so gentle when he spoke to Lauren again. “I’d like to ask you a few questions, Miss Crow.”
Was he suspicious of
Heidi frowned, but said, “Okay. I’ll go in with Deanna.”
The lieutenant took Heidi’s seat once she had left.
“You followed us home last night. I can’t imagine what else you might have to ask me,” Lauren said.
He smiled and shrugged. “Sorry. I thought you’d appreciate the escort.”
Lauren looked away to collect her thoughts. A man sitting across from them had a bloody bandage around his jaw. He stared at Lauren, unnerving her. Nurses were hovering over a little girl who had gotten her finger slammed in a car door. People here were sick, hurt, but the ER itself was busy and bright.
It made her memories of last night and the living shadows seem unreal.
“I want you to tell me more about the man who was involved in that bar fight,” Canady said to her.
She turned and looked at him again.
“He’s crazy,” she said.
“Oh? Why?”
“He believes in vampires.”
She waited for him to react, to shake his head in derision, to make a derogatory comment.
“Did you hear me? The man is nuts. I don’t think he’s dangerous, and he can be quite charming, but…he’s crazy.”
Canady still didn’t say a word.
“Lieutenant?”
“I see you’re still wearing your cross,” he said.
Her hand flew to her throat. She’d forgotten all about it.
“It’s not my cross,” she said.
“Well, you should keep it on anyway,” he said solemnly. “It’s very nice. And you won’t lose it that way, will you? So do you know anything about the other guy? Jonas?”
She shook her head. “No. Only that Deanna talked to him a few times.” She stared at him, once again feeling that something wasn’t quite right.
“What on earth is going on here?” she demanded.
“I intend to find out,” he told her. “Listen, I’m not sure you’re safe where you’re staying, and I don’t have the manpower to look after you there.”
“Why are you so worried about us?” she asked.
He was silent, looking across the room for a minute. Then he replied slowly. “I’ve been a cop a long time. It’s just a hunch, but I think you three have been targeted by…well, by some lunatic, for lack of a better word. I know a place that’s well protected.” He shrugged and grinned. “One of my officers is there all the time. He’s dating the manager. The owner is out of the country. I think you and your friend Heidi would be better off if you moved over there It’s called Montresse House. It’s right on Bourbon.” He rose. “I’ll have a man here watching your friend’s room to make sure she’s safe.”
“I don’t even know if they’re admitting her yet,” Lauren said.
“They’ll be admitting her,” Canady said softly.
A lump of fear rose to Lauren’s throat.
“She can’t be that bad. I need to take her home,” she said.
“She has to get better first,” he said. “Meanwhile, you two move over to Montresse House. And rest assured. I intend to get to the bottom of what’s happening.”
He handed her a business card, and Lauren took it from him without looking. He gave her a smile of reassurance and headed for the door.
She stared after him for a moment, then looked across the room. The man with the bloody jaw was gone.
By his empty chair, she saw the day’s paper.
And the headline.
Second Day—Second Corpse
She froze, flesh, blood and bones.
She closed her eyes, opened them, stared at the business card in her hand.
It was the same as the card Big Jim had given Deanna the night before.
7
M ark opened his eyes and groaned.
He’d been close. So damn close.
But he hadn’t expected the trap, and that had been a serious—nearly fatal—mistake on his part. But when Deanna had screamed, he had
