The Scene (19 page)

CHAPTER 19

              I dialed Mike once we were safely on the freeway.

             
“Dylan.” He made answering the phone into a statement.

             
“Yeah. Mike--” He cut me off.

             
“Dylan, we have a problem.” His voice sounded grave.

             
“Okay. What is it?”

             
“Another body.”

             
“Oh. Shit. We have a few people we can talk to about that,” I said it matter-of-factly.

             
“
We
have shit, Dylan. I have a job to do and you have to get your ass back here pronto. Your fishing expedition is over.” He was throwing demands around; shit had hit the fan.

             
“Dammit, Mike, Tatum and I have been busting our asses trying to drudge up information for you. Don’t you dare blow us off like that.”
Who does he think he is?

             
“You’re not safe! Do you hear me?! It’s not a stripper this time, Dylan. It’s somebody, not a nobody. A girl, a real girl.” I shuddered; the sound of his voice shook me.

             
“Who? Who was it? You’re sure it’s them?”

             
“Yeah, I’m sure. Some poor girl who decided to check out a vamp club last night. Her parents ID’d her an hour ago. College girl, just turned twenty-one last month. Just a kid, Dylan. She was just a kid.”

             
“Which club? Macabre? Where did they leave her? Wait, when did this happen? I talked to you at eleven this morning and there was no body. Most of these girls are found first thing the next morning. You’re sure?” I was feeling very uneasy about this.

             
“Yeah, Dylan, I’m sure. Yes, that club. I haven’t heard from the ME yet, but I’m pretty certain it happened last night. She was found late this morning. Dylan…” He took an inappropriate pause.

             
“What? What is it?” My voice held an urgency that disturbed even me.

             
“Dylan…” Mike let out a sigh. “She was found in the alley behind your apartment.”

             
“What?” Moment of disbelief number one.

             
“One of your neighbors was taking out the trash and saw her feet sticking out from behind the dumpster. She was naked like the rest. No cuts on her body. She was bitten. Hard.”

             
“Bitten? Hard?” I felt like a confused parrot.

             
“Someone tore into her flesh with teeth. I have to wait for the ME report, but if I had to guess, this sick fuck has moved on from the ol’ ‘slice and stab’ to get his blood. He’s tapping directly into the source. More than once. She had multiple bite wounds and some blood dried to the skin but none at the scene otherwise.”

             
“Like we thought, they were most likely killed elsewhere and dumped,” I said.

             
“Not the most pertinent point here, Dylan. I don’t want you going home. I have a bad feeling she was left there for a reason.” He sounded scared. I think he and I had finally agreed on an emotion.

             
“Who was she? What was her name?” I sounded scared too.

             
“Amanda Simmons. You know her?”

             
“No.”
Thank God.

             
“Dylan, she looked like you; down to the crazy head of hair. It’s just too coincidental.”

             
“Like me? What? Short, fat, and frizzy?” I half-smiled at that.

             
“Not funny. She looked like you, like the last girl looked like Tatum. One was left at the club you visited, the last left at your home. You still wanna crack jokes?” Well, since he put it that way.

             
“What do you suppose we do?” I cringed the second I said it.

             
“Stay with me. Both of you.” I knew that’s what he was going to suggest before he said it.

             
“Mike, ugh, you know that’s not a good idea.”

             
“Why?” he asked impatiently.

Let me count the ways.

              “Don’t you think if they know where I live, they know where you live?”
Touché
.

             
“But, I’ll be here, with you. I think you’re getting very close to something. I don’t know who’s doing this, but I have a feeling they’re involved with these people you’ve been talking to. Someone has to know who you are and what you’re doing. Hurry home. Make a list of everyone you two have spoken with the last few days, the places you’ve been, and anyone you think needs a police visit.”

             
“Aye, Aye captain. On our way now.” I almost actually lifted my hand to salute him.

             
“Don’t go home. I’ll meet you at my house.”

             
“We have to get some clothes and stuff. We’ll swing by my house first. Then head over. Promise.” I give in way too easily.

             
“I’ll meet you there.”

             
“No you won’t. I’m not a child. I can handle myself. Besides, I have Tatum with me. If you want me with you, we do it my way.” There was no way in hell I was going to let Mike run my life again.

             
“Fine. Call me when you get home.” He was pissed but he knew there was nothing he could do about it.

             
“Fine. Bye.” I didn’t hang up in time.

             
“I love you, Dylan. Be careful.”

Shit
. 

             
“You too.” I hung up.

             
“Said I love you again?” Tatum said immediately.

             
“Yes, he did.”

             
“What else? Seemed pretty intense.”

             
“Lots.” I didn’t really know how to repeat what had just happened.

             
“Okay. Go.”

             
I did. “…so now Mike thinks we’re in danger.” I sighed heavily.

             
“Two dead bitches. One looks like you. One looks like me. And your doppelganger is left naked behind your trash bin. Yeah, I might have to agree with Mike on this one,” she said at the end of my spiel, then nodded to prove her consensus.

             
“Should I be scared? I mean, I’m finding it hard to believe anyone would be trying to kill me, or you, for that matter. We haven’t really done much. Who’ve we really talked to? Oh, that reminds me. Mike wants us to figure out who we’ve been talking to and where we’ve been the last few days. I assume he wants to narrow down the immense list of possibilities he’s got.”

             
“Not scared. Just cautious. We’ve been seen in the biggest vamp clutches in town, with the likes of Cyrus, to boot. I’m sure we didn’t go unnoticed.”

             
“True. But, is it possible we have actually hit a nerve somewhere? Were we actually in the presence of one of our murderers?” I asked, doubting it to be true. Hoping it wasn’t.

             
“It is not only possible but plausible. This is what we set out to do. Well, you set out to do and decided to drag me along for the gory, death-defying, ride. We’re nearly to victory. Ready the trumpets!” She smiled at herself.

             
“Unless those trumpets will be used at our funerals, not so victorious. We are going to my place to get some stuff, then we’re going to Mike’s to stay for a bit. On his insistence I assure you.”

             
“Really? Do I have to?” She was nearly whining.

             
“No. But I do. Think about it. Me and Mike alone. Not a good idea.”
Although, it may very well prove to be quite fun; this particular fun is generally regrettable.

             
“Yeah. Okay. For safety purposes only.” She nodded once and left it at that.

             
We sat in silence for a long while. Fields of grape vines and orange trees flew past the window as we zoomed at light speed toward home. I closed my eyes and allowed the drone of the car to lull me off to sleep.

             
My phone rang out of nowhere startling both of us. I fumbled in my lap searching for the source of the unremitting ringing and vibrating.

             
“Hello?” I croaked out clearing my throat in the process.

             
“Dylan?” I hate when people do that. They called me. Who else would it be?

             
“Umm, yeah. Who’s this?”

             
“Oh, I am sorry. This is Cyrus.”

             
Oh, great
. “Yeah?” I hadn’t talked to him since my utter disappointment in the security room at Macabre Saturnine. I wasn’t sure I really wanted to talk to him again. Ever.

             
“Well didn’t we wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Or should I say passenger seat.” He chuckled lightly.

             
“What?” I know I sounded half asleep, mostly because I was, but how did he know I was sitting shotgun?

             
“You are just a little cranky, my darling. That’s all.”

             
“Don’t be a smart ass. How did you know I was in the passenger seat? Don’t you dare claim ESP.”

             
“Oh, well, I could hear the car in the background, and I only assumed you were the passenger. I would hope you were not sleeping while driving. And if you were, I am very glad I called when I did.” I could hear his smile over the phone.

What a jackass.

              “I see.” I found it a little peculiar. “What do you want?”

             
“I was wondering how you were doing? I had not heard from you since we met with Malcolm, and I was concerned for your well-being. How are you?” Very nonchalant. Riiight.

             
“How am I doing? Well, I suppose I’m feeling very sober these days, now that I don’t have unknown substances coursing through my veins. How are you?” I really did not like this joker. I was growing tired of the sound of his voice.

             
“I am doing well. Where are you? Are you with your lovely blonde friend?”

             
Oh yeah, her
.

             
“I’m in the car with Tatum.”
Where is this conversation headed?

             
“Where are you?” He’s a persistent little fuck, I’ll give him that much.

             
“I’m on the freeway. Headed home actually. Oh, Cyrus, I do have a question for you.”              

Why are you gallivanting about town with skinny little bitches?

              “I have an answer for you. Ask away.”             

             
“I will, not now. Not on the phone, I mean. I’ll come see you at Macabre Saturnine tonight. I need to speak with Reggie too, in fact. Do you know if she’s working tonight?”

             
“I do not. She works nearly every night, so I would assume. We have had some interesting events the last few nights. Have you heard? I’m sure you have heard all about it.” He sounded marginally accusatory.

             
“I may have. Why don’t you fill me in?” I kept telling myself that following through with my leads was not giving into temptation. I told myself that it was possible to have a professional conversation with the man who made me feel like a jackass without feeling as though I wanted to punch him in the face.

             
“Someone discovered a body near Macabre, in the alley. Police were everywhere; the club nearly didn’t open that evening. Then, another body was found today; a girl who had been to Macabre last night. Do you think someone is targeting the club? What do you think, Dylan?” Asked the dildo on the other end of the line.

             
“I’m not sure. I don’t really know anything. I’ve actually been out of town.” I was becoming disturbed with his line of questioning. I drew my phone from my ear and pushed the speaker phone button. I didn’t want to have to explain this conversation to Tatum later.

             
“Oh? Where have you been? Anywhere interesting? I know you are exploring the vampire homicides and I assumed you would know all the particulars of the recent activities by now. You know nothing? No…approximations thus far?” He was probing into my whereabouts, and my research, a little too eagerly.  He was beginning to creep me out.