The Red Haze (The Webber and Ko Series Book 1)

by D. M. Wicks

  He climbed in after and watched as I gripped the steering wheel and stared out the windshield.

  "You'll get used to it, kid. You have to or maybe you should think about a different career."

  "Fuck you, Declan."

  He shrugged. "Add a lady in there and I might consider."

  I sighed and started the engine, turning on the heating, and pulled out onto the road. After a few minutes of silence I glanced from the scene of rain just beyond the windshield wipers to Declan. "I can get away with going five over the speed limit," I said.

  "Oh, yeah?" was his response.

  "Yeah. The rain won't stop me."

  Declan hummed to himself.

  I sped up and continued, "Isn't that what life is really all about? Getting away with things?"

  "Why would you say that?"

  I spoke over Declan. "Like getting away with speeding, lying, cheating; getting away with white lies, black lies, red and blue lies. Isn't it all about cheating the government: frauds, forgery, fake social security numbers; drugs, thievery, slippery slopes and bandwagons? It's all about loving, hating, depression, and happiness; reaction, no action, frustration, fulfillment and stagnation; cheating on your wife, cheating your family out of money, cheating your children out of child support. It's all about getting away with murder, crime, and acts of kindness. Getting out of doing homework or following your dreams." I paused to catch his breath. My face was flushed. "But for now, this very minute, it's about getting away with driving five over the speed limit."

  Declan coughed and muttered, "I would go ten."

  I laughed and sped up. Declan plugged his mp3 player into the auxiliary port, but paused before turning it on. "Go to Jeramy's apartment."

  "I know."

  "Good." He turned his music up to the max, blasting it through the speakers of my car. I let the music numb my ears and thought over the reactions of the Alcotts. They seemed like good, average people. Their son, on the other hand, was obviously mixed up in the wrong crowd, which was most likely the cause of death. I don't think Jeramy would have killed himself if he were meeting his parents to possibly show off his girlfriend for the first time. There had been no mention of a girlfriend in the file, which meant Faye had stopped her investigation before reaching that point.

  It looked like from this point on Declan and I would be writing the file. I smiled; it was better that way anyway. I hated getting someone's sloppy seconds. I always preferred working something from my own angles. Declan was probably still ahead of me in what he thought went down that night in the alley. If I wanted to prove to him that I could handle being his partner, I needed to work out this case my own way.

  I pulled into the parking lot behind an apartment building and killed the engine. Declan was smiling at me. "Feeling better?"

  I nodded, "I don't think it was suicide."

  "Why?"

  "The mother mentioned Jeramy was supposed to meet them this evening to tell them something important. The father suspected their son was going to introduce them to his girlfriend or fiancé. Not to mention he most likely owed debts to some dangerous people."

  "Hmm."

  "Is that all you're going to say?"

  Declan grinned. "Getting annoyed again, kid."

  "Come on partner, aren't we supposed to talk things out?"

  "That's if we were actually partners. You're just the secretary, remember."

  "Really? Are you really still saying that? Why did you even bring me along then?"

  "So you can prove something to me."

  "And what is that?"

  "That blue eyes aren't complete idiots. So far you're doing a horrible job."

  I scowled and climbed out of the car. Declan soon followed. "Can't you just see me as a human trying to make a living?"

  "The glowing eyes make that kind of hard."

  "What, do I have to do wear contacts or something? Come on man, give me a fucking break."

  "Oda, you're a blue eyes. You're a vampire and nothing you do to your appearance or demeanor is going to change how people react to you being a police officer. It’s fucking weird, alright? A blue eyes working in a job of service to others. Most of your kind is lazy, or at least that's how they're viewed. Whether you want it or not you carry the burden of a paradigm shift in the way your kind is viewed by society."

  "Why did you even hire me then if you don't believe I can do this job?"

  Declan laughed and his Irish lilt was harsher when he spoke. "I never said I didn't believe in you. Well, I guess you could say I'm undecided. I believe in the potential of believing in you. I just want you to prove it to me, to earn my belief just like you will have to earn everyone else's.

  I don't know why you wanted to become a police officer, or detective for that matter, and I don't really care; it's not really important right now. What's important is whether or not you can handle your job. In the car ride over here just now, that was immature. Informing the next of kin is part of the job. Yeah, usually I would have gone in with you, but I figured you would learn better if you did it solo. I wanted you to see a human in distress, to make it real. You are working to help the very species that created your kind. Doesn't that make you feel something? You were made, whether it was a mistake or not doesn't matter, to be the livestock of another vampire species; doesn't it piss you off to be helping out humans? Doesn't it make you sick?"

  "Do you want to know the truth? Yeah, it makes me fucking sick. Yeah, I get pissed every time I think about my circumstances. I am a species whose purpose is to be fed off of, how would you fucking feel in my shoes? But, I worked past all of that to follow my dream, which is to protect and serve. I want to be what my father failed to be; a decent fucking man. If that means helping humans and red eyes, so that they don't have to worry about leaving their house in case they get stoned to death on the street then I'll protect them.

  I'll represent the dead, human or not. I'll stand for them so that they can rest in peace on the other side. Jeramy died in a shitty way on a shitty day that should have ended as a happily ever after with his girlfriend. His parents' grief, I felt it. I fucking felt it alright and it was shitty, but it helped me understand something. That all humans aren't fucking pieces of racist shit. Thank you for helping me with that!"

  "You're welcome!" Declan slammed the passenger door.

  "Good!"

  "Good."

  The drizzle slowed down until it completely stopped and Declan and I stared at each other both red faced. Suddenly, Declan broke out into a light chuckle. "And I thought I had to worry about you. You'll do alright, Oda."

  "Jeez, you're an asshole," I said.

  "But I'm Irish. That makes me cute and irresistible to women."

  "What does that have to do with anything?"

  "Everything has to do with women."

  "Declan, sometimes I really don't understand you."

  "I like to keep people on their toes."

  We were both silent again. A car drove by. A bird tweeted. I knew we were alright—for now.

  ***

  Faye

  Faye liked Commander Drake, but he was an intimidating man. Drake sat behind his desk with his fingers steepled and his brow furrowed, "You do know what you're getting into, right lieutenant?"

  "Yes sir, but I want to follow this to the end. You've let me work on the case this long. All I want is to finish what I started."

  "I'm not trying to dissuade you, lieutenant. Just making sure you know who you’re messing with. The Crew is a group one doesn't take lightly."

  Faye jerked. "You know who the Crew are?"

  Drake pinched the bridge of his nose and sat back in his chair. "It not entirely a matter of who, but of what. They are an organization. A lot like drug lords. They control a lot from behind the scenes, but they are even more dangerous because they have political power."

  "What are you saying exactly?"

  "The Crew is a part of a branch from the House of Roseus. An illegal part, but no less active. D
istrict Six was created to deal with their mess or at least what is left with it."

  "Why have I never run in with them before?"

  "You have lieutenant. That case with red eyes and the kid. What was his name? The one you managed to pin on the vampire after you caught a break and broke his alibi."

  "His name was Bobby. The Crew was behind that?"

  "Anytime a red eyes breaks the law the Crew is there. They deal with other things, but mostly problems of the House."

  "How does something like that even exist?"

  "How does the Cartel exist? How does the Yakuza exist? It's the real world, lieutenant. Shit happens."

  Faye was taken aback. That was the first time Drake had ever cursed in front of her. He was usually such a composed and professional man. The Crew must be a sore spot for him, "Do you want me to stop my investigation? I won't you know. Even if you take me off of it officially I'll work on it on my own time."

  Drake sighed. "I know. I don't particularly want to take you off. Lieutenant, how many men do you have that could work with you on this case? Not many I assume."

  Faye cleared her throat. "One sir. Maybe two."

  Drake grunted and pinched the bridge of his nose again. "That's what I thought. So, you and Liam are going to take on a case that deals with an organization whose job is to clean up messes and, if needed, make people disappear, by yourselves. Do you understand my hesitation here?"

  "Sir, we are prepared to do this."

  "Lieutenant, you are one of my best officers and Liam shows promise. I don't plan on sacrificing you two to the wolves. I'm taking you off this case temporarily until I can get more men for you. If you're going to take them on I want you to have the tools and resources you need to do a good job of it. I want you to put the cases of the file now titled The Red Haze on the back burner, for now. Do you understand?"

  "Sir, permission to speak freely?"

  "Haven't you already been doing that?"

  "Sir, I've finally caught a break with this case. As I've said, I have a list of active members. That could change in the time it takes to find more men for me. They could go back into hiding or get knocked off. We have to act on this immediately."

  "I've given you my orders, lieutenant. That's all I have to say on the matter."

  Faye scrunched up her face and nodded. "Understood."

  "And Faye, if I find out that you continued to work this case after my orders I'll have you put on suspension and you'll lose any chance of ever working this case again. I have my ways of knowing too. Don't disappoint me. You're dismissed."

  "Yes sir." Faye turned on her heels and left the office. She made her way back down to the fifth floor. Liam was at his cubicle. When she swept past he stood and followed her into her office. "I take it that it didn't go well?"

  "What gave you that idea?" she muttered as she plopped down into her chair and rested her head in her hands.

  "Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that your face is all scrunched up like a prune. You look like you're barely restraining yourself."

  "He took us off the case."

  "What?"

  "I said he—"

  Liam interrupted. "I heard what you said. Why did he?"

  "It seems we were about to open Pandora's Box and the commander got a little worried."

  "He doesn't seem like the type to get worried."

  "It's because of the fire."

  "What about the fire?"

  "Our division took the biggest hit by it and a lot of our men were transferred. The commander doesn't want us walking into a gun fight with a toothpick."

  Liam nodded. "That makes more sense. Maybe this is for the best, lieutenant."

  "Do you really think that, Liam? Because if you do, then I misjudged you."

  Liam was silent as he leaned against her desk. "I don't like the idea of dying on the job because I was stubborn and irresponsible. Being a cop is about protecting people, not about being a reckless hero."

  Faye met his eyes then and saw fear in them. She realized in that moment how young he really was. His file had said twenty-four.

  Maybe she was letting her pride get the better of her, she thought. Then she remembered the faces of all those blue eyes that had been murdered. There were four in total. An image of Alan Dublouse flashed in her mind as well. The blubbering red eyes without an ounce of regret as he lied. He probably went about his day without a second thought for William Archer, the vampire who died at his fangs.

  This had to stop and she was in the position to do something about it, even if it meant she had to do it alone. Actually, it might be best to do it alone or at least without her partner. She needed someone reckless. Someone smart, but dangerous in his own way. She shuddered as her mind conjured up an image of a man she despised, but he may be her only option.

  "You're right, Liam. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I'm going to go out for some coffee and to cool off. The stuff they have here is piss water."

  Liam smiled. "Cool, I'll come with you."

  "No, I think it's best I'm alone for a while. I need to think some things over."

  He frowned. "Oh, okay. Take your time then. There is plenty of work waiting for you when you get back."

  "Thanks. Go ahead and get started on it while I'm gone."

  "I was planning on it."

  Faye grabbed her coat. It was made more for function than fashion and it actually kept the chill of a rainy day off of her. She left her partner on the fifth floor and hit the pavement. The coffee shop was about a block away from the office building. That would give her enough time to make the call. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number of the only man with enough guts to take on the world without an army, but enough ego to annoy the shit out of her.

  Chapter Six

  If there was one word to describe how Cato felt at the moment it would be worried. She raised her hand and knocked on her Father's office door. There was a muffled consent to enter so she took a deep breath to calm her nerves and, turning the knob, entered Father Dimitri's domain. Alphonse Dimitri was, in Cato's opinion, an ugly man. He was thin, but not in a sickly way, and his features were angled in a way that made him look like a rat on two legs. When he stood and greeted her he towered over her. He motioned for Cato to take a seat in the leather chair situated on the opposite side of his cherry wood desk. She sat and quickly glanced around the room to still her nerves. She wasn't ready to meet his eyes just yet.

  The office was generously spacious. One entire wall was made of glass, but the shutters blocked it out robbing the office of natural light. It was understandable that he would have the curtains drawn during the day. Red eyes were extremely sensitive to sunlight after all. The glass wall was most likely for the night view of the city. Cato's eyes trailed up to his desk where Alphonse's hands were folded.

  "My eyes are up here, daughter."

  Cato started in her seat and her eyes flew up meeting the man's eerie shade of red, which was so different from her own. His was more of a dark crimson than her light strawberry. "Sorry."

  "It is quite alright. It has been a while has it not, Cato?"

  "Yes, Father."

  "You are Cato, daughter to Stephan and Harper Dimitri, correct?"

  Cato nodded. "Those are my parents."

  "Yes, yes. You are from a good bloodline. Oh excuse me. It seems as if I am complementing myself since you are from my bloodline, but what I meant is that your parents are in good standing in the house. They have made generous contributions and are respected. I hear of them often, though I must admit I have only met with them a handful of times."

  Cato averted her eyes. "Thank you, Father. We are humble servants to the house and are not worthy of your praise."

  Alphonse chuckled. "Nonsense child. You have all more than earned it. I just wish I were in a better position to publicly recognize such things. You are the new custodian of one of the house's cleaning crews, correct? Your supervisor is Jack?"

  "Yes."

  "Ah, Jack is a
good man. He will not lead you astray. Listen to his advice and you will move up the corporate ladder in due time. He has never failed to guide the custodians under him into positions of power."

  Cato nodded and met Alphonse's eyes again. He smiled at her and continued. "So, your crew is doing well then? You were assigned to one of the more unruly ones were you not? It is more diverse than the usual ones, employing members from the other branches as well as humans, correct?"

  Cato cleared her throat and felt her muscles relax. "They are doing fine, Father. My crew is diverse as you say, but they are all hard workers and loyal."

  Alphonse nodded, but his brows furrowed as he frowned. "Though I did hear something along the lines of a deserter among your men."

  Cato squared her shoulders and sat upright. "Yes sir, but that problem has been dealt with. His contract was terminated."

  Alphonse smiled. "Good! Then, I take it I have nothing to worry about then? Everything is being taken care of?"

  Cato nodded. "All the issues that passed on to me are being dealt with. Jack is a good man, like you said. He is guiding me through my work."

  "I see. Well that is all I needed to speak with you about." Alphonse rose causing Cato to do the same.

  "I will be in touch with both you and Jack. Do take care of yourself and your crew, daughter. I would hate for anything bad to happen to any of my children. The prosperity of the house as well as the Dimitri branch are always the priority, never forget that."

  Cato nodded as they reached the door. Alphonse reached up and patted her on the shoulder so lightly that she barely felt the contact, but enough so that the gesture comforted her. "Yes Father. I always have that in my mind with every choice I make. I won't let you down."

  "I believe in you. Take care."

  "Bye."

  "Goodbye."

  Alphonse closed the door and Cato let out a sigh. "That wasn't so bad," she muttered to herself as she walked down the hallway. Father Dimitri's office was the entire tenth floor of the building so the hallway was empty. She climbed onto the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby. She looked out to the hallway as the doors closed and thought for a second that she caught a glimpse of Jack entering Father Dimitri's office, but brushed it off. It was probably just the secretary needing some papers signed. All she really saw was a dark blur of a man before the elevator doors closed. Anyway, Jack was supposed to meet her in a few minutes at the restaurant called Dib's for lunch. It was a block from the office building she was in. Unless he could teleport he wouldn't make it there before her. What would he need to speak with Father about anyway? She had already reported everything he needed to know.