Be My Valentine

by Niall Teasdale

‘Detective Williams was responsible for taking down the Harlem Vampire. That’s how he ended up working with me.’

  ‘Uh, yeah,’ Grant said, looking at Mike. ‘If you don’t mind me saying so, you seem a little young to be working this kind of case, Detective.’

  ‘I said the same thing on the flight over,’ Mike replied, shrugging.

  ‘Age is not a major factor in the kind of cases we work,’ Dione said. ‘Imagination, flexibility, a lack of cynicism… Experience with standard detective work can actually be a disadvantage. When you’re dealing with a victim who firmly believes that they’ve been held captive by a vampire for three months, just to give an example, the last thing they want is some detective scoffing at them.’

  ‘Kind of like sexual assault victims,’ Espinosa suggested.

  ‘Similar kinds of trauma. So, when we get a case where we seem to have a killer who thinks he’s a vampire, SCU is called in because we understand the psychology better than your average homicide detective.’

  ‘We think outside the box,’ Mike said, ‘so everyone else doesn’t have to.’

  ‘Huh.’ Grant more or less grunted the sound and then shrugged. ‘Well, this was certainly a weird one, I’ll give you that. Five dead, all of them women between twenty and thirty. Attractive blondes out on the town who seem to have just wandered off with a stranger. In all five cases, there was consensual sex and they were bitten on the inner left thigh. We did a cast of a couple of the bites to confirm it was the same guy.’

  ‘We’re getting the same done with our victim,’ Mike said.

  ‘Should be pretty obvious if it’s a match as our guy had fangs. “Pronounced development of the canine teeth” was what the pathologist said, though the possibility of veneers was mentioned and seemed likely.’

  ‘It’s not uncommon in perpetrators with this kind of pathology,’ Dione said. ‘They often believe quite strongly that they are vampires and go to some lengths to enhance the delusion. The method of execution in this case is telling. Broken neck, decapitation. He’s making sure they don’t “turn” when he kills them.’

  ‘Early indications were that he used drugs,’ Espinosa said. ‘A couple of witnesses to the second victim’s pick-up suggested she looked sort of dazed and just followed the guy. The first victim’s mother said it was just ridiculous to think her daughter would go off with some man to have sex. We never found anything odd in their blood work, though. It’s like he hypnotised them.’

  ‘Our technician found some chemical residue in the latest victim,’ Mike said. ‘Exactly what it was from he couldn’t tell, but he suggested some form of disinhibitor. Like Di said, we specialise in picking up on evidence other people don’t look for.’

  Grant nodded. ‘Okay. Well, the Homicide Special Section of the LAPD is ready to cooperate with the Specialist Crimes Unit of the NYPD in any way it can to get this guy nailed to a post by his bat-wings. What do you need?’

  ‘We’d like to go through the case files with you,’ Dione said, ‘but one question first. Why did you decide to keep the bites secret?’

  ‘We didn’t want people screaming “vampire” at the top of their lungs. And it’s always useful to keep something back. Helps to detect copycats and eliminate the people trying to falsely claim they’re the killer. The bites weren’t especially obvious, considering how he posed the bodies, and the details were pretty specific. Espinosa suggested it, I think.’

  ‘I thought you did,’ Espinosa replied. ‘Don’t suppose it matters. It was a good choice.’

  ‘Yes,’ Dione agreed. ‘It was. Let’s get started on the case files. I don’t want to keep you gentlemen away from your other duties any longer than necessary.’

  Beverly Hills, CA.

  ‘Did we get anything useful out of all that?’ Mike asked as he walked with Dione through Catherine’s palatial residence. Ruth had collected them, delivered them, and directed them, and then she had gone to put the limo away.

  ‘Details,’ Dione replied. ‘Personal impressions which don’t usually make it into case reports. Tomorrow, I want you to go in and handle the last of the files.’

  ‘Alone?’

  ‘I have to go meet the local Concilium. If I wait any longer, they’ll get huffy about it.’

  ‘Okay. I guess I can handle… that.’ They had walked into a large room at the back of the building to discover themselves beside an indoor swimming pool with a hot tub set off on one side and a number of loungers. Several of the loungers were occupied by attractive young women in bikinis, or in half a bikini. Catherine was lying in the hot tub with her eyes closed, her arms resting on the sides. ‘I think I just found Hollywood,’ Mike said.

  ‘Wood of some sort, I’m sure,’ Dione replied. ‘I’m sure Catherine’s just showing off.’

  ‘You think they’re all supplicants?’

  ‘Almost certainly. She always was a little over-sexed. I think it was growing up in Scotland. And she’s a redhead, of course.’

  ‘I think… I’m gonna call my redhead.’

  ‘You do that. I’m going to join Catherine.’

  ‘You brought a bik– Never mind. Forget I said anything. Cold shower before I make the call…’

  New York, NY.

  ‘Yeah, we’re doing fine,’ Mike’s voice said across the miles. ‘We got through most of the case files today. I’m doing the last tomorrow while Di does politics.’

  ‘So, you’re almost finished?’ Leeanne asked.

  ‘Kind of. I guess we’ll make the judgement when we have all the details. Di may want to do some other investigation once we have the basics sorted out.’

  ‘Oh, yeah. That seems likely.’

  ‘Missing me?’

  ‘Of course I’m missing you. And I bet you’re surrounded by starlets with huge tits.’ Leeanne was well aware of Mike’s preferences in the female form, and always just a little worried that she did not have what it took.

  ‘Not interested,’ Mike said. ‘I’m saving up my fetish for your tits.’

  Leeanne giggled. ‘Very romantic. Oh, Lisa wants to know if Di is okay?’

  ‘Di’s fine. When is she not? Turns out she has an old friend out here, so we’re staying at her palace in Beverly Hills. Last I saw her, Di was headed for the hot tub in the pool room.’

  ‘Right… Just keep remembering my tits, yeah?’

  ‘Only thing on my mind. Love you.’

  Leeanne’s lips curled into a smile. ‘Love you too.’ The connection died and Leeanne turned to Lisa, sitting beside her in the break room. ‘Di’s fine. In a hot tub.’

  ‘Oh. Well, I still have Pat here…’ The blonde girl frowned a little and then perked up. ‘Hey, if they aren’t back by Friday, want to go to the Candle? You can stay over in Pat’s place. There’s a spare room. We won’t drag you into a lesbian threesome. Promise.’

  ‘You spoil all my fun. Yeah, sure. Why not?’

  ‘The club or the lesbian threesome?’

  Leeanne gave Lisa a look. ‘The club. You’ll need to come up with some pretty good arguments for the threesome.’

  Lisa beamed. ‘I can do that, sure.’

  Beverly Hills, CA.

  Mike sat down on the edge of the hot tub and concentrated his attention on Dione’s face. ‘Lisa was asking after you,’ he said.

  ‘Good to hear,’ Dione replied, smiling. ‘You’re going to have to look down sooner or later.’

  ‘I was thinking of examining the ceiling tiles next.’

  Dione, Catherine, and Ruth burst into laughter. ‘You’re not that much of a prude, Mike,’ Dione pointed out, ‘and Leeanne is not going to complain about you looking. It’s not like we’re trying to spare your blushes.’

  ‘It’s almost rude not to look,’ Catherine said.

  ‘Somehow, I doubt that would stand up in court,’ Mike responded, but he did let his eyes drift down a little. ‘They’re all supplicants?’

  ‘Yes, but primarily they’re all actresses. Even Ruth.’

  ‘And half the p
opulation of Greater Los Angeles,’ Ruth added. ‘Come to L.A. to make your fortune in movies, end up doing something else to make any money at all. I really lucked out getting this job with Catherine.’

  ‘How do you think your investigation is going?’ Catherine asked, flashing Mike a smile.

  Mike shrugged. ‘Early stages. Oh, did you influence the detectives on the case? Make them decide to keep the bites secret, maybe?’ Catherine raised an eyebrow and Mike felt he was supposed to explain the question. ‘They both thought the bite should be kept out of the press, but they seemed confused about why. They each thought the other had come up with the idea. I know some carpathians can do hypnosis…’

  ‘Oh… He’s a good one, Di. Did you pick up on that?’

  ‘I had a suspicion,’ Dione replied blandly.

  ‘Hmm, yes. We arranged for them to think it was a wise idea. Of course, they were called in with the third death, when it became a serial case, but we were lucky up to then and the detectives assigned previously had been letting out as little detail as they could. We got a little lucky, but we also have procedures in place for this kind of thing. We don’t have your Agreement, so we have to make do with a little… subtle suggestion.’

  Mike nodded. ‘Just interested. Nice to know my instinct was right. I guess the Agreement does make things a little easier for us in New York.’

  ‘Considerably,’ Dione agreed. ‘I’d have trouble justifying a human partner for one thing.’

  ‘Oh yes,’ Catherine said. ‘Exceptionally useful.’ She smiled at Ruth.

  Ruth smiled back but looked a little surprised. ‘I didn’t realise we were that useful.’

  ‘My dear, how often have I bounced ideas off you until you came up with something just perfect? Both for the business and in Concilium matters?’

  ‘Oh! Uh… I guess you do kind of…’

  ‘Vampire’s aren’t very original,’ Mike said. ‘Di explained it to me. She relies on me to come up with things she wouldn’t. I guess Catherine is the same with you.’

  ‘Wow… And there I thought it was just the sex.’

  Los Angeles, CA, 19th February.

  ‘Nice car you’re driving around in,’ Espinosa said as Mike sat down with a coffee.

  ‘Huh, yeah. It belongs to a friend of Di’s. She’s in casting.’ Mike knew he was blushing a little: cops in limos probably looked suspicious. There was something else bothering him as well…

  ‘Gets around some, your boss.’

  ‘She knows people. She’s been with SCU for a while and she’s naturally pretty gregarious.’

  ‘And she looks like someone’s idea of the perfect porn actress. You and her…’

  ‘Nope. I’ve got a girlfriend and Di doesn’t poach. No need. She could have more or less anyone she wanted so why take someone else’s man?’ The vague sensation of vampire Mike had been feeling grew a little stronger and Mike looked around. His eyes met the startlingly blue ones of a petite blonde girl looking in his direction. She was clutching some sort of file to her chest and her ID suggested a civilian worker. As their eyes met, her lips curled a little, and she winked at him. Well, that probably explained the influence on Espinosa and Grant.

  ‘That’s Sally Coventry,’ Espinosa said. ‘She doesn’t have your boss’s morals.’

  ‘Well, I’m not here long enough for it to matter.’

  ‘Good point. Shall we get started? Grant’ll be here shortly.’

  ‘Sooner we start, the sooner we’ll be done and I can get out of your hair.’

  ~~~

  There were a couple of sour looks when Dione and Catherine walked into the conference room the L.A. Concilium met in. The cover for the real function of the building was an investment brokerage, though it was less of a cover and more of a very efficient way of making money: vampires were really good at long-term investment.

  Catherine proceeded down the room to the end of the oval table while Dione was left to take the seat at the other end, the ‘hot seat.’ She paused before sitting, bowed her head, and said, ‘Dione, Hunter of New York. I present myself before this Concilium in accordance with custom.’

  ‘Not exactly promptly.’ The speaker was a man sitting midway down the table on Dione’s left. He was tall, moderately handsome with blonde hair and a goatee beard, and green eyes. Probably a carpathian, just from the look of his eyes.

  ‘Hush, Derren,’ Catherine said, her tone bland.

  ‘It’s proper for a visiting Hunter to–’

  Catherine’s voice hardened. ‘You’ll show some respect. Compared to Dione, you are little more than a filius. Please proceed, Dione.’

  Dione nodded down the table. ‘I would have made an appearance earlier, but I’m required by the Agreement we have with New York’s humans to work within police protocols as well as ours. The police would have wondered what I was up to if I had delayed speaking to them. Obviously, we have more flexibility in our dealings since we are aware of the truth of the situation.’

  ‘And what truth is that?’ Derren asked. ‘The so-called Valentine Killer was executed last year. Addison ended him personally.’

  Dione looked to her immediate right. On that side, there were five people rather than the four on the other side, and the nearest was the Hunter of L.A. He was a compact sort of man with a lot of firm muscle on a relatively small frame. There was a hint of Asian in his features which made his blue eyes seem out of place. Another carpathian.

  ‘And I’d like some time with Addison to go over the evidence which condemned the valentine he ended,’ Dione said, ‘because all the evidence we now have suggests that the same killer is responsible for the recent death in New York.’

  Addison’s eyes narrowed. ‘What do you have?’

  ‘Bite mark analysis suggests the same person and the MO is identical. It’s not conclusive. Bite mark analysis is subjective, but Winthrop is confident and says he’s going for “convinced” when he’s had more time to compare details. If it’s a copycat, it would have to be a valentine who was privy to the crimes here and has moved to New York in the last year. I’ll save you the trouble of checking. No valentines have made that move in the last year.’

  ‘Transients–’

  ‘Have been checked and cleared.’

  ‘You’re questioning a decision of this Concilium?’ Derren asked. ‘The order to end Kellerman was made with due consideration by all of us. You have no right–’

  He stopped as Dione’s eyes met his. ‘It is the duty of every Hunter to question any order made by a Concilium, especially those which will result in the ending of another vampire. Hunters work under the authority of the Concilium, but they do not work for the Concilium. Their duty is to all vampires.’

  ‘A fact we so often forget,’ Catherine said. She reached into her jacket and retrieved a sheet of paper. ‘I have here a directive from the Summus Concilium. It states that Dione is to be considered one of their agents for purposes of investigating these murders.’ Dione looked down the table and raised an eyebrow. ‘And this is the first Dione has heard of it because I wanted to see the look on her face when she heard.’

  Dione frowned. ‘Well, this is my “damn, more bloody paperwork” face. Satisfied?’

  ‘Moderately,’ Catherine replied, smiling. ‘Now we’re going to put aside this frankly disgusting display of partisan interest and cooperate with the High Council’s agent. Is that understood?’

  There were some mumbles from around the table and a couple of louder confirmatory replies. Dione was not pleased: having the backing of London was not going to make people cooperate any more than they had to.

  ~~~

  ‘We did have suspects,’ Grant said, ‘but we never got enough on them to make a case.’

  ‘And one of them only really came up after the murders stopped,’ Espinosa added.

  Grant nodded. ‘George Lorentz. He was some sort of business manager type, lived up in Hollywood Hills. Rolling in it. Had this gorgeous blonde named Mila Cooper who lived with h
im. Both of them vanished around the time of the murders. Cooper was the right type for the killer and there were a few rumours floating around that Lorentz was into some weird sadomasochistic stuff. But he was gone, never found, and it was all circumstantial.’

  ‘The other main one was a Peter Kellerman,’ Espinosa went on. ‘We got a tip on him. Someone said they recognised him from the artist’s sketch and he did look right.’

  ‘But?’ Mike asked.

  ‘Alibis for three of the murders. Not rock solid, but good enough. He trailed out a string of girlfriends to say he’d been banging them all night on the dates the murders happened, and the fact he couldn’t give alibis for some of the deaths kind of added to his credibility.’

  ‘But the string of women fawning over him did suggest he had the charisma our guy seemed to have,’ Grant said. ‘And maybe he could have convinced the others to alibi him…’

  ‘Doesn’t sound too plausible,’ Mike said. ‘I mean, “your boyfriend snaps girls’ necks after or during sex” is likely to make someone think twice.’

  ‘Agreed,’ Grant said. ‘I don’t think he did it, to be honest. All the girls seemed genuine. I didn’t get a vibe that they were lying. But he also vanished right about the time the murders stopped.’

  Mike raised an eyebrow. ‘Two suspects vanish off the face of the Earth around the same time?’

  ‘Huh, yeah. Don’t think that didn’t raise some questions. After… some of the problems we’ve had in the LAPD with over-enthusiastic policing, the suggestion of a vigilante cop was made, but no one could pin anyone for it.’

  Mike grimaced. ‘They looked at you two?’

  ‘Let’s just say I may not make detective three as fast as I thought,’ Espinosa said sourly.

  ‘Sorry. That sucks.’

  ‘Tell me about it.’

  Beverly Hills, CA.

  ‘Yeah,’ Addison said, ‘the fact that George went missing around the same time was weird, but he was not the killer.’

  ‘You seem pretty sure,’ Mike said.

  ‘He is, or he was, a carpathian.’

  Mike nodded. ‘That’s pretty good evidence.’ He looked out the window of the office in Catherine’s hacienda. It was at the front of the house and had a view out over the city. ‘He lived out in Hollywood Hills, right?’