The Cactus Killer (The Inglewood Chronicles)

by Jeremy Croston

  The Cactus Killer

  By Jeremy Croston

  Second Edition

  © 2014 Jeremy Croston

  Two Dudes, Brews, & Books

  www.facebook.com/groups/brewsandbooks

  Please do not re-distribute this book

  in any way or format for

  commercial purposes

  or change the content.

  This book is a work of fiction.

  All of the names, places,

  and events that occur are from

  the author’s imagination.

  Any resemblance to an actual

  person, alive or dead, place,

  historical event, or business establishment

  is purely coincidental.

  Cover image by amycovers

  Edited by Caroline “Cookie” Price

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  If you happen to be driving through New Mexico and get lost, you might run into the town of Full Moon. About an hour south of Truth or Consequences, Full Moon is a quiet town that isn’t on the list of places to see. We still have a general store run, for generations, by the same family. There are no skyscrapers, or busy intersections that take four turns to get through. That’s not to say we don’t have some modern conveniences and a pretty good bar scene. Add in the fact that most folks live in the subdivisions surrounding the town, and I’d say we were doing just fine. We are friendly people here, don’t get me wrong, but most folks wouldn’t fit in. See, our town is one of the largest werewolf settlements in New Mexico.

  Yep, werewolves, and there are a lot of them. All three of the major Northern American packs have folks who live here. Furthermore, each pack has somebody who is in an important position. The Silver wolves are the oldest pack. The mayor, Archibald Argent, is their pack Alpha. The Black wolves are the most populated pack and the District Attorney Charles ‘Chaz’ Freely leads them. Finally, we have the Red wolves. The pack is almost as old as the Silvers, but much less populated than either pack. It might be a good time to introduce myself, I’m Sheriff Victor Inglewood but you can just call me Vic.

  Unlike Chaz and Archibald, I am not the Reds pack Alpha (far from it actually), that would be my dad, Callum. He was the sheriff for many years, but last year he retired and I got the appointment. Granted, I had been deputy since my twenty-first birthday, and I have a criminal justice degree from New Mexico State, so I am qualified. Plus, due to my unique condition amongst werewolves, the town trusts my judgment.

  I’ve lived in Full Moon most of my life, well with the exception of my three years of college. Taking care of this town has always been my calling and even though, at thirty-two, I am its youngest sheriff in generations. Crime has never been lower. My gun is my trademark, an Adams Percussion .50 caliber that the locals named Roscoe for some reason. If it keeps them all law abiding, than they can call it Sweet Willy for all I care.

  I’m unique amongst werewolves. Most of us answer the call of the moon and transform for the first time on our thirteenth birthday. I did not because something no one can explain happened the night of my thirteenth birthday. Instead of transforming into a full wolf, my senses went crazy. My hearing, sight, taste, and touch are always that of the wolf; it never turns off. I also got a little boost in speed and strength, but nothing that would ever let me confront a fully transformed wolf.

  For awhile, I couldn’t control the overwhelming feeling that comes when your senses are turned up one hundred percent twenty-four hours a day. It took plenty of training and seeking help from others, but I managed to control myself and my gift. That is why I am the sheriff of this town, now-a-days nothing can get by me. I can track a person across this country, if needed, and everyone knows it.

  Driving down the main stretch of road to the station is always nice, especially on a Saturday morning. With little traffic and a breakfast sandwich in my hand, I switched the radio on to get caught up on the latest news around the country. It must have been a slow night as the only thing that really seemed odd was a bar in a small town in the northeast getting busted up by some lunatic. Fortunately, no one was injured but there were two people missing. Seems the incident was turned over to the FBI which I thought was a bit strange, but oh well.

  I pulled into the station not too long afterwards and saw my deputy was already there. William Westchester was a good guy and did a lot for me, however he was a bit eccentric. First, he called himself Billy the Kid, after the outlaw, and second, he was scared to death of guns. The town didn’t budget me a whole lot and since he was the only one who wanted the job after my promotion, I took what I could get. I parked my sixty-seven charcoal blue Mustang in the dusty side lot and headed towards another fun day.

  “Morning Vic! Thought I’d pop in early and see what calls came in last night.” God bless Billy’s enthusiasm. Billy was a Black wolf and his appointment to deputy turned out to be a popular decision in the community.

  “What’d we got? I swear if our first call this morning is from Lee Wilson complaining about the new cubs howling too late last night, I will go down to his house and shoot his phone off his wall.” The older wolves sometimes were out of hand with their complaints. They forget what it was like to be young.

  “Not this morning boss, but we did get an all points bulletin for a Hector Alvarez. He is a Silver on the run from Howling Canyon for killing two Reds up there as well as a civilian while running in Albuquerque. Sounds like a dangerous dude.”

  Nothing was more frowned upon in the community than killing a ‘normal’ person. People left us alone because they didn’t know we were here. Killing civilians, as we called them, brought unwanted attention to the community. This Alvarez was a danger to our way of life. “Alright Billy, make sure all the nearby communities know to be on the outlook. Relay to Sheriff Munoz in Howling Canyon that we got the APB and will coordinate everything through him. We can’t let that guy continue.”

  “What should we do sir, capture or put down?”

  I hated this situation. Everyone deserves a fair trial, but when you go against the pack orders and kill a civilian, the rules are in place. “He broke pack law; he has to be put down. But Billy, if we are the ones to find him, we will try to capture first.”

  The young man smiled and went about his tasks. Billy was the only pacifist deputy I ever came in contact with and he kept the department on its toes. Just as I was about to walk into my office, Detective Talia Jacobs entered the station. Another Black wolf, Talia was as serious as a heart attack. Murder was her turf as detective, so I motioned her to come into my office.

  I sat down and Talia came in and shut the door. She, as always, was dressed to kill. Whereas Billy and I were the blue jeans and buttoned down shirt kind of guys, Talia was in dress pants, a white blouse, and a blazer. Even though it was February, it still gets hot in New Mexico. The heat didn’t matter to her, not a strand of her blonde hair was out of place.

  “Morning sir, you have a new case for me?”

  “Yeah, but it ain’t good. A renegade wolf killed a few Reds in Howling Canyon and then a civilian in Albuquerque. We got the APB this morning, so we need to keep an eye out. Dig up what you can around town; see if anyone knows this Hector Alvarez and can point us in the right direction.”

  I handed her the paperwork and she gave me a curt nod and left. I felt for any guy that tried to unwind that one and wished them all the best. After Talia left, the rest of the morning went by pretty smoothly. No big issues from the night before and Billy got all the local communities up to speed on Alvarez. I figured it was time to go grab lunch when I got a knock on my door. I looked up and for the first time in forever,
I had a visitor I didn’t recognize.

  “Door’s open, come on in.”

  The door opened and a woman entered. She had black as night hair, incredibly white skin, and the sharpest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. She appeared to be in her mid twenties, if even that. I sniffed the air; there was no scent at all. Taking a deep breath, I was able to calm myself. Much like Talia, she was dressed in a business suit herself, but I knew no amount of heat would ever bother this one.

  “Sheriff Victor Inglewood, it is a pleasure to meet you.” She had an accent too. I couldn’t place it, but the chills I got told me this one was old.

  “Ma’am, always a pleasure to be introduced to someone as lovely as yourself. What can I do for you today?”

  She smiled at my charm. I’m not sure if it’s the badge, the five o’clock shadow, or the shaggy hair under my beat-up old cowboy hat, but I definitely used whatever it was to my advantage.

  “I know it is unusual to see someone like myself out here, but I am in need of help. I was told you were the best in the business in certain fields. I came here to solicit a request from you.”

  “For starters, you can call me Vic. And yes, it is unusual to see a vampire in werewolf country, but I don’t hold any prejudices. I’ll listen to your request if you answer two questions for me. Is that a fair deal?”

  “Of course, Vic.” She smiled at me and I caught a glimpse of her fangs. It reminded me to be careful with how I worded my questions.

  “First, might you do me the pleasure of introducing yourself? It always helps to know how to address someone.”

  “Forgive my rudeness, my name is Elizabeth Swansea. Much like you, I shortened my name, so you may call me Beth if you would prefer.”

  Okay, a name to look into later, perfect. “My second question, Miss Swansea, might cross a line and if it does, I will not be upset if you choose to decline.” She looked at me with those blue eyes, no malice, just curiosity. “How is it possible you are up and about with the sun blazing down on us? I know a bit about your kind and you aren’t tan for a reason.”

  “Your way with words is quite amusing!” She was laughing, which was a good sign; I hadn’t offended her or stepped over my lines. “As a measure of good faith I will answer that. Once my kind reaches a certain age, we become immune to the effects of the sun. Most of us, for different reasons, either do not make it to that point, or if we do, we keep it to ourselves.”

  “Oh I see, sorry for my ignorance in the situation. It was just professional curiosity.”

  “No sheriff, I have no problem. In fact I am quite proud of my achievement. In the new world, most of us never make it well past one thousand years old like I have.”

  Chapter 2

  Elizabeth (for some reason Beth didn’t suit her) and I were walking down the street from the station to the local bar and grill, The Fox and Hound. From an outsider’s point of view, the historic downtown section of Full Moon must look like a place straight out of an old western movie. On our walk, we passed the General Store, the Harvest Moon Saloon, and the Post Office. All were lined up side by side, the same as our ancestors built it a long time ago. The only difference now was the subdivisions that littered the surrounding area. Even we wolves got suckered into the home association movement that plagued the southwest.

  As we walked down the sidewalk, it gave me time to put my thoughts together. Granted, I didn’t know much when it came to vampires, but to be in the presence of one that old was quite intimidating. She could break my neck with the flick of her finger had she wanted.

  “Put your fears aside sheriff, I have no intention of killing you. I can tell you are an honorable man and, in my experience, those are rather hard to come by.”

  Did she just read my thoughts? “Ma’am, how on God’s green earth did you know what I was thinking?”

  “You are not the first or last in my long life to question my intentions. No, I did not read your thoughts, but rather observed your body language. Now, let us get you something to eat so I can make my proposal to you.”

  We entered The Fox and Hound to a lot of strange looks. Vampires weren’t frowned upon, but we don’t see them often, especially one in the company of the sheriff. Jocelyn, the young Black wolf who worked the front showed us to a booth in the back. She gave me an uneasy smile and handed us the menus.

  “If it is okay with you Vic, I will just order us a few drinks. What would you like?”

  “I’d appreciate that. Since I’m on the clock, I’ll take a cherry soda.”

  She once again disarmed me with her smile and got up and headed over to the bar. Something about her told me I might be in over my mind. Jocelyn came back over and took my order for a burger and order of fries. She asked if everything was okay and I told her I had no idea. Elizabeth came back over with my cherry soda and what looked like a martini for her. After taking a long draft, it was time for business.

  “So, what can I do for you ma’am? Is everything alright or is there a problem?”

  “Come now; stop it with the ma’am nonsense. You make me feel old and I do not need any help with that.”

  “Okay, I will do my best. I was just raised with manners, that’s all.”

  She rolled her eyes at me and went on. “Let us get right to the heart of the matter, I am not just any vampire, but someone of importance. The United States is divided up into territories for the vampire community much like yours is broken up into states. I am the ambassador for the southwest. I report directly to the head of the entire U.S. coven.”

  I didn’t know how to proceed. “With all due respect, I am just a sheriff, just how in the hell could I help out someone as powerful as you?”

  “If you bear with me for just a bit longer, I will get to that.” I nodded and she continued. “Vampires do not live in communities like werewolves. We integrate ourselves into major cities and blend in. We have our issues, but for the most part we live in harmony with humans. However, as of late, a number of vampires have been turning up dead, staked or decapitated with their blood drained. It has been happening with more frequency, and every single one of them has happened here in the southwest.”

  “Could this all just be some awful coincidence? Or maybe even a feud between vampire families that has escalated to a boiling point?”

  “That was our first thought, Vic, but as the murders continue and each being committed in the same fashion, all points to one thing. I believe we have a vampire serial killer on our hands, one I think maybe human.”

  A serial killer? That would not be good for anyone. If it was a human who discovered that the things that go bump in the night exist, it would only be a matter of time before they came after our communities. “Serial killers tend to be vain. Is there anything, like a sign or a signature at the murder scene to point in that direction?”

  “Yes, imbedded into each victims face was a piece of cactus. It is most disturbing to see.”

  That jogged something in my memory. I’d heard on the news a few weekends ago that up in Truth or Consequences a body had been found with a face full of cactus. This was getting a little too close to home. “That certainly adds up in my book.”

  “I have done my research and I know about your condition. I know you cannot transform into a werewolf like the others but your senses are the best. Vic, I am offering you a job with us, the vampire coven, to track this serial killer down and put an end to this madness.”

  “I am flattered you would come to me for help, but this is a lot bigger than just me. Can I have some time to make this decision?”

  “Of course, why do we not implore some of the southwest culture and say high noon tomorrow?”

  I laughed at her terrible joke and agreed to that time frame. For the rest of our lunch, she went over what the job would entail. She was hoping to get a satellite office set up in Truth or Consequences that would serve as a base of communications. I would have access to all of their intelligence of this care and any other cases that were similar in nature and, if nee
ded, I could even bring on a team. Basically, I would have free rein to get this guy as I saw fit. The vampire communities were in an uproar and this guy needed to be brought down.

  After lunch, I escorted her back to the station where her car (a Jaguar) was parked and we bid our farewells. I made a call to both Chaz Freely and Archibald Argent and both said they would be in my office within fifteen minutes. I also got Billy and told him when the mayor and DA got there to join the meeting.

  Sure enough in no time flat, all three men were in my office and the door was closed. I told them exactly what went down with Elizabeth and gave them the run down on her proposal. Once I finished, Mayor Argent took over.

  “She came to me this morning when she first got to town and asked for my permission to talk to you. At least she follows protocol and didn’t go straight to you. I also called your father to let him know. He will be coming by later to get a report as well.”

  “Mayor, what do you think about this? I feel it might be prudent to let Vic take the job. Who knows how long before this psycho changes his target to wolves.” Chaz had the same fears that I had. This was something that needed taken care of immediately.

  “If we do allow Sheriff Inglewood to assist the vampires, we need to consider who will be acting in his place until he returns.”

  “Mayor Argent, I feel Deputy Westchester and Detective Jacobs can run this department just fine. Both are skilled in their own ways and together they would do the badge justice. Besides, I don’t plan on leaving the area during this investigation.”

  Argent seemed to think this over for a second. “Alright, we all agree this problem could eventually turn into ours as well. Inglewood, get this bastard, and in the meantime, learn from the vampires. This could potentially be beneficial for us.”

  And just like that, the meeting was adjourned. Mayor Argent left right away, but Chaz stuck around for a few moments to give me some encouragement. When he left and it was just Billy and me in my office, I could see the young deputy was nervous.