Adduné - the Vampire's Game (26 page)

He took a step forward to try to intimidate her and force her back, but she merely thrust her face closer to his. They were nose-to-nose.

“
Jake, don’t push me. You hear?” Rachel whispered menacingly as she poked him in the chest with her right forefinger.

Jake could see she meant it. It momentarily threw him. He wasn’t used to being taken down a peg – and certainly not by someone the likes of Rachel. She frightened him in a way few others had ever been able to do. He stood cowed as she spun around and walked away.

“
Rachel! Rachel!” called the man who had been standing in the shadows and watching. She halted, allowing him to grab her arm.

“
I heard what he said to you. He’s such a jerk. You could have a concussion or worse! You shouldn’t be coming in at all and he’s complaining because you’re a few minutes late?”

Rachel assessed the soft, kind eyes of Rex. He really was taking an almost paternal role in her life now. Protecting her. Shielding her from gossip about her changed appearance. Covering for her when she snuck a few winks during the day. He’d even done some work for her – work that was her sole responsibility to finish. She patted him on his cheek.

“
It’s alright, Rex. I’m fine really,” she replied, softly taking his hand from her arm. “If you’ll excuse me, there are persistent detectives that are waiting for me.”

“
Yeah, I heard. That bastard Jake didn’t want them walking through the museum and attracting attention. Told them to wait in his office and he’d get you. Hell, it was just to harass you and now you have to be harassed even more. It’s not fair, Rachel. You don’t deserve this kind of treatment. I mean, they can’t possibly think you had anything to do with that … that …. woman’s death. She was torn apart with somebody’s bare hands! It didn’t say that in the papers, but I’ve got friends who work in the coroner’s office and saw the autopsy.”

“
Really? It pains me to hear that about Dr. Puhlman. She was such a …
pleasant
person. And Rex, people have all sorts of weird ideas. You can’t control what people think.”

With that, Rachel walked away. Rex watched her for a bit. He loved the way she moved her hips side-to-side. She was better than those toys you give executives who have everything. The motorized ones that had panels of glass containing water. The water was in constant motion – softly being shunted from side-to-side in a close approximation of the ocean’s tide. She moved even more hypnotically than that.

Rex broke away from staring at her and rushed up to Jake who was tucking in his shirt.

“
What the fuck did you have to talk to her like that for?”

“
Hey, who the hell do you think you’re talking to?”

“
A fucking loser by the looks of things.”

“
I oughta fire you for that!”

“
Then go ahead! I’m waiting! I’d love to see you replace me with someone! I do the work of 12 people around here and don’t get nearly the salary to compensate that effort, but if you think you can replace me, do it!”

Rachel heard the angry conversation she was leaving behind. She really would have to repay Rex for his kindness. Yes, she’d have a nice treat for him – something called immortality.

CHAPTER 16

“
Ah, Ms. Abbott. Have a seat right here, please.”

Rachel squinted as she entered Jake’s office. She used her hand to block out the sun’s rays from overpowering her eyes until she reached the curtains. She grabbed the cords and looked at the two detectives who casually stood at attention – waiting for Rachel to settle.

“
Do you mind?”

Rachel asked more to feign politeness than from a deep-seated concern about their welfare. There was only the slight nod of their heads to indicate their indifference as to whether the curtains were open or closed. They only cared about Rachel sitting down and answering questions. They tried to cover up their annoyance at having their time wasted by looking everywhere other than at Rachel drawing the curtains closed. They were encumbered by procedure and effective interrogation techniques and did nothing to give away the immediacy they felt about their follow-up interview with Rachel.

With a whoosh the curtains expanded in a single smooth stroke, cloaking the office in a cozy shadow. It was at least something Rachel could work with. She veered around Jake’s desk trying not to appear too confident. Ordinary people were nervous when being questioned by the police. She had to remember that.

She sat demurely in the seat that Detective Perrone had indicated. She gave her skirt a polite tug – not that it still didn’t allow an alarming expanse of silky, white thigh to show.

“
You remember us, Ms. Abbott?”

“
Vaguely,” she lied.

She remembered them in detail. Lead Detective Anthony Perrone and his partner, Detective John Reiser. She had met with them the day after Sara’s murder. They had conducted a fact-finding cross-examination. They hadn’t called it that, but it sure felt that way to Rachel. She tried to see it through their eyes and not put too much importance on the severe battery of questioning. After all, she was the last person to see Sara Puhlman alive. Of course they would want to talk to her. She laughed when she realized that being the last one to see her alive meant she was the first to see her dead.

“
Something funny, Ms. Abbott?” Perrone queried. He had that confused look on his face, but it was all a ploy. He did that to get people to explain things. When they explained, they’d talk – usually too much.

“
Why no,” Rachel said putting her hand over her heart as if settling herself. “It’s just I’m so nervous. Please excuse me.”

She saw Perrone’s face fade into his former expression. She congratulated herself on striking just the right note. Now if she did something curious, it would be because she was uncomfortable and not because she was enjoying every minute of this encounter.

“
Well, then let me refresh your memory. I’m Detective Perrone and this is Detective Reiser. We interviewed you ...”

“…
the day after Dr. Puhlman was murdered. Yes, I do remember that part. I just was focusing on things other than remembering your names. Poor Dr. Puhlman. It’s just so tragic.”

“
Yes, it is. It’s why we’re here. We’re doing a follow-up ... to see if you remembered anything that you might have heard … or saw that night. Any detail … maybe something you considered unimportant and didn’t tell us the first time? It often happens with witnesses. They think of something after the initial interview.”

Rachel rubbed at her temple and kept her eyes down. Perrone really did need to buy a new pair of shoes. It looked like the leather on the ones he had on were almost worn through.

“
No, nothing. I don’t know if it’s because of the accident I had or …”

“
Oh, yeah, you hit your head or something. That right?” Perrone asked knowing full well what had happened. He had written it down and transcribed it into his official report. He and his partner Reiser had also interviewed her co-workers to see if the story was true. She had two eyewitnesses that corroborated the incident. The statement from the one named Inwood, he would have dismissed. It seemed to Perrone that Inwood had more than a passing interest in Rachel Abbott. He got the feeling that Inwood would have said just about anything Rachel wanted him to, but Jake, Jake was a different story. There seemed no love lost between the two. There was no way Jake Monroe would have lied for her.

Perrone waited a minute before continuing.

“
That why you closed that curtain?”

“
Yes, I’m afraid the light hurts my eyes. You see, I passed out and must have hit my head. I don’t know all that happened, but …”

“
Yes, we have your version of how things happened,” interrupted Perrone in a clipped tone that Rachel didn’t find amusing. He was another smug, sanctimonious human that had better watch who he fucked with. Otherwise, he just may end up like poor Dr. Puhlman – or worse. Rachel hadn’t extended Puhlman’s death out as long as she could have. It was her kind-hearted nature that had interfered. Rachel felt another titter escape from lips that were turned-up in a wry smile.

She quickly changed her expression and again apologized.

“
I am so sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I’m so embarrassed.”

She looked into Perrone’s dark brown eyes. He wasn’t having any of what Rachel was shoveling out. He might be too wise for his own good. She panned the room and found Reiser’s lighter brown, more sympathetic eyes. He’d be cute if he’d grow his hair out of that military clip he was sporting. She’d have to work through him. His sympathy meant that he was susceptible to her suggestive thoughts.

This is a bad idea. She doesn’t know anything. She’s not strong enough to have done this. And there’s no evidence. Not a shred.

A second later, she heard Detective Reiser’s voice.

“
Tony, can I have a word with you?”

Perrone reflected his astonishment at being interrupted by his partner. It rarely happened. They had worked together for many years and loved working in tandem. The shock turned to annoyance as he got up from Jake’s desk. He had been sitting on the corner of it so he could better bear down on Rachel.

Perrone met Reiser in the corner. They kept their voices muffled and soft, but Rachel could hear every word.

“
This had better be good, buddy.”

“
Tony, this is ridiculous.”

“
Wait minute! You interrupted a freakin’ interrogation to tell me this?”

You know damn well she’s not capable of ripping someone apart. Look at her!”

Perrone looked casually over his shoulder towards Rachel. He smiled and turned back towards his partner.

“
Looks pretty substantial to me. She’s not a tiny girl – not like Puhlman.”

“
Oh, come on, you’re being ridiculous! She’s hardly on steroids! Sure she’s tall and has some meat on her bones. I’ll give you that she feasibly could have overpowered Puhlman, but we’re not talking about a catfight. Go ahead and try to tell me that you really believe she’s capable of tearing a human being apart with her bare hands!”

Perrone shifted from one foot to the other. He hated being wrong and wasn’t ready to admit it.

“
All I know is that she’s the last person to see Dr. Puhlman alive and that alone makes her a person of interest.”

Harassing … you’re harassing her. You don’t like her and you’re persecuting her.

“
You know what?” Reiser continued.

“
What?” Perrone asked emptily. He didn’t really care what Reiser thought. He only wanted to question Rachel Abbott. What he didn’t want to tell his partner is that he had a feeling she knew something. He relied on his gut feelings more than his partner and there was something about Rachel Abbott that was just plain weird. And her story about showing up at 10:00 PM for her cat was ridiculous. She was holding something back. He’d get it out of her if only Reiser would shut-up and let him do his job.

“
You don’t like her,” Reiser shot. Perrone met his eyes. Reiser didn’t flinch.

“
Are you serious?”

“
Yes, I’m serious. I think you’ve got something against her and that you’ve made up your mind to pin this on her when you know goddamned well she couldn’t have done it. You’re breaking detective school rule number 1: Follow the evidence. Instead you’re trying to frame her.”

“
John, tell me you’re kidding. Please!” Perrone pleaded. One look at his partner told him that he wasn’t. It would be so much simpler if he was.

You’re harassing her.

“
She could start trouble. Get a lawyer and file a complaint with Internal Affairs. I don’t need that kind of trouble all because my partner has lost his mind and has it in for a woman that picked up her fucking cat after office hours. And she was scheduled to pick the cat up! Puhlman’s assistant backed up that story. Hell, it was even written down!”

Perrone was uncharacteristically startled that Reiser had read his thoughts, but that’s what happens when you work with someone long enough.

“
But the hour …”