Death and the Vampire by Venter Jason

Author:Venter, Jason
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-06-29T00:00:00+00:00

XIV.

M andi got out of her vehicle, then turned and noticed I hadn’t made a move to unbuckle my seatbelt.

“Are you coming?” she asked. “If we hurry, we can get good seats.”

I didn’t know if I wanted to come, because my mind had gone to work on possibilities that involved Barry. If Vitolva had ties to the building, and Barry to Vitolva, then it stood to reason he might also have ties to the murder.

“You should get out of the vehicle, at least,” Fuzzy prompted.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and followed that advice, because I figured I could always change my mind later. Really, I just needed time to think. It’s funny how whatever I need at the moment is the last thing I can have. Even Mandi would notice eventually if I put up a fight over leaving the building, since I’d asked her to drive me to it.

“Our last meeting was a little different,” Mandi said as she double checked her locked doors. “I think you’ll like this one more. It should focus a lot more on strategy and sales techniques. I always learn a lot.”

“Yeah, it sounds great.” I presented the best smile I could manage, but it felt artificial on my face.

Mandi turned and marched to a sidewalk, then hurried along it while I scrambled to keep up with her and told myself I was just being silly. There was no way a vampire would have a connection to a company that peddles vitamin shakes. Well, almost no way.

“You need to recover by the time we get wherever we’re going,” Fuzzy said. “Remember that you are a reaper. Show some spine.”

And if Barry is a vampire?

“I already said. You’re a reaper.”

We entered the lobby and caught the elevator to the same floor I remembered from my previous visit. As we ascended, I kept hoping my eyes had deceived me. But then the doors glided open, and Mandi led me along the hallway.

“It’s up here, on the left.”

Not the room where they found the body, I told Fuzzy, relieved. Maybe it’s all a coincidence.

Mandi opened a doorway, and we stepped inside as I took a last glance to my right, where the single door leading to the old crime scene now looked completely unremarkable. I saw no crime tape and no police officer standing guard.

Fuzzy and I followed Mandi to a collection of chairs that formed a half-circle, all facing toward another couple of seats positioned against a wall. A table to the side held the usual refreshments: donuts and coffee. Neither I nor my spectral companion paid them much heed. Our minds were elsewhere.

“Did you want a donut?” Mandi asked. “Looks like it’s mostly maple bars.”

I took one treat but let it rest on my lap as I sat in a chair. I felt the slightest bit numb, and I told myself I needed to snap out of it. If Barry really was a vampire, I had to remain alert around him. And if he wasn’t one, perhaps I could use him to lead me to my target.

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