Always the Vampire

“He’s amping up the wards on the beach property and Gorman’s place, and he expects us to train after your party tomorrow.”


“We’ll be there,” Saber said as he braked at the 312 stoplight. “Listen, there’s something you both need to know. Lynn wanted to swing through downtown today, and we stopped at a liquor store.”

“Let me guess,” I said. “The manager recognized Starrack from the sketch.”

“More than that. He remembers their brief conversation. There’s a sign advertising the Greek Festival outside the store, and Starrack asked about it.”

My heart stuttered. “That doesn’t mean he’ll go.”

“No, but it confirms he knows about the event and that he’s interested.”

From his seat behind me, Triton gently squeezed my shoulder. No words, just sympathetic thoughts. Saber accelerated through the green light, and I let a storm of emotion roll through me. What I’d feared from the moment Lynn mentioned the Greek festival looked like more than an academic exercise. I hated Starrack for the evil he’d already committed. I hated him for the future evil he’d commit. I hated him even more for the worry and inconvenience his evil was causing me.

Stupid, I know, but that’s how I felt.

Well, the big bad jerk’s days were numbered now, because we didn’t intend to lose this battle.

Triton cleared his throat and broke the silence. “Hey, Saber, is there anything I can do to help your investigation?”

“Matter of fact, you can cold-call some liquor stores and ask them if they’re short any ouzo. I’d like to find out how wide spread or localized Starrack’s stealing is, and when it started. I’d like to know if there’s a pattern. ”

“What happened at the Palatka store today?” I asked, and drew a quick glance from Saber. “Did they have security footage of Starrack?”

“The images were too fuzzy to be useful, but the clerk recognized him from the sketch.”

“That’s something,” I said. “What I can’t understand is why Starrack would let himself be remembered at all. Couldn’t he wipe the clerks’ memories?”

“Probably, but I’ll bet he didn’t imagine we’d tumble to him having a liquor store connection. He visited the Palatka and St. Augustine stores before we went after him the other night.”

“And,” Triton added, “the guy is arrogant as hell, according to Lia. I would be, too, if I’d been getting away with stealing for centuries.”

Saber parked on the concrete pad behind Triton’s store and turned off the engine. “I got more news from Balch, too.”

I turned in my seat. “The autopsies?”

“Since the cases looked like the work of a serial killer, a second ME came in to help. The preliminary reports on all four victims state that their hearts stopped beating.”

I frowned. “All four had heart attacks?”

“Not exactly. Balch was told that their hearts stopped as if someone had turned off a circuit breaker.”

If that was the case, maybe the homeless girl hadn’t suffered, but that’s not what I’d seen in her staring eyes. I’d seen horror.

“Did Balch say anything about the press? He told me they’d go nuts over the murders, but I never saw a single reporter, and you know Gorman would’ve ragged me about it if he’d heard.”

“The official story is that the two criminals turned on and killed each other, and that the homeless couple died of pneumonia.”

“Which makes them unrelated incidents,” Triton said.

“That’s right,” Saber confirmed. “No serial killer, no sensational story, just tragic deaths in the case of the homeless pair.”

“Did you tell Balch about Starrack?”

“In the spirit of quid pro quo, yeah. I told him Starrack is our suspect and showed him the drawing.”

“Bet he wanted to issue a BOLO right away.”

“He did, and I explained why a be on the lookout bulletin would be a mistake. He wasn’t happy, but he backed off.”

“I’m just glad we’re off Balch’s suspect list,” Triton said. “Get me the names of liquor stores to call, and I’ll get on it.”

As he opened the car door, I sensed someone hovering in the shadows on the sidewalk behind us. Adrenaline rushing through my veins, I unbuckled my seat belt, and jumped out of the car in a flash.

“Cesca, what the—”

“Hello, Princess,” a distinct male voice called.

“Is everything quite all right, dear?” a female voice asked.

Imelda and Clarence Clarke stepped into the street, and I slumped against the SUV.

“We’re fine, thank you,” I answered as they hustled closer.

I moved to meet them at the tail of the SUV, Triton and Saber joining me.

“We’re terribly sorry if we startled you children, but you sat in the car such a long time, we became concerned.”

“Are you out for your evening walk?” Saber asked the question lightly, but I heard the undertone of caution.