugh.
Making sure the store was empty; Casey and I explained what was going on. “Davis, Casey knows about vamps because she is one. And she feeds from Julie. And Julie, it’s okay for us to know because I am a vamp as well. Davis found out by accident. It doesn’t pay to get pissed and flash your fangs at someone.” With this, Julie and Davis just stood there with their jaws on the floor. “You know Davis that is twice in two days I have seen that look on your face, it doesn’t appeal to you.” That got a laugh out of everyone.