Five Days of Darkness
Page 24
“Self induced? She bite herself?”
“Not quite. She used something to puncture her skin.”
“Why?”
“Because she believed in vampires, and hoped that one would take her away.”
“Why would someone do this?”
“Sometimes, people take stories too seriously. She had a fictional book on vampires, and became obsessed. She knew she was sick, and the thought of becoming one of them was the only way she could survive. At least she thought.”
Vincent was visibly disturbed. She didn’t want to get into detail, and she wasn’t sure what Henri had written.
“And what about the vampire?”
“What about him?” Modeste asked.
“His body was never found. Nobody can confirm what happened. There is no way to corroborate your story. I’m not saying I don’t believe it, but the story of the monster sure is hard to believe.”
“What are you getting at?”
“Was it Sheriff Brady?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, there were so many rumors about him. He was a terrible person. Some of the citizens seem to think that maybe he had something to do with it.”
“Then how do they explain the fact that his head was removed?” Modeste said, sinfully holding back a grin.
Modeste lifted her glass and let the liquid burn her throat. It wasn’t a bad thing if people thought he was the killer. He did point a gun at her, and fired the bullet that had skimmed her leg. If that shot was any closer, things could have ended differently. Vincent was right; Sheriff Brady was a terrible man.
“They think you killed the murderer,” Vincent said bluntly. “So?”
“What?”
“Was it a real vampire?”
Modeste smiled and took another sip. “I guess we’ll never know,” she said and lowered the glass back to the table.