Death of a Vampire (Stanley Hastings Mystery, A Short Story) by Parnell Hall

Author:Parnell Hall [Hall, Parnell]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Mystery & Crime
ISBN: 9781936441624
Publisher: Parnell Hall
Published: 2013-02-03T05:00:00+00:00

I CAUGHT up with the vampire that night as he was hailing his cab. The goth must have worked her magic, because Daddy was nowhere around.

I sidled up to the vampire, said, “Wanna share a cab?”

He didn’t sink his teeth into my throat. I took that as a good sign. On the other hand, he didn’t seem pleased to see me. And not in the ritual Sergeant MacAullif way. The guy was pissed. “Who the hell are you?” he said.

He had a Brooklyn accent. The goth hadn’t mentioned that. Of course, I hadn’t asked. My interrogation techniques are a little suspect. Just ask Alice.

“I don’t wanna give you a hard time. Believe it or not, I was young once too. You’re dating the guy’s daughter, and he’s less than thrilled. He wants to know the score. I could tell him myself, but that’s not what he wants. So why don’t you cut me a break.”

“Her father hired you?”

“Did I say that? I don’t recall saying that. I would certainly be in a position to deny saying that if you ever made the claim. But the gentleman is concerned with whether or not you’re a vampire.”

“Oh,” he said with disgust. “Debbie ratted me out.”

“You ratted yourself out. You look like a vampire. You act like a vampire. Granted, you don’t dress like a vampire. But you walk around like the Prince of Darkness. It’s a little hard to miss. What’s your story?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me.”

“Fine,” he said. “Let’s make a deal. I’ll tell you what you wanna know. When I’m done, you go about your business, I’ll get in a cab and go about mine. You won’t try to follow me, find out where I live, stake out my apartment, tap my phone.”

“Done.”

“Okay, what do you want to know?”

“Are you a vampire?”

He grimaced. “That’s not the point.”

“It may not be the point, but it’s what I wanna know.”

“The point is not whether I’m a vampire; the point is whether you believe I am. Debbie does. That’s enough for her, and it’s enough for me. If it’s not enough for her father, that’s tough. That’s the way it is.”

“Our deal was you’d answer my questions.”

“I’m answering your questions. You may not like the answers, but that’s not our deal.”

“Do you have an apartment, or do you sleep all day in the ground covered with a layer of dirt?”

“That’s just the type of ridicule I could expect.”

“From a mere mortal?” I asked impishly.

He smiled. “You’re not helping yourself.”

“Maybe not. I’d like just one denial I can take to the bank.”

“Fine,” he said. “Ask me if I mean Debbie any harm.”

“That isn’t what I meant.”

“Yeah, but isn’t that what this is all about? Does her old man really give a damn who or what I am, or is he concerned for his daughter’s safety? If it’s the first thing, he’s an idiot, and I can’t help him. If it’s the second thing, he should be reassured.”

“What do you do?”

“I’m a student.”

“At Columbia?”

“Yeah.” He cocked his head at me.

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