“I’m in. I’m in. Just give me two minutes.” Jules said, jumping and smiling.
Laughter and joy filled Katie as Jules rushed to the cars. Her friend was an amazing person and Katie always enjoyed Jules’s company. What better time was there than the present to fill up on togetherness since Jules would be gone for a week? Not only that, maybe the time had come for Katie to share some of her combat skills with others. Based on Jules’s reaction to her offer, if Katie decided to advertise her services as a trainer, Jules would probably stand first in line to learn. Maybe something good could come from Kyle’s demise.
Then again, maybe Katie was making a big mistake in thinking Jules could handle a gun. Her best friend was a roller skating disco babe and proud of it.
“Only one way to find out if I’m wrong,” Katie mused as she turned and headed for the back of the barn.
8
“That was so much fun,” Jules said as she lifted the lid to the trunk. “But my arms and shoulder are sore.”
Katie placed the duffle bag in Jules’s car. “I’m proud of you. You hit several cans.”
“And I probably killed a couple of trees too.”
Katie shut the back of the trunk and created a low thump. “I killed plenty myself when I first learned how to shoot.”
“Can we come back some time?” Jules asked while they walked along the side of her car.
“Yeah, we should. Once things settle down, we’ll make it a point.”
Jules stopped and opened her door.
“I’ll train you how to use regular guns too.”
“Cool.” Jules slid into her driver’s seat. “Hey, are all these guns registered to Kyle?”
Katie shot her gaze to the barn. She’d completely forgotten Kyle had listed everything in her name in case law enforcement ever got hold of one of the weapons. She’d always considered them his. Everything belonged to him, except her car. In reality, she had a wealth of weapons valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars in her name.
“Uh, yeah, all those weapons and the ones I left behind are recorded under my name.”
“That’s good. If you ever need money, I’m sure someone would buy them.” Jules gunned her car’s engine and lowered her window.
Katie nodded and held back commenting. She disapproved of the idea, but might have to consider it. Since she’d withdrawn a sizeable amount from her savings account to send Jules and Joe on vacation, she might need more cash in the near future.
“So I’ll see you back at my place?”
“Yep. I have to make a stop first, but I’ll be there shortly.” Katie stepped away from the car.
“See you soon.”
Katie walked to her Camaro as Jules drove off and headed down the long driveway. The afternoon had flown by while Katie taught Jules how to use a rifle. Although evening had arrived, she still had time to lock her weapons in Jules’s shed, go see Ben and look for a jacket before the sun disappeared, if she hurried.
She revved her engine and glanced at the empty backseat. Jules must have stored the weapons in her trunk. Katie smiled at her friend’s smart move. If a cop stopped Katie for speeding the officer wouldn’t suspect anything out of the ordinary.
Katie shifted the gear and accelerated toward the main road. She tried to avoid looking at the large black spot in the yard, but how could she not? The memory of him burning would never leave her.
Turning her gaze away from the depressing mark, she spotted a vehicle slowly approaching from the road. The marked police cruiser stopped in front of the driveway, blocking her from leaving. Her hope of completing her tasks before sundown quickly diminished. She stared at the driver who had short hair and prayed it was Ben. Most of the cops had the style, making it difficult to tell them apart from a distance. When the driver faced her, her mood changed in a heartbeat. She brought her Camaro to a halt, inches from his car.
Ben strolled out of his car as Katie lowered her window.
“Evening, Officer Hildebrand.” She leaned against her door and let her elbow stick out of the open window.
“Katie, what are you doing out here?”
“I was driving around and pulled in here for a few minutes.” Knowing the vampire who destroyed Kyle had tampered with Ben’s memory, she chose her words carefully.
He placed his hand on the roof of her car. “The Brown farm?”
“Yeah, what happened here?” She acted dumb.
“You don’t remember?”
“It looks like a fire.”
“Happened eight years ago. Electrical fire. Both Mr. and Mrs. Brown perished.”
A vice tightened around her heart. Although Ben was a friend and nothing more, she disliked that a vampire took memories from him.
“I don’t remember them too well.”
He lifted his gaze and directed it to in the area of the house, or rather the pile of rubble. “Yeah, they didn’t come out much. They were too old. I don’t remember them much myself.” He stiffened.
“Something wrong, Ben?”
Silence lingered, then he shook his head. “It’s probably nothing.”
“You can tell me.” Katie’s curiosity rose. Had he seen or sensed something?
He scratched his cheek. “I see police tape everywhere. I thought by now Charles would’ve had it removed and had the mess cleaned up.”
Was it possible for a human to recall events taken out of their mind? She’d never asked Kyle. Now she wondered if it were possible. She’d have to inquire with Riker.
“Did the Browns have any family?” Katie asked.
“No, not that I remember.”
“You said they were old. Do you remember what they looked like? Did they have gray hair? Glasses?”
He tilted his head to the side and gave her an inquisitive look. “Why are you interested in them?”
“I asked first. You answer my question and I’ll tell you.”
He stepped closer to her back window and peered inside.
“What are you looking for?”
He stepped closer to her and glanced past her at the empty passenger seat.
“I came alone. I was just curious about what happened.”
“Why?”
Katie watched him eye her vehicle and suspected he was searching for clues to answer his questions. To avoid any issues, she decided to give him enough information to settle his curiosity.
“Honestly…I’m working on an article for a magazine. It’s about people who disappear. I asked Julie if she knew anyone local who fit the description and she told me about the Browns. I don’t remember them, so I thought I’d do a bit of research. I came out to check on the place, but as you can see, there’s not much to look at.”
“Ah, okay.” He nodded. “Makes sense.”
To the Ben without a memory of Kyle, sure it did. If the Ben who had the real memories were hearing her fabrication, he’d haul her to the station.
“I gave you my answer, now tell me yours. What’s troubling you and what are you looking for?”
He leaned against her car again and lowered his head. “I don’t know. I just had a weird vibe.”
When he didn’t say anything more, Katie asked, “What’s bothering you?”
Every Friday when he came to drink at the Devil, he was chatty and outgoing. Now he seemed guarded.
He looked around, then met her gaze. “Someone came into the station last night and said someone might be investigating what happened to the Browns. He said to check on the place during the day and if someone did, then we have to notify him. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but now…” He scanned the road on both sides. “It’s just weird. And I never thought I would find you here.”
Katie’s heart thumped fast. Could she stop Ben from reporting about her? She sure as hell needed to try. First, she wanted to know if Ben remembered anything about the vampire who’d visited him.
“What did the person look like who visited you?”
“Uh…” He lowered his gaze to the d
riveway and his brows tightened.
Katie took note of his demeanor. “Was he tall? Dark hair? Green eyes?”
Ben’s head lifted. “I remember he had green eyes.”
Good. It was a start. “Long hair? Short?”
He rubbed his cheek and shifted his attention up. “Short and dark.”
Katie waited as he continued to gaze at the sky. He was obviously trying to remember, but she suspected the memories weren’t there to pull from.
He stepped back with a frown and tight brows scrunched toward his nose. “Damn it, I can’t recall what he looked like or what he even wore.”
“It’s okay,” she said in a consoling tone.
“No, it’s not. I’m a police officer. I’m supposed to notice details no matter how big or small. This guy came in less than twenty-four hours ago. I should be able to remember what he looked like, what clothes he wore, his size, his shoes…”
“Maybe he doesn’t want you to.” She bit her lip, regretting what she’d said. The words flew from her mouth before she could stop them. Without a doubt, he’d question her.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.” She moved her arm back inside the car and faced the front. She really needed to get away from him, but his vehicle blocked her.
“Katie.” He placed his hands on her open window. “Something strange is going on. You can ask me what you wore the last time I saw you and I could give you a full description.”
She lifted a brow. “When was the last time you saw me?” She wondered if he had a memory of him and Charles interrogating her. She wagered he didn’t, but wanted to confirm it.
“Two nights ago, I ran into you at the gas station. You had on–”
“Yeah, I remember.” She shook her head in disgust. The fucking vampire erased the interrogation from his mind.
He turned his attention back toward the ruined house. “This doesn’t make sense to me.”
It made perfect sense to Katie, but she couldn’t explain it to him. He wouldn’t understand. If she tried to tell him the truth, he’d place her in the back seat of his cruiser and speed to the nearest crazy farm.
“Ben.” She waited until she had his attention. “Do you have to tell him you saw me? What’s going to happen if you don’t say anything?”
“I suppose nothing will happen. He said he’d check in with us tonight.”
“If you act like you never saw me, I’ll take you out on a date.”
That brought a smile to his face.
“Katie, are you offering me a bribe?”
Yes, she’d stooped to a new level. But a date with a police officer for secrecy didn’t seem so bad. Besides, she did have to worry about future speeding tickets.
She smiled. “It’s just a date for you to keep hush-hush. Is that so bad?” She cringed inwardly, loathing how she sounded like some cheesy female looking for a way to get out of anything. This wasn’t her style.
“A date with the beautiful Katie Dillinger in exchange for silence. Hmm…” He straightened and glanced in each direction. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if I didn’t say anything. I came by earlier and no one was here. Carl came out too and didn’t report seeing anyone.”
Katie cheered mentally for her accomplishment, but at the same time, there was a risk involved by him hiding the truth.
“Ben, if this guy returns to the station, can you do me a favor?”
“What’s that?”
She stared deep into his eyes. “Leave, then call me.”
He chuckled. “You make it sound like this guy’s some killer or something.”
If he only knew. “Please, do what I say. Go to the bar. Say you need to check on something. Just leave.”
She couldn’t make it any clearer without him raising more questions, which he was probably doing anyway. The risk for his secrecy involved his life. If the vamp got to him, she’d carry guilt with her forever. But Ben was smart and he also listened to her in the past. If he’d followed her recommendation, he’d live happily ever after.
He kept a steady gaze on her as he stepped away. “Call me later for that date?”
“Count on it. Let’s plan on Monday night.” After tonight, that gave her four days to extinguish the threat to him and everyone else. Considering the vampire was looking for her, she hoped to have her goal accomplished in less time.
He waved at her before heading for his car. While she waited for him to move, she checked the digital clock on her dash. The time indicated the sun would be down in a little over an hour. It was a twenty-minute drive to Jules’s house and probably another half-hour to stash all the weapons in her shed. She would have to rush to make it back to the hotel.
As soon as Ben cleared the path for her, she sped from the driveway and turned onto the road. Gaze on the mirrors and road, she flew down the country roads to reach town. A few stoplights in the city slowed her progress, but once she passed through the traffic dwindled. After she parked behind Jules’s car, she dashed toward the house.
“Jules?” She stepped inside without knocking. Why bother when she knew Katie was on the way?
“Coming,” she yelled from somewhere beyond the kitchen.
Katie plopped her rear on the sofa and bounced on the cushion. She placed her purse beside her, dug inside and collected the stuffed envelope with cash. Although it was a healthy portion of her savings, she considered the money well spent in the grand scheme of things. She set the packet on the coffee table, then leaned her elbows on her knees and pressed her hands over her mouth. Thoughts of Ben and their conversation continued to surface. Would he be safe? Would he follow her instructions?
Jules stepped into the room. “I started some laundry after I put your bags in the mini-barn. Joe should be home soon. Are you all right?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I ran into Ben after you left.”
Jules sat beside her. “Tell me what happened.”
“He parked in front of Kyle’s driveway so I couldn’t get out. I pretended like we were friends, not that we aren’t, but…”
“You wanted to see if he was the same Ben?”
“Something like that.”
“What did he do? What did he say?” Jules, the detective, asked.
“He asked what I was doing. I said I was driving by. I asked what happened and he told me the Browns died when their house burnt down eight years ago.”
“The Browns?”
“He said they were an old couple and he couldn’t remember them. They didn’t go into town much.”
“Yeah, because they aren’t real.”
“He also said he had an odd vibe. He thought Charles would’ve had someone clean up the mess.”
“Do you think he was trying to remember something?”
“I don’t know. It was strange. Then he started peeking inside my car and eyeing me as if I’d done something wrong.”
“Thank God I hid the bags in your trunk.”
Ditto.
“I asked him what was wrong and he said a guy came into the station and said someone might check out the property. If someone did, the police are to notify him.”
“Holy fucking shit.” Jules shot up. “You have to leave. You have to come with us.”
Katie stood and faced her friend. “Not possible.”
“But–”
She gripped Jules’s shoulders. “Calm down, girlfriend. I took care of it.”
“How?” Jules crossed her arms and gave her a look of disbelief.
“I asked him what would happen if he acted as if he hadn’t seen me. His response was nothing. I told him I’d go out with him on a date if he kept mum about our encounter. He agreed.”
“But what if the vampire shows up at the police station again?”
“I told him to leave and call me. I think he’ll do it.”
Jules tossed her hands in the air. “This is fucking crazy. You’re going to end up at the cemetery. I just know it.”
“I appreciate your vo
te of confidence.”
“This isn’t funny!” She stomped her foot.
“No, it’s not. It’s fucking reality and it sucks dick. That’s why I’m trained to fight, and I will. I will not die!”
A sharp chill shot down her spine. Kyle had trained her for years. Why? To prepare her. Though he tried not to preach gloom and doom, he shared enough that revealed one day she’d have to face another vampire, a killer, someone not like him. She played along with his game because she loved him and enjoyed his challenges. She never truly thought she’d face a heartless enemy. Then, after she’d finally beat Kyle, he’d said she was the perfect fighter. Of course, she’d thought he was merely complimenting her.
As if she were waking from a dream, she realized she’d been wrong for years about the world she lived in and Kyle had been right about her. She was determined, willing to take the battle to the end. And it wouldn’t be hers.
Tears began to fill Jules’s eyes. “I’m scared, Katie.”
She wrapped her arms around her best friend and held her tight. “I know. It’s okay.”
“I don’t want to lose you.” Jules sniffled. “I don’t want this creep to get away with killing anyone.”
Katie relaxed her arms and took a step back. “Now that’s what I want to hear.”
Jules rubbed a finger under each eye. “You’ll send his ass to hell?”
“Count on it.”
“Good, because when Joe and I come back, I want you to show me how to fight and use guns. I think I can handle them better.”
“It’s a deal, disco queen.”
Jules took in a deep breath. Her mood calmed along with her emotions. “I think you need to get going. The sun will set soon.”
Katie glanced past her at the dim light spilling from the kitchen. She doubted she had enough time to shop for a jacket.
“Would you have a coat or light jacket I could borrow?”
“Uh…I have some fleece jackets.”
“Can I use one?”
“Yeah, sure. Let me grab it.” Jules took off down the hall.
While she searched for the jacket, Katie grabbed a few pairs of underwear and jeans from the guest room she’d spent one night in. If Riker asked, she’d tell him she had extra clothes stored in the cellar.
Immortal Revenge Page 9