“Very good.” Pierson waved, got in his vehicle, and departed.
Bothered by the visit, Tomes, was more anxious than ever for the day to pass so Corin would awaken. Earlier, when he’d arrived at the estate, he’d headed for the basement, finding Corin’s note on the door. Even though he had news, he’d decided to let him rest, knowing there was nothing he could do till nightfall.
* * * *
Sheriff Pierson received a call from the station. Patricia Watson was there requesting to see him.
“I’m really sorry, Sheriff, but she says it’s urgent,” Officer Traci Keller told him. “She insists on waiting.”
“It’s okay, Traci. I’m on my way back from Hixton as we speak.”
When Sheriff Pierson arrived, he found Ms.Watson in an anxious state.
“Ms. Watson,” he greeted. “What is it you’re needing to see me about?”
“Please, Allen, I wish you’d call me Patricia,” she said.
“My apologies, Patricia, I’ll remember that.”
“I have something to show you.” She caught hold of his arm, whispering as if it were top secret. “Is there someplace private we can view a tape?” She revealed a
VHS tape tucked away in her oversized purse.
“Come with me.” Sheriff Pierson led her to a small conference room containing a rectangular table, ten accompanying chairs, and a TV and multiplayer system set up on a rolling stand.
“You don’t see these too much anymore. What’s on it?” He took the tape and inserted it into the player before joining her at the table with the remote control in hand.
“It’s a surveillance video from the hospital blood bank. And you’re not going to believe what we’ve caught on it. I can hardly believe it myself.”
He started the tape, listening to Patricia explain what they were viewing. He observed a nurse entering the blood storage room by use of an access card, collecting two bags, and leaving.
“Keep your eyes on the screen.” She motioned with a wagging finger. “This is it.”
Sheriff Pierson watched with heightened interest as a male figure suddenly appeared in the room, materializing right out of thin air.
“Where did he come from?”
“That’s what we can’t figure out. And you see, he’s leaving with several bags of blood,” she pointed out.
“Maybe he was already in the room when the nurse entered,” the sheriff proposed. “Hiding somewhere.”
“No. The camera picks up every inch of it.”
“How many employees have access cards?” he moved closer to the screen.
“Quite a few—doctors, nurses, and others. You can’t get into the room without one.”
Sheriff Pierson was stumped. He rewound the video to the point where the nurse entered the room to view it again, pressing pause when something of interest caught his eye.
“What do you make of that?” He indicated what appeared to be a faint foggy vapor moving in behind the nurse.
Patricia scooted next to him. “The tape’s so fuzzy, it’s hard to tell what it is. Could it be a shadow?”
“I don’t think so.” He let the tape play on. “It slips in behind her, takes a turn to the right, and then lingers against the wall until she leaves? And look, it’s that same vapor that materializes into the man. It has to be a trick, but for the life of me, I can’t figure it out.”
“I wish the tape was clearer. You can’t make out his face. We’ll never be able to identify him with this picture.”
“The room’s too dark. Fix the lighting and you’ll have a better picture next time. You might also consider a higher resolution camera, and going digital.”
“The budget won’t allow for a new system right now. What we’re using was pulled from storage,” she told him. “And hopefully there won’t be a next time.”
“There has to be a logical explanation. People don’t just magically appear out of thin air.” Sheriff Pierson refused to accept the possibility of paranormal activity.
“I know I’d certainly feel a whole lot better if you could clarify this one for me.”
“I wish I could,” Pierson said. “He moves strangely for a man, don’t you think?”
“He wriggles side to side…snakelike.” Patricia watched as the thief tucked the bags of vital fluid beneath his full body length overcoat.
“That coat he’s wearing should help with identifying him. It’s certainly different. The buttons stand out, even with the picture blurred. I think someone would have noticed it.”
“It’s hard to be certain, but they look like cabochon gems,” she agreed. “Far from ordinary. I’ll ask around the floor…see if anyone recollects.”
And what’s that, a necklace?” Sheriff Pierson drew her attention to a shiny object hanging in the upper vicinity of the man’s chest.
“Yes, I believe it is, maybe a dark-colored stone. He seems to like his gems. You really do have a trained eye, Allen.”
“It’s not much to go on, but every little bit helps.” That he’d impressed her made his day. “I’ll send this over to the lab. Maybe they can clean it up, give us something more to identify him by.” He stopped the tape and got up to retrieve it.
“The blood…what do you think he took it for?”
“I have no idea, but he’s definitely getting added to my suspect list.”
“You mean for the murders? You think our burglar could be the killer?”
“It’s a strong possibility. You should tighten security until we get a handle on things,” he suggested. “And you should be careful yourself.”
“This is all a bit disturbing. But I feel better knowing you’re handling things,” she told him. “Say, Allen, would you care to join me for a late lunch, or have you already eaten?”
“No, matter of fact, I haven’t. I could use a little something.”
“Wonderful,” Patricia smiled. “Let’s go.”
Heading out, Sheriff Pierson handed the surveillance tape marked “urgent” to Officer Traci, along with implicit instructions for the lab regarding its cleanup.
“Have a nice lunch.” Traci tossed him a teasing wink.
Sheriff Pierson hustled Patricia out, attempting to thwart any further attempts by the officers to share potentially embarrassing remarks. He’d tried not to be so transparent, but he knew he wasn’t fooling anyone, least of all himself. He might have been embarking on a somewhat official outing with Patricia, but there was no mistaking the chemistry.
* * * *
Angelique stood at the fence line, a distance behind the barn. Two foals frolicked in the pasture, running and kicking up their heels while the unaffected mares grazed on the fresh grass of the newly opened field. Startled by a hand grabbing her shoulder, she whirled around with an accompanying yelp. Finding herself staring into the face of a stranger, she cautiously backed away from him.
“Sorry if I scared you. Ms. Jaffler, I presume?”
“Yes. Who are you?”
“I’m Marshal Jordon Black.” He held out a badge. “I’m here investigating Louisa Jaffler’s death. I was hoping to ask you a few questions, if it’s not too inconvenient a time.”
Angelique hesitated, wary of the man despite seeing his badge. With his faded jeans and long hair pulled back in a ponytail, he wasn’t at all what she expected a marshal to look like. And uncomfortable with the way he’d wandered onto their back grounds, she figured he was most likely snooping, thinking no one was around.
“I guess I can spare a few minutes,” she finally said.
“Let me just get to it, then. The victim was your sister-in-law?”
“Yes. Louisa was my brother’s wife.”
“Your brother, Tomes Jaffler,” Jordon confirmed.
“That’s right, Marshal. Isn’t all of this on record?”
Angelique, suddenly reconsidering the questioning, moved into defensive mode. She had been through this same ordeal several times now and didn’t care to repeat the “twenty questions routine” yet a
gain.
“Yes, it is, Ms. Jaffler, but if you don’t mind, I just want to make certain nothing was overlooked. You’re not a suspect, if that’s your concern. I assure you.”
“And my brother, can you say the same about him?”
“I’m not here to accuse you, or your brother, of anything. I just want to ask a few questions. People often recall things in the aftermath of a tragedy that they’d initially blanked out, or thought little of at the time. Shock can also do strange things to the mind.”
“I’ve thought about that night a thousand times. There’s nothing more, trust me. I wish there was.”
“What about earlier in the evening? Would you mind telling me what you do remember?”
Angelique gave in and proceeded to tell him all she recalled.
“That’s pretty much what I reviewed in your initial report,” he said after hearing her account.
“I told you there was nothing more.”
“How about your brother, is he around? I should review this with him as well.”
“Is that really necessary? He’s been through so much.”
“I know it’s a rough time, but there’s a murderer on the loose. I’d think your brother would be obliging, glad to know we’re doing everything in our power to catch his wife’s killer.”
“I’m sure you’re right, but he’s not here at the moment. He’s doing some work for a neighbor—Corin von Vadim.”
“Von Vadim?”
“He owns the large estate neighboring ours. Over two thousand acres.”
“Maybe I can catch him there. I guess I’ll find the entrance on up the road?”
“You can’t miss it. There’s a large gate.”
“I’ll be on my way, then.”
“Before you go, Marshal, since you’re insistent on questioning Tomes, you should know…he truly loved Louisa.”
“I’m sure he did,” Jordon replied. “And I do sympathize, but I have a job to do. If I tiptoed around every sensitive situation, I’d never get anywhere,” he stated bluntly.
“Just take it easy on him. That’s all I’m asking. He’s been through a lot.”
“I understand.” Jordon bid her good day and headed away, his boots throwing up a light powdering of dust behind him.
Angelique watched until he disappeared around the side of the barn, knowing he’d be making a beeline for von Vadim Estate. She wished now she’d kept her mouth shut about her brother’s whereabouts, but lying had never come easy to her. However, despite her name, she was no angel, and if it became necessary, she could conjure her dark side and do whatever she had to do in order to protect her family from the evils of the outside world. That included law enforcement.
“Tomes,” she whispered her brother’s name, thinking of what he was going through. He was an ever-changing man since Louisa’s death, bringing the story of Jekyll and Hyde to mind. Like Stevenson’s character, he seemed to be fully transforming into his own sinister alter ego. Angelique feared if things didn’t change, the good side of Tomes might be lost forever.
CHAPTER TEN
In the Fog
Tomes cursed as he walked across the living room toward the front door. He contemplated not answering, but his truck was parked outside, evidence that he was there.
Jordon Black introduced himself. “I’m sorry to bother you, Mr. Jaffler, but it’s essential that I learn all I can about the murders if I’m to have any success with catching this killer.”
“No, it’s all right. I understand,” Tomes stepped outside, leaving the door open. “Nice car. A Charger, huh?”
“Yeah, for the horsepower.” Jordon moved to give him some space.
“What do you need to know?”
“Tell me what happened the night your wife was murdered.”
Tomes cooperated, reviewing the last evening he’d spent with Louisa, not wanting to raise any suspicions.
“Your recollections are an exact match to your sisters’,” Jordon remarked, looking past Tomes, into the house.
“We were both there, experiencing the same things,” he responded. “Is something wrong?” He wondered what had caught the marshal’s attention.
“Just admiring the place. Very old, I suspect.”
“Yes. It is. If there’s nothing else, I should get back to work. I wouldn’t want the owner to come back and find me slacking,” he joked.
“Well, thank you for your time, Mr. Jaffler.” Jordon looked past him yet again before turning to go.
Tomes shut the door and visually scanned the room wondering what had given rise to the inquisitive look on the marshal’s face.
The man couldn’t possibly suspect vampires…could he?
Tomes shook his head. He couldn’t possible know.
Alone again, Tomes poked around the estate grounds while the day crept to an end, the longest Tomes thought he’d ever endured. After dwindling on and on, the sun had now lowered in the western sky, making the transition to twilight.
Tomes stood on the lanai observing a mysterious bank of fog moving in, an eerie phenomenon unlike anything he’d ever seen before. Fearing that the strange occurrence was a forewarning of things to come, a bone-chilling sensation enveloped him.
Was there something wicked lurking in the dense, rolling fog, coming to devour them all?
Tomes shook off the feeling and stepped inside the house. He headed for the basement door to alert the slumbering nightwalker that it was time to rise and shine, but before he reached it, Corin burst out.
“What’s going on?” Tomes heart skipped a beat.
“He was here!” Corin stared Tomes dead-in-the-eyes, the savage look on his face reminding Tomes that he was far from human. Releasing a menacing growl with teeth gnashed, he fully depicted the notion of a vampire—a monster out for the kill.
“If you’re talking about the sheriff, he was here all right. And a marshal also came by—said his name was Black. I’m not sure what to make of him. He seemed suspicious of something.”
“Not the police. I’m talking about the nightwalker,” Corin clarified.
“He was here?”
“The wretch sneaked in while I was out last night,” Corin explained. “He took some personal things of mine from the basement.”
“What? What did he take?”
“A gold pocket watch and a pewter figurine from my dresser.”
“That’s it?” In his opinion, the items weren’t very valuable when compared to the many priceless treasures filling the house.
“That’s all he needed to take. Don’t you get it, Tomes? This is all a game to him. He wanted me to know he was here, in my home. And both items he took have more worth and meaning to me than a vault full of gold. They’re priceless in sentiment. I haven’t lived my long life without forming several close attachments, and those two small things he dared to steal from me, well, they are symbols of two cherished memories.”
Corin’s genuine emotion surprised Tomes. It made him seem almost human. He thought it strange how he went from being a raging monster one minute, ready to tear out his adversary’s throat, to the sentimental, nostalgic being presently standing before him. He just hoped that the sullen nightwalker didn’t burst into tears, ‘cause there was no way in Hades he was comforting him. At that thought, he gave his head a good shake, tossing out the horrid image.
“Maybe we can get them back.”
“Oh, we’re going to get them back all right. Then I’m going to teach that good-for-nothing a lesson he’ll never forget!” Fire flashed in Corin’s eyes as he clenched his fists and paced the floor. “He has deceived me, challenged me, and now stolen from me. There will be no more games. It’s time to get serious.”
“I found your note on the door this morning. I wish now I hadn’t suggested that lock. I’ve been waiting around here all day.”
“I sensed you in the house, but I needed to restore my energy. I knew if it was urgent you’d let me know.”
“Well, something else has happened.”
“What?”
“Angelique said she met a man at the grocery store last night who wanted to hire me for renovations, and you won’t believe what he was driving…a dusty-blue Camaro.”
“That miserable…. He’s gone way too far.”
“He told her his name was Louis Gomez and set an appointment to meet with me at the farm this morning. But he didn’t show, of course, not with the sun rising and all.”
“Did he touch her?” Corin demanded to know.
“She’s fine. He didn’t do anything to her,” Tomes assured him, hearing the rage behind his words, surprised by his height of emotion over Angelique. He didn’t care for Corin’s reaction regarding his sister, but this wasn’t the time to confront him about it. “So, I take it you’re pretty sure it was the nightwalker?”
“It was him. And like I said…it’s time to get serious.”
* * * *
Patricia Watson’s watch read 9:50. She’d put in a long day in preparation for a board meeting and the effects from the extra hours had left her with a kinked neck and an aching back.
“Time to call it quits.” She shut down her computer, grabbed her purse, and headed out. She had a bad feeling as she started across the nearly abandoned lot, aiming for her car parked quite a distance away. To make matters worse, a heavy fog had moved in over the area, adding to her apprehension.
Moonlight cast a silvery-blue tint onto the misty blanket of fog, giving it a buoyant glow. The sound of her shoes hitting the pavement echoed as she moved across the black asphalt. Halfway to her car, she glanced back, intuition telling her that something wasn’t right. Disregarding her instincts, she continued on, drawing in a quick breath when she heard someone else’s footsteps trailing her own. She stopped, turned back again, and gave her surroundings a quick scan, but the thick, creeping fog diminished her view.
“Pa-tri-cia.” A menacing voice sounded from the depths of darkness causing her to release a slight yelp. She slapped her hand against her chest to calm her racing heart. It was impossible to determine what direction the call had come from for it emanated from all around her.
Corin & Angelique (After the Fall of Night) Page 11
