La Vida Vampire

“Damn.” I reached to touch a shattered taillight.

Saber didn’t stop me. Instead, he said, “I’ve called the city police and sheriff’s office. The city cops are rolling. We’ll need to photograph and fingerprint the truck.”

Fingerprints. I didn’t want to blow the chance of catching the vandal, so I took Saber’s hint and clasped my hands tightly behind me. Good thing, because shock warred with righteous rage as I circled my baby to inspect her damage. Crimson paint smelling faintly of blood covered the cab, windshield, and hood in streaks and dripped onto the pavement. Where the paint didn’t cover them, deep scratches etched both entire sides. I couldn’t tell whether they were words, symbols, or random marks, but each ugly gouge pushed my blood pressure higher. Though the windows were intact, the headlights and taillights were all smashed.

By the time I’d made the circuit around my SSR, a city cop car pulled up to block the parking lot entrance. Neil stood beside Saber and looked grim, while Maggie stepped up to hug me.

“Oh, Cesca honey, I’m so sorry.”

I accepted her comfort, but my gaze never left Saber’s.

“How did you find this mess?” I asked him when Maggie let me go.

He shrugged. “When you went inside, I followed that cat. It headed straight for your truck.”

Maggie planted her hands on her hips. “Who cares about a damned cat? When are you going to catch Stony? He has to be behind it. He killed that woman, and now he’s terrorizing Cesca.”

“Now, Maggie,” I said, putting my arm around her in hopes of stemming a tirade, “this is vandalism. A very bad case of vandalism,” I added darkly, “but not terrorism. And here come the nice policemen to help us.”

Make that police persons. A male officer of about forty paired with a much younger female who did all the talking.

“Who called in the complaint?”

“Deke Saber, state special investigator.” His ID already in hand, he flashed it and went on. “I made the call, and this is the owner.”

“Your name, ma’am?” the female asked.

I moved away from Maggie and gave the officer my full name, address, and both the house and my cell numbers. When they insisted on seeing my driver’s license, Neil volunteered to run upstairs for it.

“Approximately how long has your vehicle been parked here?”

“Since a little before eight this evening,” I said dully.

“Any idea who might have done this?”

I glanced at Saber. “I have an excellent idea, but I don’t know his name.”

“Officers,” Saber said, “I told dispatch there’s reason to believe this incident is indirectly connected to a murder the sheriff’s office is investigating.”

The cops exchanged a glance. “The French Bride murder?” the female cop asked.

Great, the reporter had used the same catchphrase for the case. Now if they could just catch the guy responsible. The male officer’s eyes narrowed on me, then Saber. “You’re the vampire killer, right? That why the state is in on this case? Because she’s one of them?”

Oh, good, another fan. I was grateful Maggie didn ’t make a snide comment from the sidelines, but beside me, Saber scowled.

“I’m a preternatural crimes expert, and the case has international implications. I’m here to eliminate possible suspects.”

The cop didn’t look chastised but grunted something that could’ve been “Yessir.”

Neil came back with my license and, after making note of the number and expiration date, the officers and Saber looked my truck over together. I hardly had time to eavesdrop when they were back.

“We’ll file a report, ma’am. You can get of copy of it next week.” She handed me two sheets of standard white paper folded in half, one tucked in the other. “This is a victim’s rights booklet. My name and the case number are here on the front.”

I nodded and clenched the pamphlet in both hands. “Thank you, Officer, but what about the truck?”

Frankly, I didn’t want my trashed baby to be sitting in the parking lot in the morning for the bank and office employees to see. Not to mention the locals and tourists. Friday was a busy day downtown.

“The county’s taking care of it,” Saber said. “All the tow trucks are tied up on other calls, but they’ll page me when one is on the way.”

I wondered if he thought I’d done this myself and was determined to set him straight. As soon as the St. Augustine city officers left, I whirled on Saber.

“If you think I did that myself—”

“I don’t.”

“—I’ll—” I stopped short and glanced at Maggie and Neil to be sure they heard us. “You don’t think I did this?”

“No, especially after seeing you look over the damage.”

His voice rumbled with such uncharacteristic gentleness, I wondered what I’d revealed.

“It’s just a truck,” I said offhandedly so he wouldn’t see any deeper.

“It’s your independence.”

So much for not seeing deeper. I looked at Neil, who stood solemnly by Maggie. She jerked her head toward our building.