“God, that’s terrible.”
“Yes, it was awful. But, you know, it got even worse. I knew the poor dear – you don’t live in the same town with someone for several decades and not get to know them a little - and said that she could stay with me for a while. She was a wisp of a thing anyway, and the whole ordeal took quite a toll on her. For a while, she tried to continue to convince the council that she was the Jane South that owned the house and almost got herself in trouble; they thought that there were only two reasons that could be behind what she was saying, fraud or that she’s gone mad. I convinced her to drop it as it was clear that she would not win. She knew it too but didn’t know what else to do.
“After that, she just spent most of her time wasting away in my spare room upstairs. I tried to get her involved in some of my little events, but she would always hide herself away whenever I invited anyone over. Well, this went on for a while, but one day while she was going through the Visiter - one of our local papers – she saw her address listed in the classified ads. However, the picture given was not of her old house, but one of the new builds that the developer had replaced it with. Good grief, she took it hard, she just couldn’t accept that the old place had gone. Indeed, in a way, it did for her in terms of any idea of staying around here. After that…
“I have to admit, with quite a bit of guilt, I was starting to tire of having her around in the state she was in. Though I’m glad to say it never bothered me to share my blood supplies, eventually I got Nora Jacobs, the friend at the school I was talking about before, to send someone down and have a word with Jane.
“After a rather lengthy chat, to which I was not privy, the young looking fellow that Nora had sent convinced Jane that it might be good for her to go to the Tunnels. So she did. Took quite a weight off her, I think. When she left, she looked like a new person; the baggage of the loss of her old home had gone.”
“I’ve never heard anything like it,” said Amanda.
“No dear, and hopefully you never will again. You know, since that happened, I make a point of making sure that everything I own is down in such a way that the same thing cannot happen to me. I’d advise you to do the same if you can. You never know otherwise. Anyway, enough about all that. Aren’t you here to ask me some questions?”
“Yes, sure,” said Amanda a little disappointed. After her previous interviews, she was pretty sure that Caroline would have no real information on Brenden’s attack, but she supposed it was best to get the task over and done with.
“My only real question is whether you have any information on Brenden’s attack; for example, whether you heard about or saw any other vampires about in the area around the time of the event.”
“From your tone, I get the impression that you don’t think I’m going to have any information to give you.”
“Am I wrong?”
“Unfortunately, you’re quite right. I’d love to help you, but just like after the attack on Johann, I don’t think I can give you anything that could help track down the culprit.”
“What did happen to Johann?”
“Haven’t you already spoken to him?”
“Yes, but it would be good to hear the story from someone else who was here at the time.”
“You think there might be a link?”
“I don’t know. I mean, from what I’ve heard, these investigations into attacks almost never end up with the perpetrators being caught. And I’ve so few leads that I might as well try and gather whatever information I can. It’s probably not going to lead anywhere anyway.”
“Well, I’m not sure how much I can tell you. I think that the attack happened out on Old East Lane, near a number of out of use farmhouses that have, in the time since, been converted into a rather expensive looking home. In fact, I think it’s pretty much the only thing out there.”
“Old East Lane, where is that?”
“It’s on the other side of town, I can get you a map if you wish.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m sure I’ll be able to find it. Thanks. Is there anything else you can tell me?”
“Well, just that it was a savage attack. I remember our Mr Packard having a little moan about it all once; how uncivilised it all was and how it drew attention to the town and to him, as if he’s the centre of everything.”
Amanda laughed, as even though she had only met Packard once, she got the impression that Caroline’s description of the arrogance of the man was quite accurate. As the moment ended, she was disappointed to discover that the conversation appeared to have come to a natural end.
“Well, unless there’s anything else that you can think of, I guess that’s all that I have to ask.”
“I wish I
