by D C Young
“What about the trucks?” Earnest asked.
As he spoke, I heard Bjorn’s voice in her head.
We’re here, what do you need?
Go get those trucks turned around, I responded.
“I’ll call the State Patrol, they’ll stop the trucks and then we can go check them out later on. For now, we’ll have a good look around the place and ask some questions,” Massey responded.
“I don’t think you’ll have to call the State Patrol,” I answered. “I have a feeling they’ll be coming right back.”
Massey shrugged and eyed me with suspicion. It wasn’t the first time I’d predicted something impossible only for him to witness it taking place a few minutes later. He opened his mouth to comment, but was interrupted by the thundering of horse’s hooves behind us.
“There goes Miss Esperanza,” he announced in a dry tone. He was about to call out to his deputies when he heard the thundering of three sets of horses’ hooves joining in behind the fugitive.
“I have a feeling she’ll be coming right back too,” I grinned.
“Yeah, well…” He didn’t finish his response.
He eyed the young men in front of him. They were pretty rugged types, but not unusual for cowboys. “Any of you want to tell me what’s going on here?”
“Miss Esperanza rode in earlier this afternoon from checking cattle and then went into the house. When she came back out, she told us to get scrambling to gather the last three shipments of cows that we got in and get them down here to load in the trucks,” one of the hands volunteered. “She seemed like she was in a hurry to get ‘em loaded out, so we hurried up and loaded ‘em out.”
“Thanks, that’s helpful,” Massey groused.
Reading the young man’s thoughts, I could tell that he had told Massey everything that he knew.
“That’s all I know.” He glanced at his companions and they nodded their agreement. “Mister Cumber, what’s this all about anyway? Why are you three here with those three deputies? Did Miss Esperanza do something wrong?”
I let out a snort. All three of the cowboys, Earnest and Massey turned to look at me. Massey letting a corner of his mouth turn up in a half grin.
“I doubt these cowboys are involved beyond following orders,” Earnest whispered aside to Massey. “They probably don’t know much.”
“If you three will sit tight and cooperate, we won’t outfit you with bracelets, okay?”
“We ain’t got nowhere to go.” The other two nodded agreement.
***
“Well I’ll be damned,” Massey grumbled. “You’re 2 for 2, Sam. I was counting on the deputies bringing Miss Esperanza back, but I sure wouldn’t have thought you guessed right on the truck.”
I looked up and saw the semi-trucks pulling back into the ranch yard. Bjorn and Veronica were accompanying them. The wide-eyed drivers had, evidently seen something that had gotten their full attention and caused them to turn around.
Good work, you two.
We aim to please.
You two can cut out if you want. I think we’re done here.
You sure?
Yeah, go on. I think Massey and the deputy can handle it from here.
You don’t have to ask twice. See ya!.
Thanks, guys.
Don’t mention it.
“Well, Miss Esperanza,” Massey said, stepping up to her and speaking in a cold tone. “Would you like to tell me what’s in those trucks or should I let Earnest check them out?”
“Quite obviously they are cattle,” Juanita retorted. “Check all you want, but the more time you spend here and the more snooping around you do the worse it is going to get after I call a certain powerful friend of mine.”
“Oh yeah?” Massey asked. “Who would that be?”
“Senator Antonio de Armas,” she announced, allowing a broad smile to spread over her full lips as she played her trump card.
“Depending on what we find on those trucks,” Massey responded. “You can use your one phone call to call him or your attorney, whichever one suits you.”
I watched the fire flare up in Juanita’s eyes as she took in Massey’s response. Cuffed and flanked on each side by a deputy, there wasn’t a lot the woman could do. She stood in simmering silence as we all watched Earnest climb up onto each of the trucks and make an examination of the cattle inside. After he looked into the last one, he hopped down and strolled back toward the waiting group.
“It’s them,” he sighed, glaring directly into the eyes of Juanita and then he addressed her. “I knew both your daddy and your granddaddy. Hell, I knew you when you were a little girl, but I damned sure don’t know you now. You’ve disgraced the names of two damned good men.”
“What about you?” Juanita spat. “You and your Silver Blue Hermosa Co-op. You forced my daddy out of Quartz Creek and Duck Basin. You’re a disgrace for stealing the federal grant rights to the grazing land that belonged to my family for four generations!”
“Your daddy turned those permits over to us of his own accord. He didn’t have the herds to keep it viable anymore.”
“We’ll settle this in court,” Massey said. He turned to the deputies. “One of you read Miss Esperanza her rights and I’ll call out a car for transporting our prisoner.”
“Can I see my niece before I go?” Juanita asked, suddenly appearing humbled and beaten.
“I don’t think…” Massey started to respond.
“It’ll be okay, Detective,” Earnest interrupted. “She’s a little girl and deserves a minute with her aunt.”
“I suppose that’s okay,” Massey relented. “We have to wait for the car anyway.”
As the group trailed along with their prisoner to the house, I watched Juanita closely and tried to read her thoughts, but all I got were curse words, anger and second thoughts about things that had gotten her caught. It was pretty much what I’d expected from the woman; regret over getting caught, but no remorse for committing the crime.
We were gathered in the kitchen, dining room and spilling out onto the patio as Martha brought the wide eyed Analisa down from her hiding place. The instant she arrived in the room, the little girl was watching me closely. I could tell that she was terrified of me, but there was something else there too. At first, I could sense it but then I saw it… it was the same strange aura that I’d seen traces of out on the plain. The little girl had supernatural powers.
“Come here, baby,” Juanita said, squatting to greet the little girl.
“What’s wrong, Tia? Why are all these people here? Why are you wearing those funny bracelets? Why is there a vam…”
“Shush, baby,” Juanita interrupted her. “Tia Juanita has to go away for a while, but I’ll come back. You stay with Martha and be good, okay?”
“Okay.”
“While I’m gone, you can sing our special song, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Try it out. You never know, it might keep the vampires away.”
Just as she said it, I read her mind and started to react, but when the first, high-pitched note came from the little girl’s throat, I was frozen stiff. I stood there, looking on helplessly as all of the others froze in place. I watched Juanita get the key to her hand cuffs from the deputy and unlock the cuffs, throw them down with a smug look on her face, and then leave the room.
I scanned the minds of everyone in the room. They were as blank as slates. They saw nothing and heard nothing and could do nothing.
Juanita, meanwhile, continued unaffected by Analisa’s song in any way. She instructed the little girl to keep singing until she heard the car driving away. When Analisa finally stopped singing and I was able to move again, there was a Black Edition, Porsche 911, Carrera S roaring away as Juanita Esperanza accelerated out on the road in front of the ranch and disappeared from view almost instantly.
Immediately, I put my fingers in my ears and turned to Analisa. I went over to where she was standing and went down on my knees to look her in the eye.
<
br /> “Keep singing, honey,” I said softly. “I going to bring your Tia back.”
Analisa’s eyes lit up and she began her song again. The others were just beginning to come out of the trance but as she sang again, they were pulled right back into a state of complete stupor.
***
I ran out into the yard and went down on one knee. I surveyed the turns of the road as it cut along the canyon wall headed down towards the valley floor. When I had gotten a close enough feel for where the car should have been by then, I launched myself into the air towards the road.
Four seconds later, I landed in the middle of the road and braced myself for impact as I spotted the Porsche make the turn and race straight at me. Just then, two more creatures landed in the road beside me. Bjorn and Veronica had been watching everything from the top of the canyon including Juanita’s crafty escape.
“There’s always more to the story,” Veronica called out to me as she touched down on the road.
“Come on now,” Bjorn yelled. “All shoulders into it! Shield wall!”
I’d hoped Juanita would have had the good sense to slow down, stop and surrender when she saw us standing in her way but instead I got more of the rage without remorse from her. There was no way she was letting herself get caught. She floored the Porsche’s accelerator in hopes we would dive out of her way but she clearly didn’t believe what Analisa had said about the creatures roaming around her ranch. We lowered our shoulders and when the Porsche hit us it was launched into the air and over into the wall of the canyon.
I ran over to the wreck as soon as it had settled. She was still alive and with Bjorn’s help Veronica and I puller Juanita Esperanza from the ruins of her precious sports car and laid her out on the road for Detective Massey and his deputies to find.
“Come on, you two,” I said. “She won’t be going anywhere. Our job here is done.”
Epilogue
A few days later, I was sitting in my living room watching Tammy and Anthony open a single gift before bed on Christmas Eve. They’d made a big to do about which one to choose but had finally made their selections and settled down to the opening part.
I swear that the eve present was probably their favorite part of Christmas… besides the food of course!
Just then the door bell rang and for the first time in a long time, it startled me.
Who in the hell was ringing my doorbell at this hour on Christmas Eve?
I focused my mind and instantly sensed the open heart and tired body that was outside my door. It was a delivery man and he was busy dropping off an envelope and was already on his way back down the driveway. I glanced at the clock… it was 8pm.
They do often say the delivery will be made before 8pm on a certain day… I guess they really do stay out on the route this late. That’s kind of sad; it is Christmas Eve after all.
I ran to the door and swung the door wide open just as the driver was pulling away from my driveway. Instinctively, I waved and shouted, “Merry Christmas.” He smiled widely and waved back at me.
When the truck had disappeared down the street, I picked up the envelope, turned and went back inside. The return address was that of Earnest Cumber and the ranchers of the Silver Blue Hermosa Co-op. I’d never said goodbye to the men in person. Bjorn, Veronica and I had left Juanita on the road and gone straight back to Silver Creek, got the Jeep and driven to Blanchard. That very afternoon, we’d all hit Interstate 5 and headed south for home.
I smiled and set the envelope on the entry way table by the door.
I knew it was good news so I didn’t have to rush to get to it.
I’ll open that after the New Year when Moon Investigations is opened back up for business.
Happy New Year, everyone.
The End
The Chronicles of the Immortal Council returns in:
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by D.C. Young
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Return to the Table of Contents
Also available:
Vampires She Wrote
by Eve Paludan
(read on for a sample)
Chapter 1
I was standing behind the bar in my blood club when she walked in.
The first thing I noticed was that she looked like death warmed over. Lips like lush black cherries. Skin like milky silk. Hair like endless nightfall. Undead eyes with black irises. I was struck by the realization that she looked like a younger Samantha Moon.
Be still my heart… oh, right.
The second thing I noticed was her vampire bite tattoo, right where my eyes loved to roam the most, on her satiny neck that was exposed by the neckline of her slinky black dress. All of me perked up.
No discernable pulse. No breathing.
The lady is a vamp.
“Welcome to Fang’s Place,” I said. “I’m Fang.”
“Thanks. I’m Justine.” She wiggled onto a barstool and placed her sparkly clutch purse on the barstool to her left and a laptop bag on the one to her right. It was a clear message that she didn’t want anyone to sit by her.
“What’s your pleasure tonight?” I asked, my eyes not leaving hers.
“It’s my first time here. What’s good tonight?”
I am. “Depends what you’re in the mood for.”
A flame flickered in her undead eyes as her entity checked me out. She smiled slightly and blinked those long black eyelashes a time or two. “What do you recommend?”
“Fresh or aged?” I asked. “Warm or chilled?”
“Fresh, please. Warm, if you have it.”
“Just in, I have a top-shelf selection of still-warm ‘Vein Glorious’ and ‘Which Witch.’ If you prefer chilled, I have ‘Starving Students’ on tap—it’s a complex blend and the flavor changes from the instant you taste it to the instant you swallow it. It’s a mixture from different college student donors.”
“Intriguing. But blood is blood, isn’t it?”
I chuckled. “Wait till you become a discerning connoisseur. Soon, you’ll be coming in and requesting your favorite brand, maybe even asking for special twists.”
“So, one pump of this, two of that? Like a Starbucks for vampires?”
“I’m shooting for that. What can I get you, Justine?”
She tapped a red-lacquered fingernail on the bar. “You choose.”
“I’d rather you did, but first, would you like to sample ‘Vein Glorious’ and ‘Which Witch’?”
“I didn’t know you did that. Yes, please. Both.”
I poured a one-finger sample of each in mini wine-tasting glasses. “Tell me which one you like most and I’ll tell you what it is.”
With a flick of her wrist, she swirled the first one, sipped and swallowed. “It’s delightful. I’ve never tasted anything like it. It’s smooth, rich, almost meaty, from a mortal who must be the prime rib of mortals.”
I laughed because she’d nailed it. “Care to try the other brand?”
“Just a sec.” She lifted the glass to eye level, tipped her head back, parted her lips and let the last languid drops fall onto her tongue.
Then, with a graceful hand curled around the other mini glass, she brought it to her lips and savored every swallow. When she’d drained the second sample, she stuck her tongue in the glass and swirled it around, just like a… oh, heavens. I could not stop watching her tongue.
“Very sweet, almost magical. I feel a tingle, an energy I’ve never felt before. The other was bold and strong. This one melts
in my mouth and the aftereffect feels like… an afterglow. I prefer this second sample.”
I nodded.
“Tell me which was which. Or should I ask, which was witch?”
I grinned. “You’ve guessed correctly about this one. The first sample is from someone who only eats meat. He says a vegetable hasn’t crossed his lips since he was a kid.”
“Imagine that type of diet for a mortal.”
“Vein Glorious is from a Muscle Beach gym rat—he sells a nutrition book on Kindle about exclusively eating protein, mostly meat. However, after years of his love affair with meat, he accidentally created a medical condition in himself where he has too much iron, so he has to donate blood quite often to keep the iron from destroying his organs. I’m happy to have his iron-rich blood as one of our top-shelf offerings.”
“You know a lot about your donors.”
“I serve only the best for discriminating vampires.”
“Certainly tastes better than street blood.”
“That’s because fear leaves a bitter, metallic aftertaste.”
“You’re right. Quite a difference.”
“I know.”
“Tell me about the other sample.”
“It’s from a witch who practices white magic, but she’s fallen on hard times. She’s not the type to gravitate to black magic, even though it’s more profitable.”
“The economy stinks for everyone,” Justine said. “I’ll start out with your Which Witch brand, please, and keep the drinks coming.”
“You’ve got it.” Beautiful.
She rummaged in her designer handbag for her wallet.
“Your first drink is free,” I said. “Want to run a tab?”
“Yes, please, because I’m very hungry.” She licked her lips. “And very thirsty.”
Thankfully, I was behind the bar, which hid the results of what I shouldn’t have been thinking about her.