by Aimée Thurlo
“He thinks he’s a vampire. So, is he drinking the blood of his victims too?” one of the sheriff’s deputies asked.
Dr. Wayne looked over at the OMI man and the investigator shrugged. “Not that we’ve been able to determine.”
“But keep in mind that crazy or not, this isn’t an ordinary criminal,” Victor added. “This guy has extraordinary night vision and demonstrates incredible strength and ability.”
“If any of the officers get a clear shot, they need to take it,” Lee said. “Extreme measures will be needed to bring Tanner down. He may be constantly high on something, or maybe his abilities and delusions enhance one another. I don’t know, I’m not a shrink,” Lee said. “But I strongly recommend that if anyone manages to incapacitate Tanner, they make damn sure he stays down. If he gets back up, he’ll take someone else out.”
Lee made eye contact with those seated around the tables, and noticed more than one officer nodding. Tanner had killed several people already, and nobody in the room seemed inclined to risk their own lives just to try and take Tanner alive.
“That’s all we have for you at this point,” Diane said, concluding. “It’s probably getting dark outside, so be very careful out there. Tanner has been targeting authority figures, and you all fit that definition. We know what we have to do, so let’s go get it done.”
Suddenly the lights went out.
CHAPTER 9
“What the hell?” someone grumbled, then several dim emergency battery lights came on along the walls and above the exit.
Lee glanced around, the diminished light posing no problem for him. The cavernous interior was ringed in a faint glow, and he figured the others around him would have to wait for their eyes to adjust before they could make it safely to the main door. The batteries should have been replaced long ago, obviously.
The murmur of voices grew as nearly everyone stood, anxious under the circumstances. It was darkest where their tables were set up. A couple of the folding chairs fell over, making a racket on the concrete floor.
Lee had heard a thump outside just before the big warehouse went dark. Suspecting sabotage, he stood on his chair so he could look over the tallest people, then turned to see if anyone was taking advantage of the momentary confusion to close in on them. The guards at the door had their backs to the wall, and their weapons out, but Lee knew he was the only one who could see into the deep shadows.
“Everyone remain where you are,” Diane called out. “If Tanner is responsible for this loss of power, he’s still going to have to cross the room to reach us, and we’ll be able to see him coming. Stand back to back and cover your neighbor, but don’t shoot unless you’ve made a positive ID.”
Lee saw that Diane was alone at the podium. She’d crouched down, her weapon out. “Diane, I’m coming over,” he said, walking slowly in her direction and watching to see if anyone was approaching.
There were no overhead emergency lights, only those by the exits, and the ceiling was unfinished, a mass of structural members and metal framework. As Lee looked up, he spotted a black figure crouched upon a girder. The intruder, most likely Tanner, had a coiled rope in his hands, and a sheathed knife at his waist. Diane was the closest officer below him.
“Diane. Move! Tanner’s above you on a girder.”
Lee drew his pistol, trying to get a clear shot at Tanner through the metal framework, but the vampire reacted immediately, throwing a knife. It was like avoiding a Nolan Ryan beanball—except for the sharp point. Tanner was fast, but the distance of the throw gave Lee just enough time to dodge. The throwing knife clanged off the concrete floor, shooting sparks and stinging him with small chunks of debris.
Lee fired. The bullet hit the ceiling somewhere behind the vampire, who was still off balance from the knife throw. Recovering quickly, Tanner whirled around, and ran across the girder toward the closest wall.
Lee shot again, hitting the girder this time. The bullet ricocheted away with a whine. The angle was wrong, and the metal was protecting Tanner. Lee stepped back and managed to get a sight picture again.
Tanner had reached the fifty-foot-high wall, where a ventilation window just below the roof was wide open. The man was climbing through the opening when Lee squeezed off a final shot with his Beretta.
Tanner flinched, but continued through the opening and disappeared. “I know what you are!” the vampire yelled back, his voice fading.
Lee ran toward the main door, hearing other footsteps close behind him. By the time he reached the entrance, the two guards there had already opened it.
Lee brushed past them, and saw a black van hurtling away from the warehouse and across the parking lot. He snapped off three shots, but he missed the tires. The vehicle crashed through the closed chain-link gate and roared down the street. Lee glanced away, spotting a shape on the ground beside the guardhouse that was probably a downed officer. There would be more. Hearing a rush of footsteps, Lee turned his head. Several officials that had been inside were rushing to their vehicles.
“Officers are down all around the perimeter,” Diane called to him, sprinting toward their unit. “They need help now. I’m going after the van and will call for backup!”
Lee was already behind the wheel when she arrived. She jumped in and handed him the keys. By the time she had her seat belt on, they were closing in on the gate. Diane was on the unit’s radio as they passed the bloody bodies of two guards.
“I hit Tanner, Diane, but not enough to slow him down. Unless we catch up to him soon, he’ll be as good as new.” Lee raced to the first intersection, then, thinking he saw a bit of dust in the road to the right, turned down that street, which led in the direction of downtown Farmington.
“He must have followed one of the honchos to the meeting. It wasn’t publicized.”
“Tanner’s got balls, that’s for sure, coming into the lion’s den like that. But I think he was after you this time, Diane.”
“Good. That provides a reason for him sticking around town, and it also means he still doesn’t know that Victor Wayne is the one he should be after—if he’s out to settle a score, like we’ve been assuming.”
“I’m not so sure I live your reasoning, woman. He’s managed to get everyone he’s gone after, so far.”
“Until now. With you covering my ass, I’ve got the odds in my favor.”
“As much as I like the thought of covering your ass, Diane, remember Tanner’s stronger and faster than I am. He’s a full vampire.”
“Yes, but is he smarter than you and me together? I don’t think so.”
“We’ve been unstoppable—so far. But Tanner now knows what I am,” Lee said.
“Yeah. I caught that. Do you suppose anyone else suspects what he meant? Like Victor Wayne?”
“Screw Victor Wayne.”
“Leave that to Tanner. But if we’re lucky—or very unlucky, depending on your point of view—the vampire will be coming after us—more specifically you, Lee. You’re the biggest threat to him because you can counter his moves. He may start packing a gun.”
“Which will make him doubly dangerous. Why don’t you put out a call for all sporting goods stores to be on the alert tonight.”
Diane nodded. “Will do, but in the Four Corners he’s just as likely to hit a residence. My guess is that over half of the citizens own at least one weapon, and many have several. All he has to do is find a house with an NRA sticker on the four-wheel-drive pickup in the driveway.”
“Good point. Let’s just hope we find out about this early on instead of in the morning when somebody finds a body,” Lee replied. He noticed a vehicle ahead of them that looked familiar. “Check out the silver SUV ahead. He’s hauling ass, and I recognize that rental sticker on the bumper.”
“You’ve got good eyes, I can barely tell the make of vehicle at this distance. It’s not Charles, is it?”
“Yeah, it sure is, and I’m going to stick with him for a while. It’s no coincidence seeing him racing around like this. You don
’t suppose he somehow spotted Tanner passing by in the van?”
“I suppose it’s possible.”
Lee stayed with the SUV, which slowed at the next intersection, hesitated, then finally turned left at the last minute. Lee had to run the light to keep up, but he’d checked and made the turn without risking a collision.
When the SUV slowed, and turned left again, Diane looked at Lee. “He’s circling around …”
“ … like he’s doubling back,” Lee said, finishing her thought. They kept up with the sport utility, but didn’t narrow the distance until five minutes later when the vehicle finally pulled over to the side of the street and stopped.
“Let’s find out what the hell he’s doing,” Diane said.
Lee parked a few car lengths down the street. By the time they came to a stop, Diane was already out.
“Hello, Charles,” Diane said, resting her arm on his open window. “Let me take a wild guess. You’re after Tanner, aren’t you?”
By then, Lee was beside her. From where they were standing they could see the passenger’s seat. It was empty except for a .45 Colt Combat Commander semi-auto, two extra clips, the ten-inch blade hunting knife, and what looked like an infrared night scope. There was a big Remington pump shotgun on the floorboard, leaned up against the passenger door.
“Naw, I’m just returning some books to the library,” he said, then stared at her. A second pistol bulged out from his shoulder holster. “Of course I’m looking for Tanner! The bastard killed Lynette—you remember her—she was your friend.” He was agitated, his face rough with a day-old beard, and he had a wild-eyed look about him.
“Mr. Alderete, you were near the warehouse a while ago, weren’t you? There were shots fired, and a black van drove away at high speed,” Lee said, watching the man carefully.
“Hell, yes I was there. I’ve been following Dr. Wayne all day. I’d parked across the street earlier, but a cop came over and told me to leave the area so I did—for a while. I came back just as a black van came flying out the gate. I heard the shots too, so I tried to follow the van, but I lost it just a while ago. Was it Tanner?”
Diane nodded.
“Who’d he try to kill this time?”
Lee and Diane exchanged glances.
“You, Diane? I’m glad the bastard finally missed,” Charles said, reading them correctly. “But you’re never going to get Tanner, Diane. It’ll take someone with the balls to blow him away—literally. No mercy. I’m the right man for this. Believe it!”
“Charles, go home. You’re not in the army now, and if you don’t get arrested first, you’re going to get yourself or somebody else killed.”
And give Stewart Tanner an arsenal, Lee thought. But maybe they could redirect his energy and save a life or two.
“You’ve been following Victor Wayne, hoping Tanner will target him next and give you the chance to blow him away. That your plan, Charles?” Lee said.
“Something like that. I got close tonight, and might have been able to stop Tanner if that cop hadn’t run me off just before things got hot.”
Diane shook her head. “You’d be dead or injured, like the guards he attacked when he broke into the place. You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”
“You are the ones who don’t have a clue. Tanner is capable of … almost anything.”
“You buying that vampire story too?” Diane said.
Charles thought about it for a moment. “Vampire? That’s a crock.”
Lee could tell from the drop in Charles’s pupil size and shift in gaze that he was lying. Lynette must have convinced him that Tanner was special.
“But Tanner is a hunter,” Charles continued. “A killer who knows how to stalk and bring down his prey just like a SEAL, Ranger, or someone from Special Forces. I’ve had that kind of training—have you?”
“You’d be surprised what we’ve been through, Charles. But if you insist on pursuing this, be aware of the danger and the consequences,” Diane said finally.
“But it’s not a bad idea for Charles to stick close to Dr. Wayne,” Lee said. “He’s already met and spoken with you, right?”
Seeing Charles nod, Lee continued. “Better let him and his people know you’re there, though, or you might just get shot by one of his bodyguards. They have more than one reason to be a little jumpy.”
Charles shrugged. “We all have. But if I meet up with Tanner first, he’s going through a meat grinder before I’m done with him.”
“Go for it,” Diane said. “Just don’t get yourself killed, okay? Losing Lynette was a big enough price for your parents to pay.”
“And don’t get caught waving those weapons around,” Lee added. “If a cop sees those toys, he’s liable to shoot first, then check for ID later.”
Charles nodded. “I’ll keep the shotgun and .45 out of sight, and my jacket closed. The toad sticker stays within reach.”
“Okay,” Diane said. “Good luck.”
Lee and Diane returned to their car, and as they climbed inside, Charles drove by, then disappeared down a side street.
“I’m not sure it was a good idea to suggest he keep trailing Victor Wayne,” Diane said.
“You want him following us instead?”
“I see your point,” Diane said. “But I’m going to tell Dr. Wayne about Charles so none of the doctor’s guards gets trigger-happy.” She reached for her cell phone.
“It won’t hurt, but Charles hasn’t exactly been subtle about his intentions, so Victor probably already knows what Charles has in mind.” He started the engine and eased back out onto the street.
Diane reached Victor Wayne immediately, spoke for a few moments, then ended the call. “Victor knows what Charles is doing. His people spotted him yesterday, apparently. As a licensed gun dealer—and with a concealed handgun permit, there isn’t much they can do as long as Charles keeps his distance.”
Lee nodded. “And it might create some publicity Victor doesn’t need right now if he confronts Charles and the press catches wind. If Tanner knew the extent of Dr. Wayne’s association with the people who’d held him prisoner …”
“Victor knows he needs all the protection he can get,” Diane said, then yawned. “Sorry, I’m getting a little sleepy. So, do we assume that you and I are at the top of Tanner’s list?”
“We have to, after what happened earlier tonight. You might want to contact the other agencies and advise them to stay on high alert. Tanner might decide to stake out their offices, hoping we’ll show up,” he said, then after a pause, added, “And you might consider lowering your profile.”
“I’ve already decided to remain in the field instead of directing this operation from behind a desk. I won’t hide out, Lee. This is my case.”
“All right, so I’ll continue to cover your back. Right now, I’m going to make absolutely certain we’re not being followed. If Tanner spotted Charles, he might have followed him to us.”
Lee checked in the rearview mirror. It was nearly eight-thirty by now and there was less traffic, so he could keep a closer watch. He could also see details, images in the dark, that anyone other than a vampire would miss. “I gathered from your side of the conversation that Victor wanted to know our location, and I noticed you were somewhat imprecise with your answer. You picking up some vibes from the good doctor?”
“I don’t trust him.”
“Me neither.” He drove into a residential area, an older neighborhood in Farmington containing mostly flat-topped stucco homes dating back to the seventies and earlier. Then Lee made a quick turn into an alley. Someone following would have had to give themselves away, or circle around and catch him coming out the next street over. But Lee didn’t go to the end of the block, only down two houses.
As they waited, engine off and lights out, Lee checked the backyards of the houses. A few were pristine, with manicured lawns, flower beds, and even a vegetable garden in one. The yard just to his right was run-down, though, with tumbleweeds nearly man-high. Fortuna
tely for his acute sense of smell, there were no overfilled trash bags.
“At least we haven’t encountered any dogs or curious neighbors. This alley looks well traveled,” Diane commented in a low tone.
“We don’t want to generate police calls and attract attention, so we’d better get moving before somebody glances out a back window.” Lee started the engine and slowly backed out the direction they’d come. The streets appeared empty.
“So now what? Even though it’s getting closer to nine, there are nearly that many more hours to go before sunup. Random cruising isn’t very effective, and there are a lot of cops out on the street searching for Tanner. He’s probably ditched the van and acquired a new vehicle too, or may have taken off on foot and just holed up for a while in a garage or empty house. Or perhaps he’s shopping for a gun?”
“Let’s leave the search patterns to the other agencies. It’s time to get inside Tanner’s head. Where would he go?” Lee asked.
“He’s sticking around Farmington for a reason. Maybe he lived here before he was adopted. If that’s true, then in his current frame of mind maybe he feels safer here. We know how old he’s supposed to be, so maybe we can get someone to search area high school records—yearbooks and such—and turn up a photo or an old classmate who recognizes him. It would be great to find the name on his birth certificate too.” Diane made the call while Lee drove.
“Let’s get a Farmington phone book,” Lee suggested when she put away her cell phone. “We need to scout out some gun shops and sporting goods stores. Burglary would be a piece of cake for Tanner.”
They drove to the coffee shop at the motel where Lee was staying, and borrowed a phone book from a waitress while they had pie and coffee. It was after dinner now, and only a few customers remained.
Lee studied the phone book listings. “If I were looking for a place to hit, I’d choose something like this place on Main Street. But it’s downtown and too many people would be going through the area. There are several bars and restaurants that stay open’til late.”