by Skye Knizley
"Good to see you, Detective Storm," the officer said.
Raven smiled and glanced at the officer's name tag. "And you, officer Murray. Thank you for finding my sister's car. Have you seen anything?"
The officer shook his head. "Nothing, but a butt-load of snow. I cleaned the car off when I heard you were coming, but there is no sign of Rowan Tempeste."
Raven nodded and walked toward the car. She didn't worry about prints, the snow would have ruined any on the outside of the vehicle. She pulled the door open and leaned inside. A zip top bag filled with grey powder and a signet ring sat on the driver's seat. With her heart pounding she opened the bag and reached inside. She knew from experience the powder was the ash left after a vampire had been killed and she winced at the feel of the powder as she pulled out the ring. It was a silver and black signet ring marked with a T that stood for the House of Tempeste. Her hands shaking she turned the ring over and looked at the inscription which read Rowan Tempeste.
"Shit!" Raven growled. "Those Goddamned renegade fucktards and their stupid war!"
She slipped the ring on her finger and pulled the bag out of the car. Her mother would arrange a proper burial in the family crypt.
She kicked the door closed and looked around, searching for any sign of someone watching her. Her vampire instincts told her they were there, somewhere. Someone knew she'd found what was left of her sister. It was how these bastards operated; they liked to see the carnage they wrought.
Seeing no one she asked officer Murray to have the Aston Martin towed home. He agreed he'd call whoever was on tow duty and Raven turned back to the Shelby. She was only a few steps away when she heard an odd, but uncomfortably familiar click from the back of her car. Her eyes widened and she turned to yell "run!" when the Shelby exploded into a pillar of flame and a shower of shrapnel. Raven felt the heat burn through her coat and the clothes on her back before pieces of her beloved car tore through her body. The last thing she saw before passing out was her license plate sticking out of officer Murray's forehead.
* * *
Consciousness approached Raven cautiously and from a distance. She first heard the voice of her mother calling her name; that faded away to blackness to be replaced some time later with Levac's voice telling her everything was going to be okay and he missed her. Everything again faded to an inky blackness where Raven floated for countless hours, lulled by a distant beep and the smell of disinfectant.
When the blackness started to fade for the third time she heard Levac say, "Lieutenant, sir that's ridiculous, she wasn't anywhere near lockup. She was with Officer Murray."
"He's not exactly around to confirm that, is he? No, he's in the morgue with Storm's license plate sticking out of his head!" Frost yelled.
"She barely survived that blast, sir. We found her in the snow near the blast site and Aspen has already confirmed Murray's time of death. That's not Raven in the tape, Lieutenant, and you know it."
Raven opened her eyes. The light overhead slowly evolved from a blur into a soft fluorescent and the beep that had been at the edge of her consciousness became the sound of an EKG machine beeping.
"What happened? Where the hell am I?" she croaked.
Levac's face swam into view. He smiled gently and ran a hand over Raven's matted hair.
"It's okay, Raven. You're in the hospital," he said. He then raised his voice and called "Doctor! Detective Storm is awake!"
A busy few minutes followed where two nurses busied themselves taking Raven's pulse blood pressure and pupil response before a short doctor of Indian descent pushed past. He, too, smiled at Raven, a grin like she was his star pupil.
"It is good to see you awake, Ms. Storm," he said, his accent thick. "You gave us all quite a scare. You had a lot of shrapnel in your body, it took nine pints of blood to stabilize you and remove all the pieces. You were lucky, we got all of them and you are making an amazing recovery. How do you feel?"
"Like my dad's Shelby exploded in my face and I lost one of my best friends," Raven replied, her voice a little stronger. "Rupe, where are you?"
Levac pushed past everyone on the opposite side of the bed. He looked even more haggard than usual. There was mustard on his shirt and tie, his hair was unkempt and he looked like he hadn't slept in days.
"I'm here, partner," he said.
Raven reached for his hand and found she was handcuffed to the bed rail. She tugged a couple times and then looked back up at her partner. "This had better be a weird joke, Rupert."
"It's no joke, Ms. Storm," Frost said, appearing next to Levac. "You are under arrest for the murder of Rayne DeGrey. When you are able to move you will be taken to holding."
Raven glanced at Frost and then back to her partner. "What in the blue hell is he talking about?"
Levac sighed and took Raven's hand. "Rayne DeGrey is dead. She was found in her cell, murdered the same way as Christina Shevlin. Heart attack and milky white eyes."
"What does that have to do with me?" Raven asked.
Frost looked at the doctor who nodded and backed away, taking the nurses with him.
"We have the video her holding area cellblock showing you entering and then leaving a few minutes later," Frost said. "Dr. Zhu confirmed the time of death by liver temperature as being within that timeframe, and the log shows no one else entered or left during that window."
Raven gaped at Frost. "You know I don't visit holding, Chris, it stinks down there. I bring the perps to me. When did this happen?"
"While you were supposedly checking out your sister's missing Aston Martin," Frost replied.
"Supposedly? Chris, come back to earth with the rest of us. The patrol car video will show I was there and I sort of had to be there, my Shelby blew up in my face right next to my sister's Aston Martin! If I hadn't been there I wouldn't be in this bed. Did your IQ drop suddenly while I was out?"
"And yet we have video of you entering and leaving the holding area," Frost replied calmly. "Until this is cleared up, you aren't going anywhere. I'm sorry, Raven, you're suspended without pay and in police custody."
Raven stared at the Lieutenant. He stared back for a moment then turned on his heel and left.
"This is complete bullshit, Rupe!" Raven said, pulling on her cuffs.
Levac nodded and made an attempt to cover Raven back up with the blankets.
"I know it is," he said. "Aspen has pretty much confirmed it's a pretty narrow window for you to kill DeGrey and still get to The Dark in time to be almost killed. Even you don't drive that fast. Frost is playing this very strangely. Your father's last partner, Gibbs, is working on getting you cleared."
Raven leaned back into the pillows and stared at the ceiling. "How could they have a video of me at holding? I was nowhere near there and I sure as hell wouldn't blow up my Shelby to cover up a murder. Everyone on the force knows what that car means, well meant, to me. That was my baby. I learned to drive in that car!"
"I know, Ray," Levac said, taking Raven's hand. "But…I've seen the video. I know it isn't you, if you were going to kill DeGrey you would have just blown holes in her with that cannon of yours and had done with it. But the woman on the video sure as shooting' looks like you. She even paused to wave at the camera so we could see her face."
Raven looked back at her partner. "And that right there doesn't strike you as bloody stupid? Why would I intentionally taunt the police? Why give you a clean shot of my face if I was going to do something so idiotic as to kill my prime suspect?"
"Calm down, Raven! I'm on your side," Levac said. "But you've got a lot of enemies in the department. Not everyone likes your 'shoot now, shoot some more and ask questions of anything still moving' method of policing and Frost is getting heat to use this to toss you off the force."
"Marvelous," Raven muttered. "Meanwhile whoever killed the Shevlins and possibly my sister is still out there."
She closed her eyes; she could feel her body healing and had a feeling her mother had given her blood to help her regener
ation along. She'd probably be fine by morning.
"How long have I been here?" she asked.
"Just a couple days. The doctors say it is a remarkable and speedy recovery," Levac replied.
"You've been here the whole time, haven't you?"
Raven could hear Levac's nod. "Yeah….Your mom was here too though she doesn't look near old enough to be your mother, more like an older sister with a penchant for leather."
"My family ages well," Raven said.
"It heals well, too. I'm sorry to hear about your sister. Your mother said her name was Rowan?"
"Yes, my older sister," Raven said, her hand tightening on Levac's.
"Do you think it is related to the Shevlin case?"
Raven shrugged. "I'm not sure. But I would be willing to bet the two mob guys I saw in the lobby of Francois' condo were the ones who put the bomb in Eleanor. Rowan could have been into something else, but I think my car, the mafia and the Shevlin case are all related."
"What would your sister be into?" Levac asked. "Why was she there?"
"Rupe? If you say 'just one more thing' to me I am going to break your arm," Raven said. "I don't care what Frost says, I am not a damn suspect and I won't be treated like one, not by him and not by my partner!"
Levac looked sheepish. "I'm sorry, Ray, it's a bad habit. I know you're not a suspect."
Raven nodded, her eyes still closed. "You should go home and get some rest. Aside from being angry enough to spit nails I am going to be fine."
"Are you sure?" Levac asked, his voice laced with concern.
"Yeah. Get out of here, Codumbo. Go get some sleep."
"All right, partner, if you say so. Frost took your phone away, but your mother left you a new one and some clothes last night. If you need me, call," Levac said.
"You know I will, Rupe."
Raven listened to Levac walk toward the exit. He was just opening the door when she called, "Rupe?"
"Yeah, Ray?" Levac asked.
"Thanks for staying, for being by my side. That means a lot to me."
"You're welcome, partner. You would do it for me," Levac replied. "See you later."
Raven heard Levac pass through the door and she listened to it close with a sort of finality.
Someone had framed her for the murder of her biggest potential source of information and blown up her Shelby. Either someone else or the same person had killed Rowan and left her for Raven to find.
Raven didn't believe in coincidences any more than she believed in the tooth fairy.
She sighed again and tested the handcuff around her wrist. It was tight enough her hand wouldn't slip out. Raven had a feeling Levac hadn't put it on her. Frost had.
What would Harry Callahan do? Raven wondered. He sure as hell wouldn't just lay here.
She flexed her arm and felt the chain pop, one link snapping off and falling to the floor with a faint tinkle of steel. She put two fingers under the bracelet and snapped the metal like a twig, letting the pieces join the link on the floor.
She found the clothes Levac had mentioned in the room's small closet. They contained a heavy amount of leather, lace and would show more skin than most of her bathing suits. A pair of her mom's favorite stilettos and a new phone was with the pile.
Raven frowned at the clothes with distaste. They were really not her style, but they were better than trying to leave the hospital with her butt hanging out of a hospital gown, though not by much.
She had just finished dressing in the leather skirt, lace blouse and black heels when her mother, Valentina entered with the doctor in tow.
"What are you doing out of bed, Ravenel?" Valentina asked, her voice more amused than stern.
Raven smiled in spite of herself. Though she was alone and visiting the hospital, Valentina was still dressed in a lace and leather gown that covered her from neck to floor. A tight lace choker encircled her neck and matching bracelets wrapped her wrists and Raven could hear the tell-tale click of six-inch stilettos on tile as Valentina walked across the room like a beautiful Zeppelin coming in to dock.
Before Raven could answer, the doctor asked "Not why, how are you out of bed? Your wounds…and the handcuffs…"
"Hello, Mother, hi doctor," Raven said. "You do great work, doc, I feel fine, totally all better. Since the cuffs weren't that tight I let myself out, I have work to do."
"Ravenel, you should not be up, your wounds were most severe," Valentina said, reaching out to hug her youngest child.
Raven hugged her mother back. "I'm fine, Mother. I can't stay here. Frost wants to nail me for a prime suspect's murder."
"Ms. Storm, I must insist you get back in that bed!" the doctor interjected.
Valentina turned and simply said "Silence!" The doctor's mouth slammed shut and he stood quietly, hypnotized by that one command.
"What do you mean, Ravenel?" Valentina asked.
Raven tossed her purse over her shoulder, feeling weird without her badge. "While someone was blowing dad's Shelby into tiny pieces, I was being framed for killing Rayne DeGrey."
"I'm sorry my daughter, both for what has happened and for the car. I know what your father's Shelby meant to you."
"I will find who did it and they will pay, Mother," Raven said. "For now I have to go. Somewhere out there someone is getting away with murder."
"Are you certain you are well enough?" Valentina asked.
Raven laughed and flexed her back. "Mother, you've had the doctor feeding me blood for the last two days. I'm fine. I am at least well enough to get the hell out of here. You know how I hate hospitals."
Valentina nodded and squeezed her daughter again. "I know, Raven. Please be careful. Rowan is gone, Ethan is gone. I can't bear losing you. You will find a car waiting for you on the third level of the hospital's garage."
"Thanks, Mom. I promise I will be safe. Put the estate guards on full alert and have them keep any cops, but Rupert off the property. I will be home as soon as I can."
"Yes, love," Valentina said.
Raven kissed her mother's cheek and left the room, the short skirt and platform heels making her feel like a hooker in a B-grade movie. She was, however, her mother's daughter. She walked nonchalantly down the corridor, smiling at the orderlies she passed and took the elevator to the garage. She stepped out on the third floor and looked around, wondering what car had been left for her. She was expecting maybe her father's 55 Chevy or one of the Aston Martins. What she found was a complete surprise. The black car sat beneath one of the garage lights, the paint glistening like satin in the glow. It had the silhouette of a classic Mustang, the grille of a Hemi 'Cuda and the tail-lights of a '69 Dodge Charger, but the rest was all modern. The nameplate on the back read 'BASS' above a rearing pony and the side said '770'. The crown jewel was the Illinois license plate that read 'RAVEN'.
Raven walked around the car, gently trailing her fingers over the car's skin like a model in a car commercial. Something told her the Bass had been built just for her.
She opened the door and slid into the red and black bucket seat. A key ring dangled from the ignition and Raven twisted it, bringing the car's massive 380 engine to life. A few seconds later she was roaring out into the night, the Bass leaving a strip down the street.
She stopped at a red light and drummed her fingers in the steering wheel. Going to the precinct was out of the question. It had only been her mother's influence and dumb luck that had let her escape custody. Going to the station or the morgue would be pushing her luck just a little too far.
She growled under her breath and stomped on the gas, pressing the pedal to the floor. What she needed was answers and she needed them now. With that in mind she headed north back toward Old Town in a cloud of smoke and the echo of screeching tires.
It was late enough that Old Town was at its busiest time of night. Young couples moved from restaurant to club to restaurant, enjoying the light fog that clung to their legs and the mournful sound of bagpipes coming from Isle of Night. It was always like
this on nights of the full moon, no matter how cold or snowy.
The Bass rumbled to a stop around the corner from Marie's, a place Raven knew she would be welcome no matter what. When she'd fractured a law or three as a child, Marie had always hidden her until her dad could come get her and she knew the last thing Marie would do was turn her in to anyone, but Valentina.
Raven entered to the chime of three bells, new ones Marie had recently installed. Simba, the magpie, woke on his perch and cawed angrily at Raven. She didn't even notice the sadistic bird, but the noise made Marie look up from the gris gris she was sewing from old muslin. The heavy set black woman smiled widely and set her work aside. She moved around the counter and hugged Raven tightly.
"Ravenel, dear I'd heard you were dead!" the woman said in a thick creole accent.
Raven smiled at her old friend. "The rumors weren't quite true. I refuse to stop moving."
Marie nodded and pinched Raven's cheek as if she were still twelve. "And Rowan, is she still with us as well, then?"
Raven shook her head. "No, Mambo. Rowan was killed, I found her ash shortly before someone tried to kill me. I am still looking for her killer. When I find him, he will pay in blood, this I promise under the Totentanz."
"I am sorry to hear that, my Ravenel," Marie said, hugging Raven again. "I know you were not close, two hundred years can separate sisters, but it never stops love and she was a good woman with a kind soul."
Raven smiled and escorted the heavy woman back to her stool. "Mambo, I come to you for help and guidance."
"Of course, child, what can this old woman do for you?"
"What can kill like the drug Thirst, but leave no trace of the drug in the body?" Raven asked.
Marie thought, one gnarled finger playing with the contents of the gris gris she'd been making.
"Thirst is nasty mojo, girl," she said after a time. "But you say it only looked like Thirst? The person had not partaken of the devil's plaything?"
Raven nodded. "That's right. Milky white eyes, pale skin, coagulated blood, all the symptoms, but none of the fun."
"Only magik can do this, my girl," Marie said. "It is the dark magik in the drug that brings about death in this manner. If you find the witch you will find the source and possibly your killer."