“Everyone breaks, Anita, everyone.”
“Even you?”
That ghost of a smile was back again. “Even me.”
“Someone got the better of Death? Tell, tell.”
The smile widened. “Some other time.”
“Nice to know there’ll be another time,” I said.
“I’m not here to kill you.”
“Just to frighten or torture me into revealing the master’s name, right?”
“Right,” he said, voice soft and low.
“I was hoping you’d say wrong.”
He almost shrugged. “Give me the Master of the City, Anita, and I’ll go away.”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“I know you have to, or it’s going to be a very long night.”
“Then it’s going to be a long night, because I’m not going to give you shit.”
“You won’t be bullied,” he said.
“Nope.”
He shook his head. “Turn around, lean your waist up against the couch, and put your hands behind your back.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
“So you can tie my hands?”
“Do it, now.”
“I don’t think so.”
The frown was back. “Do you want me to shoot you?”
“No, but I’m not going to just stand here while you tie me up, either.”
“The tying up doesn’t hurt.”
“It’s what comes after that I’m worried about.”
“You knew what I’d do if you didn’t help me.”
“Then do it,” I said.
“You’re not cooperating.”
“So sorry.”
“Anita.”
“I just don’t believe in helping people who are going to torture me. Though I don’t see any bamboo slivers. How can you possibly torture someone without bamboo slivers?”
“Stop it.” He sounded angry.
“Stop what?” I widened my eyes and tried to look innocent and harmless, me and Kermit the Frog.
Edward laughed, a soft chuckle that rolled and expanded until he squatted on the floor, gun loose in his hands, staring up at me. His eyes were shiny.
“How can I torture you when you keep making me laugh?”
“You can’t; that was the plan.”
He shook his head. “No, it wasn’t. You were just being a smartass. You’re always a smartass.”
“Nice of you to notice.”
He held up his hand. “No more, please.”
“I’ll make you laugh until you beg for mercy.”
“Just tell me the damn name. Please, Anita. Help me.” The laughter drained from his eyes like the sun slipping out of the sky. I watched the humor, the humanity, slip away, until his eyes were as cold and empty as a doll’s. “Don’t make me hurt you,” he said.
I think I was Edward’s only friend, but that wouldn’t stop him from hurting me. Edward had one rule: do whatever it takes to get the job done. If I forced him to torture me, he would, but he didn’t want to.
“Now that you’ve asked nicely, try the first question again,” I said.
His eyes narrowed, then he said, “Who hit you in the mouth?”
“A master vampire,” I said softly.
“Tell me what happened.” It was too much like an order for my taste, but he did have both the guns.
I told him everything that had happened. All about Alejandro. Alejandro who felt so old inside my head, it made my bones ache. I added one tiny lie, lost in all that truth. I told him Alejandro was Master of the City. One of my better ideas, heh?
“You really don’t know where his daytime resting place is, do you?”
I shook my head. “I’d give it to you if I had it.”
“Why this change of heart?”
“He tried to kill me tonight. All bets are off.”
“I don’t believe that.”
It was too good a lie to waste, so I tried salvaging it. “He’s also gone rogue. It’s him and his flunkies that have been killing innocent citizens.’’
Edward smirked at the innocent, but he let it go. “An altruistic motive, that I believe. If you weren’t such a damn bleeding heart, you’d be dangerous.”
“I kill my share, Edward.”
His empty, blue eyes stared at me; then he nodded, slowly. “True.”
He handed me back my gun, butt first. A tight, clenched ball in my stomach unrolled. I could breathe deep, long sighs of relief.
“If I find out where this Alejandro stays, you want in on it?”
I thought about that for a minute. Did I want to go after five rogue vampires, two of them over five hundred years old? I did not. Did I want to send even Edward after them alone? No, I did not. Which meant…
“Yeah, I want a piece of them.”
Edward smiled, broad and shining. “I love my work.”
I smiled back. “Me, too.”
Chapter 27
Jean-Claude lay in the middle of a white canopied bed. His skin was only slightly less white than the sheets. He was dressed in a nightshirt. Lace fell down the low collar, forming a lace window around his chest. Lace flowed from the sleeves, nearly hiding his hands. It should have looked feminine, but Jean-Claude made it utterly masculine. How could any man wear a white lace gown and not look silly? Of course, he wasn’t a man. That must be it. His black hair curled in the lace collar. Touchable. I shook my head. Not even in my dreams. I was dressed in something long and silky. It was a shade of blue almost as dark as his eyes. My arms looked very white against it. Jean-Claude got to his knees and reached his hand out to me. An invitation.
I shook my head.
“It is only a dream, ma petite. Will you not come to me even here?”
“It’s never just a dream with you. It always means more.”
His hand fell to the sheets, fingertips caressing the cloth.
“What are you trying to do to me, Jean-Claude?”
He looked very steadily at me. “Seduce you, of course.”
Of course. Silly me.
The phone beside the bed rang. It was one of those white princess phones with lots of gold on it. There hadn’t been a telephone a second before. It rang again, and the dream fell to shreds. I came awake grabbing for the phone.
“Hello.”
“Hey, did I wake you?” Irving Griswold asked.
I blinked at the phone. “Yeah, what time is it?”
“It’s ten o’clock. I know better than to call early.”
“What do you want, Irving?”
“Grouchy.”
“I got in late. Can we skip the sarcasm?”
“I, your true-blue reporter friend, will forgive you that grumpy hello, if you answer a few questions.”
“Questions?” I sat up, hugging the phone to me. “What are you talking about?”
“Is it true that Humans First saved you last night, as they’re claiming?”
“Claiming? Can you talk in complete sentences, Irving?”
“The morning news had Jeremy Ruebens on it. Channel five. He claimed that he and Humans First saved your life last night. Saved you from the Master Vampire of the City.”
“Oh, he did not.”
“May I quote you?”
I thought about that for a minute. “No.”
“I need a quote for the paper. I’m trying to give a chance for a rebuttal.”
“A rebuttal?”
“Hey, I was an English major.”
“That explains so much.”
“Can you give me your side of the story, or not?”
I thought about that for a minute. Irving was a friend and a good reporter. If Ruebens was already on the morning news with the story, I needed to get my side out. “Can you give me fifteen minutes to make coffee and get dressed?”
“For an exclusive, you bet.”
“Talk to you then.” I hung up and went straight for the coffeemaker. I was wearing jogging socks, jeans, and the oversized
t-shirt I’d slept in when Irving called back. I had a steaming cup of coffee on the bedside table beside the phone. Cinnamon hazelnut coffee from V. J.’s Tea and Spice Shop over on Olive. Mornings didn’t get much better than this.
“Okay, spill it,” he said.
“Gee, Irving, no foreplay?”
“Get to it, Blake, I’ve got a deadline.”
I told him everything. I had to admit that Humans First had saved my cookies. Darn. “I can’t confirm that the vampire they ran off was the Master of the City.”
“Hey, I know Jean-Claude is the master. I interviewed him, remember?”
“I remember.”
“I know this Indian guy was not Jean-Claude.”
“But Humans First doesn’t know that.”
“A double exclusive, wowee.”
“No, don’t say that Alejandro isn’t the master.”
“Why not?”
“I’d clear it with Jean-Claude first, if I were you.”
He cleared his throat. “Yeah, not a bad idea.” He sounded nervous.
“Is Jean-Claude giving you trouble?”
“No, why do you ask?”
“For a reporter you lie badly.”
“Jean-Claude and I got business just between us. It doesn’t concern The Executioner.”
“Fine; just watch your back, okay?”
“I’m flattered that you’re worried about me, Anita, but trust me, I can handle it.”
I didn’t argue with that. I must have been in a good mood. “Anything you say, Irving.”
He let it go, so I did, too. No one could handle Jean-Claude, but it wasn’t my business. Irving had been the one hot for the interview. So there were strings attached; not a big surprise, and not my business. Really.
“This’ll be on the front page of the morning paper. I’ll check with Jean-Claude about whether to mention this new vamp isn’t the master.”
“I’d really appreciate it if you could hold off on that.”
“Why?” He sounded suspicious.
“Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea for Humans First to believe Alejandro is the master.”
“Why?”
“So they don’t kill Jean-Claude,” I said.
“Oh,” he said.
“Yeah,” I said.
“I’ll bear that in mind,” he said.
“You do that.”
“Gotta go; deadline calls.”
“Okay, Irving, talk to you later.”
“Bye, Anita, thanks.” He hung up.
I sipped the still-steaming coffee, slowly. The first cup of the day should never be rushed. If I could get Humans First to believe the same lie Edward bought, then no one would be hunting Jean-Claude. They’d be hunting Alejandro. The master that was slaughtering humans. Put the police on the case, and we had the rogue vamps outnumbered. Yeah, I liked it.
The trick was, would everyone buy it? Never know until you try.
Chapter 28
I had finished a pot of coffee and managed to get dressed when the phone rang again. One of those mornings.
“Yeah,” I said.
“Ms. Blake?” the voice sounded very uncertain.
“Speaking.”
“This is Karl Inger.”
“Sorry if I sounded abrupt. What’s up, Mr. Inger?”
“You said you’d speak to me again if we had a better plan. I have a better plan,” he said.
“For killing the Master of the City?” I made it a question.
“Yes.”
I took a deep breath and let it out slow, away from the phone. Didn’t want him to think I was heavy breathing at him. “Mr. Inger…”
“Please, hear me out. We saved your life last night. That must be worth something.”
He had me there. “What’s your plan, Mr. Inger?”
“I’d rather tell you in person.”
“I’m not going to my office for some hours yet.”
“Could I come to your home?”
“No.” It was automatic.
“You don’t bring business home?”
“Not when I can help it,” I said.
“Suspicious of you.”
“Always,” I said.
“Can we meet somewhere else? There’s someone I want you to meet.”
“Who, and why?”
“The name won’t mean anything to you.”
“Try me.”
“Mr. Oliver.”
“First name?”
“I don’t know it.”
“Okay, then why should I meet him?”
“He has a good plan for killing the Master of the City.”
“What?”
“No, I think it will be better if Mr. Oliver explains it in person. He’s much more persuasive than I am.”
“You’re doing okay,” I said.
“Then you’ll meet me?”
“Sure, why not?”
“That’s wonderful. Do you know where Arnold is?”
“Yes.”
“There’s a pay fishing lake just outside of Arnold on Tesson Ferry Road. Do you know it?”
I had an impression that I had driven by it on the way to two murders. All roads led to Arnold. “I can find it.”
“How soon can you meet me there?” he asked.
“An hour.”
“Great; I’ll be waiting.”
“Is this Mr. Oliver going to be at the lake?”
“No, I’ll drive you from there.”
“Why all the secrecy?”
“Not secrecy,” he said, his voice dropped, embarrassed. “I’m just not very good at giving directions. It’ll be easier if I just take you.”
“I can follow you in my car.”
“Why, Ms. Blake, I don’t think you entirely trust me.”
“I don’t entirely trust anybody, Mr. Inger, nothing personal.”
“Not even people who save your life?”
“Not even.”
He let that drop, probably for the best, and said, “I’ll meet you at the lake in an hour.”
“Sure.”
“Thank you for coming, Ms. Blake.”
“I owe you. You’ve made sure I’m aware of that.”
“You sound defensive, Ms. Blake. I did not mean to offend you.”
I sighed. “I’m not offended, Mr. Inger. I just don’t like owing people.”
“Visiting Mr. Oliver today will clear the slate between us. I promise that.”
“I’ll hold you to that, Inger.”
“I’ll meet you in an hour,” he said.
“I’ll be there,” I said. We hung up. “Damn.” I’d forgotten I hadn’t gotten to eat yet today. If I’d remembered, I’d have said two hours. Now I’d have to literally grab something on the way. I hated eating in the car. But, heh, what’s a little mess between friends? Or even between people who’ve saved your life? Why did it bother me so much that I owed Inger?
Because he was a right-wing fruitcake. A zealot. I didn’t like doing business with zealots. And I certainly didn’t like owing my life to one.
Ah, well; I’d meet him, then we’d be square. He had said so. Why didn’t I believe it?
Chapter 29
Chip-Away Lake was about half an acre of man-made water and thin, raised man-made bank. There was a little shed that sold bait and food. It was surrounded by a flat gravel parking lot. A late-model car sat near the road with a sign that read, “For Sale.” A pay fishing lake and a used car lot combined; how clever.
An expanse of grass spread out to the right of the parking lot. A small, ramshackle shed and what looked like the remains of some large industrial barbecue. A fringe of woods edged the grass, rising higher into a wooded hill. The Meramec River edged the left side of the lake. It seemed funny to have free-flowing water so close to the man-made lake.
There were only three cars in the parking lot this cool autumn afternoon. Beside a shiny burgundy Chrysler Le Baron stood Inger. A handful of fishermen had bundled up and put poles in the water. Fishing must b
e good to get people out in the cold.
I parked beside Inger’s car. He strode towards me smiling, hand out like a real estate salesman who was happy I’d come to see the property. Whatever he was selling, I didn’t want. I was almost sure of that.
“Ms. Blake, so glad you came.” He clasped my hand with both of his, hearty, good-natured, insincere.
“What do you want, Mr. Inger?”
His smile faded around the edges. “I don’t know what you mean, Ms. Blake.”
“Yes, you do.”
“No, I really don’t.”
I stared into his puzzled face. Maybe I spent too much time with slimeballs. After a while you forget that not everyone in the world is a slimeball. It just saves so much time to assume the worst.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Inger. I… I’ve been spending too much time looking for criminals. It makes you cynical.”
He still looked puzzled.
“Never mind, Mr. Inger; just take me to see this Oliver.”
“Mr. Oliver,” he said.
“Sure.”
“Shall we take my car?” He motioned towards his car.
“I’ll follow you in mine.”
“You don’t trust me.” He looked hurt. I guess most people aren’t used to being suspected of wrongdoing before they’ve done anything wrong. The law says innocent until proven guilty, but the truth is, if you see enough pain and death, it’s guilty until proven innocent.
“All right, you drive.”
He looked very pleased. Heartwarming.
Besides I was carrying two knives, three crosses, and a gun. Innocent or guilty, I was prepared. I didn’t expect to need the weaponry with Mr. Oliver, but later, I might need it later. It was time to go armed to the teeth, ready for bear, or dragon, or vampire.
Chapter 30
Inger drove down Old Highway 21 to East Rock Creek. Rock Creek was a narrow, winding road barely wide enough for two cars to pass. Inger drove slow enough for the curves, but fast enough so you didn’t get bored.
There were farmhouses that had stood for years and new houses in subdivisions where the earth was raw and red as a wound. Inger turned into one of those new subdivisions. It was full of large, expensive-looking houses, very modern. Thin, spindly trees were tied to stakes along the gravel road.
The pitiful trees trembled in the autumn wind, a few surprised leaves still clinging to the spider-thin limbs. This area had been a forest before they bulldozed it. Why do developers destroy all the mature trees, then plant new trees that won’t look good for decades?
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