Blood of the Innocent

by Cheryel Hutton

  Except he didn’t believe that for a minute.

  Joe closed the door behind him, twisted the deadbolt, and dropped onto the couch. Was this boy part of a bigger conspiracy?

  That sounded paranoid even in his head. That kid didn’t seem like the kind of person a large organization would use. Was something else going on, something he wasn’t seeing? Maybe something he was missing because he didn’t have the whole picture.

  Or because there wasn’t anything to see.

  Groaning, he let his head fall back to rest on the couch. He had no idea what his next step should be.

  ****

  Kevin sat at one of the round computer tables in the town library. The Captain’s Library, they called it. Odd, these Lobster Cove people. It didn’t matter, though, as long as he had access to the computers—and the books. Not that he’d admit to any of the other guys that he checked books out of the library. They’d make fun of him.

  He didn’t care. Let them laugh. He’d heard somewhere that knowledge was power. He believed that. If he discovered the right stuff, he’d have some power over the jerks that Vincent had doing whatever he told them to.

  It only took a few minutes for Kevin to find several news articles about the murder of journalist Justin Sullivan. The story had been reported not only locally but in the national news too. Apparently this reporter dude, or journalist, or whatever he was, was a “rising star”, whatever that meant.

  It appeared the guy was really dead, but if he was, who was it running around town looking exactly like the reporter dude? Kevin was determined to make sense of things.

  After much searching, the Internet gave up the secret. Justin Sullivan had a twin brother named Joe. It was right there in an article about some journalist awards dinner.

  Kevin stared at the picture. With the reporter and his brother standing side by side, he could see some differences. After he’d studied the picture for a while, he saw enough differences to know it was the dude’s twin brother he’d seen around town, who’d followed him to the reporter’s apartment.

  He printed the article with the picture, and headed out. He had something important to talk about to Vince.

  ****

  “Her hair is gorgeous.” Tim gushed.

  Charlene sighed. “It really is.”

  “If you say so.” Veronica eyed herself in her dresser mirror. Truth be told, she was rather proud of her long, silky, blonde hair.

  “Oh, I say so.” Behind her, Tim slid the hairbrush through the strands, letting out a sigh every now and again. “I’d kill for this hair.”

  Charlene giggled.

  “It’d go great with your best suit,” Veronica said.

  He groaned. “You just have to do that logical, scientist thing and ruin a perfectly good fantasy.”

  Veronica grinned at his woeful expression. “I’m sorry.”

  “No, you aren’t.”

  “I wish my hair was beautiful like yours.” Charlene leaned toward the mirror and pulled at a curl.

  Before Veronica could say anything, Tim was behind the kitchen chair her sister sat in, and running his hands through her shoulder-length hair. “Girl, those curls are adorable! They’re every bit as to-die-for as your sister’s long hair.”

  “You’re just saying that.”

  Tim put a fist on one hip. “Honey, I am the type of person who tells it like it is, especially when it comes to beauty.”

  “But I can’t do anything with it. Besides, this stuff is boring brown.”

  “Oh my heavens. The two of you are in serious need of beauty guidance.”

  “Good thing you’re here for us.” Veronica managed not to grin.

  “Well, you don’t have to be sarcastic. And yes, it is fortunate that you have someone with my skill set to guide you.”

  He shoved his fingers into Charlene’s hair again. “This is not brown, my fledgling. This is mocha and crème brûlée with a touch of cinnamon and a sprinkling of ginger.”

  “Are you serious?” Charlene’s eyes were wide.

  He put both fists on his hips and gave Charlene a narrow-eyed look in the mirror. “As for the curls, you can grow long hair, but curls are a nightmare to fake. Be proud of your hair.”

  “Really?”

  Tim gave a slow shake of his head. “Honey, I told you already. When it comes to matters of the hair, face, and body, I am disturbingly frank.”

  Veronica put a hand over her mouth, but she couldn’t completely stop the laugh.

  Tim rolled his eyes.

  Charlene brushed her curls in one direction, then another. “I don’t know what to do with this stuff.”

  Tim took the brush from her. “The first thing is to set you up with a good stylist. You’ll have to go into Bar Harbor, but Georgie frequently works odd hours, so sunlight won’t be a problem. Then you and I will have to work on how to maintain.”

  “Thanks, Tim.”

  “Oh it’s my destiny to cultivate beauty.” He looked in the mirror at her, his eyes narrowing as he tapped the edge of the hairbrush against his chin. “You know, you two should come down to the club one night after the show is over. The girls would love to show you a few things.”

  Veronica stared at him. “I thought you divas were insular and protective of your territory.”

  “Honey, this is Lobster Cove. If we didn’t get along we would have killed each other long ago.” He leaned forward so his head was between the two women. “Please don’t tell. If the truth got out, we’d be the laughing stock of the drag queen world.”

  “Your secret is safe with me—along with all the rest.” Veronica squeezed his arm.

  “Me too.” Charlene said.

  “I’m just happy I can be myself with the two of you.”

  Veronica smiled. “And we can be ourselves with you.”

  “As long as you don’t bite me.”

  Laughing she rose from the chair. “You know we don’t bite.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know. You don’t have fangs either.” He shook his head sadly. “Figures, I know real vampires and they don’t even have fangs.”

  “I know a real drag queen, and he doesn’t even have catfights with the other queens. What a rip-off.” Veronica grinned at him.

  “Hey, I didn’t say never. I just said we mostly get along.”

  “Ooh, well that’s interesting.”

  Tim rolled his eyes. “Oh, go to work. I have things to do at home. I’m reading this great romance, The Prince’s Revenge by Scarlette LaFlamme‏.”

  “I’ve heard of her,” Charlene said. “She’s a local.”

  “But nobody knows who she really is,” Tim said.

  “I know, she could be anybody. That’s so cool.”

  “Isn’t it?” Tim was all but vibrating.

  “You two are weird,” Veronica told them.

  “We love you too,” Tim said, then grinned and hugged her. “Actually, I do love you, you know.”

  Veronica kissed his cheek. “What would I do without you?”

  “Your life would be so boring.”

  She sighed. “I’m glad you’re my friend.”

  “Mine too,” Charlene said.

  He tugged one, then the other into a hug, then turned and headed out the door.

  Veronica quickly pulled her hair back into a utilitarian ponytail. “This will just have to do for now.”

  Charlene hugged her. “This was fun.”

  “We need to do fun things more often.”

  “Yep.” Charlene grabbed her bag and headed out the door.

  Veronica gathered her things, but before she left, she took one more look in the mirror. Left side, right side, front on, big smile. She was still smiling when she walked down the sidewalk toward her job.

  ****

  “I don’t understand, Joe. Why is it taking so long for them to release Justin’s body?”

  Joe stood in the living room of his brother’s apartment and tried to find the words to comfort his mother. Meanwhile his own heart tore int
o confetti. “Mom, they’re doing everything they can to find the person responsible for what happened.”

  “What happened?” His mother’s indignant voice came through the cell almost as strongly as it would be with her standing right beside him. “You mean the man who killed my baby and left him lying on a cold beach all alone? That’s what happened?”

  So much for trying to be sensitive. “Mom, they need to make sure they aren’t missing anything.”

  “It’s been four days. What could they be missing?”

  Joe searched his mind for something reassuring to say. In the end he stuck with, “I don’t know.”

  “I don’t want to have to bury my boy, but if I have to I’d prefer to get it the hell over with.” The breaking voice all but had Joe on his knees.

  “I’ll check again, Mom. That’s all I can do.”

  “Thank you, Joe. I’ll be glad when you get back. Family needs to be together right now.”

  “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “You do that.”

  They hung up, and Joe stared out the window toward the lights of Lobster Cove. He didn’t want to go back until he had some answers, but he had to take his brother home and be at the funeral. He had to know his brother was safely put to rest.

  He turned and forced himself to put down the cell before he threw it against a wall. Damn, their mother shouldn’t have to go through this. No mother should.

  He would take his brother home and take care of his mother. After that, he would find the answers, even if he had to question every person between here and China. He intended to make damn sure somebody paid for hurting Justin.

  ****

  Veronica stared in shock at the disaster that had been the lab. Computers smashed, broken glass all over the floor, centrifuges, test tubes, boxes open and contents scattered, PCR and other specialized processing equipment trashed. Blue gloves scattered like decorations.

  “Oh my God!” she whispered. “Why would anyone do this?”

  “A better question,” Dr. Wright said, “is how humans knew about the lab in the first damn place.”

  “A human has been hanging around the parking lot,” Todd said. “I’ve seen him talking to Veronica.”

  She turned to give Todd a hard glare. He was slimy, but she’d had no idea he’d stoop to this level. He crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow at her.

  “Veronica, would you like to explain?” Dr. Wright asked.

  Not really.

  Taking a deep breath, she kicked up her chin and prepared to lie her butt off while keeping as close to the truth as she was able. “The human Todd saw is one who believes I know something about his brother’s murder, but I don’t.”

  “Something about what?” Dr. Wright gave her a hard glare.

  “His brother was killed, and he thinks I know something about what the police are doing.”

  “Why would he think that?”

  She swallowed, trying hard not to clench her fists. Focus on plausible, she told herself. She wasn’t allowed to talk about her work for the Guardians. “Because he saw me at the shore where his brother was killed.

  “What were you doing there?” Dr. Wright’s glare hadn’t wavered.

  I was speaking with the coroner.”

  “Another human?” Todd’s nostrils were flaring.

  “We sometimes discuss her more interesting cases, scientist to scientist.”

  “That’s absurd!”

  Dr. Wright turned his glare on Todd. “Why don’t you start cleaning up?”

  Todd gave Veronica another hard look, but even he wouldn’t risk Dr. Wright’s rage.

  Her boss turned back to Veronica. “So this human knows where you work”

  “He’s following me around like a puppy looking for crumbs. He’s probably doing the same to everybody who was at the scene. His brother’s death seems to have affected him strongly. So much so as to cause irrational behavior.”

  Sorry, Joe.

  Dr. Wright looked anything but convinced. “You were at the scene of a human’s death?”

  “Yes, sir. It was an interesting case.” She shrugged.

  He leaned closer. “Do you think this human might be the one who broke in here?”

  Her incredulous expression was genuine. “Of course not. He’s a grieving human who isn’t thinking straight. He couldn’t have gotten through our defenses, and would have no reason to try.”

  The boss nodded. “I agree. I think we’re dealing with one of our own.”

  “But there’s the scent of human in here,” Todd said.

  Dr. Wright nodded. “I believe a human was involved, but only a vampire could do this without leaving a trace.”

  “Why would a vampire and a human cooperate?” An artery pulsed in Todd’s neck.

  “Perhaps the vampire used our ability to compel a human, thus preventing our knowing exactly what happened.” Dr. Wright turned and walked over to where Todd pretended to clean. His expression wasn’t a pleasant one.

  Veronica pulled out her cell, which had vibrated twice during the conversation. A quick look told her it was Joe calling. She turned off the phone and went to work. Talking to him right now was not a good idea. He’d just have to wait.

  She would not admit to missing him.

  Chapter 6

  Joe sat with his arm around his mother and tried to listen as a minister, who hadn’t laid eyes on Justin for at least a decade, said nice words over his casket. By the shaking of her shoulders, he knew his mom was silently sobbing, and he hoped the minister’s words gave her some comfort. All he could think about was his brother’s killer walking free.

  The smell of fresh earth swirled around him, while friends and family stood or sat with their heads down, each in their own way mourning the loss of a man so young, so vibrant, so full of promise.

  It was all so surreal, the formal ending of his brother’s life. Joe’s insides were empty, like his organs were in that casket with Justin. When the service was over, it took everything he had to leave his twin.

  It tore him up inside, but he managed to lead his mother away from the site and toward friends and family. With a glance over his shoulder at the casket, he silently swore he’d somehow make sure Justin’s murderer was brought to justice.

  That was later, though. Right now, he needed to help his mother get through this long, hard, horrible day.

  A hand clamped down on his shoulder, and Joe looked into the eyes of one of his two best friends.

  “How’re you doing?” Nate Warren asked.

  “Hanging in there. I’m surprised you’re in town.”

  “I told my boss this funeral was a priority.” The look on his friend’s face told Joe he wasn’t joking.

  “Thanks.”

  “Just let me know if you need anything.”

  Joe nodded as he wondered what his friend would say if he asked him to help track down a murderer. Before he could think too much more, an elderly aunt pulled Joe into an embrace.

  An hour later, the crowd had moved to his mom’s house. The house he and Justin had grown up in. Very little had actually changed over the years, and the things that had were mostly superficial. Different furniture in the living room. Updated appliances in the kitchen. But the same kitchen table where he and Justin had done their homework.

  Food was everywhere, and Joe was shocked to realize he was hungry. Throwing a few things that looked halfway appetizing onto a plate, he found a corner to eat. It seemed wrong to satisfy a need that Justin no longer had. When a laugh came from the crowd, it was all he could do not to scream at the lack of respect. How could anybody be happy today?

  “Is there anything I can do?” Nate put a hand on Joe’s shoulder.

  “No, but thanks. I appreciate you being here today.”

  Nate sighed. “I have to leave for Arizona in a couple of hours. You have my cell number. give me a call if you need anything.”

  Joe watched his friend weaving through the people filling the lit
tle house. “I need you to help me find Justin’s killer,” he muttered.

  It was unfair, he knew. Nate had a high pressure job that required almost constant travel.

  Determined to let the unreasonable resentment go, he forced himself to move around and greet their guests. His mom needed support from the family and friends who had come to mourn with them. The least he could do was thank them for coming.

  The next few hours were an emotion-twisting blur, as he focused on being polite while wishing everybody would go away so he could nurse his grief in privacy.

  “You doing okay, Joe?”

  He turned to see a familiar face and managed a weak smile. “Good to see you, Michael.”

  “Sorry I wasn’t at the funeral. I had an emergency surgery.”

  Joe noted the blue scrubs his friend was wearing. “I understand. How’re Lyndsy and the girls?”

  “They’re fine.” Dr. Michael Silver leaned closer and lowered his voice. “What did you find out about what happened to your brother?”

  Joe sighed. He didn’t want to go into the whole, ugly mess, but the idea of sharing the burden with a friend—and finding out what that intelligent, thoughtful friend thought of the oddness he’d stumbled on in Lobster Cove, did sound good. “Let’s take a walk.”

  Michael nodded, and the two of them slid out the back door and headed down the side road they had walked together many times on their way to elementary school.

  “So what’s going on?”

  Joe filled his friend in on the events of the last few days, leaving out the crazy attraction to Veronica. By the time they stood leaning against the fence around their old elementary school playground, he wondered if his good friend was thinking of throwing a net over him. Could surgeons certify a guy nuts?

  “You aren’t buying all this vampire nonsense, right?” Mike asked.

  “No. Not exactly.” He groaned. “I honestly don’t know what to believe anymore. All I know is that Justin’s dead, and he believed these vampires existed.”

  “This is beyond weird.”

  Joe hesitated, then dove in. “The woman I told you about, Veronica, she can hear my thoughts—and I can hear hers.”