I stop to think about it but I know he is right. I always have. “I am all yours but remember you asked for it.”
Trevor gives me the biggest smile I have ever seen on him and holly crap. He is showing fang. He is so hot. I mean really, really hot. Something about him is just magnetic and I am all cheap metal. It is an irresistible pull. As in, I couldn’t resist if I wanted to and I don’t think I will ever want to.
“I have been thinking about you for years, Cate. I will never forget. I intend to have you beside me to remind me anyway.”
Trevor makes me a bowl of soup and brings over the bread. I ask what he is going to have and he just smiles. Oh…Oh!
Chapter 7: Dating, Really, Really Fast
Trevor and I had an amazing time tonight and by the time he drops me off Gran and Auntie Charles are dead asleep on the couch. Trevor kisses me on the front step and I am glad that he pulls away because I would not have. I would have done him on the front porch with the light on and we have a very bright porch light.
Did I mention that this was my first date? If I didn’t I will now. That was my first date and my first kiss and if Trevor had not had more restraint them me it might have been my first time. It’s probably poor form to lose your “V Card” on your gran’s front porch anyway.
Trevor is a first for me in a lot of ways. He is the first man who has actually known me that has still been interested for starters. He is the first person outside of my immediate family that I remember at all. I have always been told that I was pretty. I am about 5’2” 110lbs. with long wavy light brown hair and big blue eyes. Really cute boobs and nice legs too. But none of that ever outweighed the weirdness that is my family. You can’t date anyone if your family is too weird to meet them and I live with Gran. She is completely bat shit crazy and I am on the fast track to join her. It’s the job. You can never unsee the stuff you have seen and eventually you get one you can’t handle or they just all add up. One way or another you end up nuts. Even Auntie Charles is nuts just from being a seer. Too many lives and deaths in one head. No one can take it in the long run.
When I was growing up I had plenty of attention from guys my age right up until they stopped by the house and met Gran or Auntie Charles or Molly (our dead housekeeper who doesn’t want to leave but is kind of scary if you are not used to her and none of the guys ever were.) It usually only took one visit and any chance of a date was gone along with the young man I had been interested in. I was even stood up for senior prom. As a joke. Apparently someone hadn’t seen “Carry”.
Long story short by freshman year I was ignored or laughed at by everyone. Anyone too stupid to not be afraid of me made fun of me. I was called “Crazy Cattie”. It doesn’t even rhyme but like I said the smart ones were scared. So I have always just settled for being worshipped from afar by guys who did not know me.
This whole Trevor thing is totally new and out of my range of experience. He is smart, good looking, knows me and likes me. That is a combination I have never seen before.
I really like him too.
We are going out again tomorrow. I better get some sleep.
Chapter 8: Home Alone
This morning I have decided that cutting the phone wire was the best thing I have ever done. Gran is asleep. I am sober and I am going to be on time.
Auntie Charles is taking Gran to a coven retreat tonight and they are going to be gone for a whole 10 days to Ireland! As in a whole different country that is not our living room. I have never been alone before, never. This is awesome.
I am on the front step dressed, sober and on time when Trevor pulls up. He does not need to be proud of me because I am proud enough for both of us. I float down the steps and he grabs me for a kiss before he opens my door. I have a boyfriend and he really likes me even though he knows me. Go figure.
I ride to the station in a total state of confused bliss as Trevor tells me about the research he has done on the first potential vic that met our profile, Christine Vale. She disappeared in 1998 before social media required young people to record and post every time they ate breakfast or farted. The only info he had found on Ms. Vale was from an old roommate and it wasn’t a lot but it was more than enough. Christine was pretty but a bit of a loner, she did not tend to date, and kept to herself. The last semester she spent at St. Agnes she was in Professor McNeil’s anatomy and physiology class and they spent a lot of time together outside of class. The old roommate suspected they were having an affair. Still not enough for a search warrant but we have our guy. It is just a matter of time and I can feel it.
Trevor’s expression changed as I was thinking. I pictured Newt Gingrich naked bending over while peering over his shoulder provocatively. Trevor made a choking noise. That’s right vampire boy, read away. I’ll do Carl Rove next. Try and stop me.
Trevor speaks up as I step out of the car. “As your friend I would like to be kept in the loop regarding where you will be. You look just as much like her any of the other victims and she might be gunning for you.”
“I will. Yesterday was scary. Do you think the fashion tragedy is our girl?” I ask.
Trevor pauses a moment and then drops the big bomb. “The 1998 disappearance. She was a witch. Daughter of the leader of the Boston coven. She had some trouble on the east coast and they sent her here. It pretty much split her family. She disappeared over Christmas and it was not reported by her friends or her family. No one was expecting her so no one noticed when she was gone. They didn’t even searched her apartment until she was six weeks late on her rent.”
That has to be one of the saddest things I have ever heard.
I am holding his hand and he kisses me on the check. I feel it to my toes. I wonder when and how we will tell the rest of the station that we are dating. I didn’t need to worry. When I open the door my office is jammed with pink balloons and streamers. Every flat surface is covered in roses and a banner crosses the whole room that reads: CATE, WILL YOU MARRY ME!?! LOVE TREVOR
I keep waiting for someone to yell “Surprise” because I totally am surprised but everyone just looks at me. I didn’t hang the banner, or buy the balloons and roses. They are a nice touch though and if I had thought of it before I might have. Trevor had better get his butt up here really soon because I am getting nervous. I guess this is our second date.
Just as I am about to pass out from the tension Trevor walks in drops to one knee and pulls out a ring.
“Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” Trevor looks uncertain for the first time since I laid eyes on him twenty something years ago.
“Yes, nothing could ever make me happier. I love you.” I said that. Seriously. No wonder they call me Crazy Cate. I know that I am being compelled but I am not sure why. Trevor better have a really good explanation for this or I am going to want chocolate, too. A girl has to look out for herself these days. And I like chocolate.
Trevor slips on the ring and stands to give me a kiss. The office bursts into cheers. I am elated and confused, more confused than elated. Trevor takes my hand and guides me to his office. I hope he has an explanation for this because I really don’t.
He closes his door and sits behind his desk and pulls me into his lap. We are both quiet for a minute. I am hoping he will just explain and I won’t have to ask but he is silent with his eyes closed and his cheek pressed to the top of my head. He probably is tired. I know I would be if I had stayed up all night stuffing my co-workers office with balloons and streamers and roses. That is why I never do it. But I still need answers and tired or not Trevor is going to give them to me because no one else can.
“Trevor, what was that? I was not expecting a proposal just yet and that was very public.”
He sighed, “I didn’t want to tell you. I was hoping to give us some time but something has happened. I have been receiving threats. From the local vampire leaders. Traditionally they have paid off city officials, any city officials to look the other way when someone died or went missing, fifty years ago I changed
that. If vampires were going to be accepted into society we had to follow the rules. At least the most basic ones, like no murder. It was hard but most of the community saw the necessity. You have the take the responsibility with the benefits. Eight months ago a new leader took over this area of the U.S. Pretty much the entire western sea board. It was a challenge and Demetri won. Our old leader was killed and now Demetri is in charge. He came to me six months ago and wanted to put me on the pay roll. To make things like they were in the old days. Vampires don’t need to kill and the ones that do only do it as a show of power. Demetri wants that option. I told him no. I wound not take his money and any deaths that looked vampire related would be investigated and prosecuted. He made the offer twice more, increasing the amounts both times. When I said no again he started sending me these.”
Trevor pulls out a folder of pictures and dumps them on is scary. Really, really scary. There are even pictures of me asleep in my bedroom taken from right beside the bed. Pictures of me at dinner, waking, everyting I did. Even pictures of Molly, Gran and Charles.
Trevor says that they had never come with a note but the threat was implied. They knew who I was and what I meant to Trevor. Last night after he dropped me at home the offer had changed. Demetri had met him at his house unexpectedly. The price had gone up. If Trevor didn’t turn his head Demetri would take mine. Trevor could pick. I was his weakest point. Therefore that was what Demetri would exploit.
The public proposal was meant to protect me. The one cardinal rule that all vampires everywhere adhered to was you can’t hurt another vampire’s mate. The bond is permanent and if a mate is killed the vampire often goes rouge and has to be put down. If you are lucky it can be done before it draws too much attention. Of the dead body kind. It makes for very bad press and hurts the entire community. If we are married I can’t be touched. It is part gentleman’s agreement and part just good business.
Married is probably better than being beheaded. I assume anyway because people willingly get married all the time but I can’t remember the last time I heard of an elective decapitation.
Trevor says we have to go to the court house today or by tonight we will be on the run. Demetry is not expecting this and by tonight the element of surprise will be lost and I will be better then dead. He is telling the truth, I can feel it. It still seems strange but it also seems right. If that makes sense.
When we step out the door Michaels is waiting with Jan to go to the court house with us. Gran and Auntie Charles are on their way to Ireland by now for the coven meeting. I guess it will be just us four. Jan is sobbing uncontrollably and I tell her she should wait for the wedding. That only makes her cry harder. Jan is so weird.
We are only four buildings down from the court house so we walk. The whole thing takes about five minutes. Trevor had gotten the paperwork earlier so all I have to do is sign and repeat the words. We walk back to the station hand in hand with Michael trying to comfort an almost hysterical Jan. Did I mention Jan is weird?
We walk back into the station and are greeted as the new Mr. and Mrs. Trevor Sterling. Trevor gives me a kiss and everyone cheers like crazy. It is the only way the Odd Squad can cheer because they really are mostly crazy.
Trevor whispers “Tonight” in my ear and watches as I struggle into my balloon filled office. When I finally make it in I freeze. There is a new envelope in my in box. They have an official victim 5. I open the file and it is her. The weird girl from yesterday. The pictures are from the scene (her bedroom) but it is way different from the others. She is still in her purple sweater, on top of the sheets and her eyes are open. The first four were in bed, in their pj’s, eyes shut. She is not even trying anymore. She just got much more dangerous. She doesn’t care if we know.
So much for my super awesome new wedding day. Poop. It is 3:38 pm.
I take the file to Trevor who is in his office with Michaels. Michaels has mascara and lipstick smeared on his shirt from Jan’s breakdown. Hilarious. But that is not why I am here. I show Trevor, my new husband, the new file. I tell him per our agreement where I am going and he says, “No”.
“No” was not part of the agreement. I simply told him I would let him know where I was. Not that I would listen to him. That was not even implied. I say, “Objection duly noted.” And head for the street. I will grab a cab and Prof. Mc Neil will wish he had never been born. This thing just became super urgent and I don’t have time to argue. Husband thing or not.
Trevor follows me to the curb and blocks me as I try to hail a cab. Are you kidding me?
“How am I supposed to do my job if I can’t even go interview possible witnesses?”
Trevor, “You can, just give me time to finish with Michaels and I will go with you. It will not take more then fifteen minutes.”
“In fifteen minutes I can be in his office. He can’t hurt me. It is broad day light and I do not need protection. You have a job too. We can’t work this way.”
Trevor thinks for a minute and finally says yes but we are going to talk about it tonight when we get home. I smile and hail a cab. Home. Whose home does he mean? Maybe I was being impulsive. I really do love the new ring though. In ten minutes I am walking up the stairs in the Science Building and Prof. McNeil is sitting in his office. He is in his early sixties but he looks like he should be ninety. He has lived a rough life. Sucks to be him. And if I am right, which I usually am, it’s about to suck way worse.
I walk into his office without knocking and his head pops up. I can see genuine fear in his eyes. Something has scared him bad. Or maybe he is just intimidated by 5’2” girls. That would be rough. I bet it is just the talking dead ones with light brown hair and blue eyes that scare him but we will see.
I take the chair across from him and get straight to the point. I ask him what he knows about Ms. Christine Vale. I think he may faint. Now he is really scared. I notice a picture on his desk. I assume it is him and his wife circa 1999. She is expecting. He sees me looking at the picture and I know I have him. Guilt just pours off of him, he reeks of it and he is starting to sweat.
I rephrase the question. “Where is Christine Vale? I need to know right now. It is, as I am sure you know by now, a matter of life and death.”
The professor does not say a word. He just continues to stare at me like I am the devil. He is underestimating me.
I try one more time, “I am sure you know what is happening. We have five dead girls and I can link them all to Ms. Vail and I can link Ms. Vail to you. Out of a sense of basic decency you must tell me where I can find her or what is left of her before anyone else dies.”
Prof. McNeil finally finds his voice, “If you don’t leave now I am going to call the police.”
I reach in my pocket and flip out my badge. Best part of the job. “The police are already here. Where is Christine?”
“Leave. Show me a warrant or leave. I know my rights and you can’t question me if I don’t want to talk. Leave.”
Prof. McNeil is not only guilty he is a coward. He would rather let other girls die then man up and help. What a total chicken shit.
I tell him this and he takes it the wrong way. Go figure.
“I am not a coward. I am innocent and you are leaving now or I will file harassment charges.”
My inner bitch takes over. I glamour myself to look just like the last picture we have of Christine and smile at him. “I can’t leave. The door is locked. You are keeping me here against my will and I am an officer of the law. Do you have any idea how serious this is?”
McNeil vaults out of his seat like an Olympic sprinter and runs to the door. Which is locked. I know this because I just locked it. Part of being a witch. The things you find are not always admitable in court but neither are the things you do. There is no way on earth to prove I locked that door. No one even knows that I can. McNeil can pull as long as he wants but that door is not moving until I say it moves.
I am sitting in a spinning chair and I start to spin in circles waiting for the dumba
ss to figure it out and sit back down or die of a heart attack or whatever he wants to do. I am free all day and all day tomorrow too. I tell him that and he finally sits down
He is a man defeated. “It wasn’t my fault. It wasn’t my fault. She was pregnant and it would ruin everything. She would tell and ruin everything. It wasn’t my fault.”
“Where is Christine Vail right now Prof. McNeil? I need to know right now. I don’t give a shit whose fault it was. Now.”
Prof McNeil repeats that it wasn’t his fault about three more times and then campus security shows up to open the door. I guess we made enough noise that someone called.
As they are prying open the door I ask one more time, “This is a matter of life and death. Five girls have already died. Where is Christine?”
He looks at me blankly and says, “It wasn’t my fault.”
When the door crashes open the young security guy apologizes profusely and I say that I can’t believe that crazy man would lock me in like that. I really don’t believe it because he didn’t lock us in, I did, but if it gets him in some trouble I am willing to live with the lie. I hand the security dude my official card out of habit and I turn and glare at McNeil and give him a mental message. “I’ll be back.” I do it all Terminator but I don’t think he gets it.
I am half way down the stairs feeling really crappy about my visit with Professor McNeil when the young security guy that “saved me” stops me and introduces himself as David. It makes me think of my brother. He seems nervous. He asks if we can go to the security office and talk. The office is on the first floor. He is about six feet tall, solid build with black hair and dark eyes. We both have badges. I guess we are on the same team, even if his is less weird. He also feels like he is safe, I get the vibe that he wants to help, I just don’t know with what.
The security office is just behind Mary’s receptionist desk, she doesn’t know me but I know her, sort of. It makes me feel safer. The old lady at the receptionist desk makes me feel safe from the twenty year old security guard. I am the worst cop ever. Ever.
The Bloody Mary Diet: The Detective Adele Series Book 1 Page 5
