Hunter’s angry voice joined in. “I don’t like where this is going. Get to the point or get out.”
I shook my head gently. “This is police business,brother. I’llget out when it’s concluded to my satisfaction. And if you don’t like where it’s going, maybe you should take a stroll round the block? Cool down. Go eat a moon pie or something.”
He leaned forward, perching on the sofa’s edge, the frustration in his tone steadily growing. “Listen to me and listen well. This ismyhome. You don’t come in here and start acting like you own the place. You feel me?”
His face reddened. It was childish, but I liked yanking his chain. And I was the one in charge of the questions, not him. “Oh, I feel you. But I’m getting to the bottom of this one way or another. If you keep interrupting, we’ll be here until midnight. You want that?”
“I didn’t want you in here in the first place. If you didn’t have that badge…”
“And don’t forget the gun,” I said, nodding downward at it in its nylon and velcro holster.
Humans didn’t trust regular civilians to have real firearms in New Nebraska, but the paranormal police were federally authorized to carry and use firearms. My piece was a .45 caliber automatic pistol, but instead of its bullets firing lead, they shot out high-grade silver. Extremely effective against any kind of paranormal, but particularly so on vamps and wolf shifters. I also had a back-up .380 ACP holstered on my ankle, and a—not exactly police issue—titanium switchblade in my back pocket in case things got up close and personal. Not that I’d have used any weapons on my estranged brother, of course, despite his haughty attitude.
Hunter had to understand I was the law and here on official business, and not just here to mooch his fancy coffee. “Like it or not, this is a very serious investigation. So can you please keep out of it while I question”—I paused looking at Serenity, pretending I’d forgotten her name—“I’m sorry, your name was…?”
“Serenity, Detective. And I’m happy to answer all your questions if it’ll help you. I just don’t understand what you mean?”
“Well, thing is, Rico’s near-death emergency happened becausehe’d been given drugs at the shelter.” I took a moment to let that sink in for her, picking my coffee up and taking a larger mouthful from the slowly cooling liquid.
“Drugs? At the shelter?” she said, with a look of shock on her face. I stayed fixed on her eyes. The surprise was genuine.
I nodded. “Yes, yesterday.”
Bryce piped up. He was pacing back and forth on an expensive-looking rug, several feet in the background. “I hope you’re not implying Serenity has anything to do with this, Dagger?”
“I’m not implying anything. Just answering the lady’s question. Are you going to keep butting in as well now? Or do you want me to get the answers I need and leave?”
“The second option, as fast as possible,” Hunter said. His face’s shade was now matching the ruby sofa and his tone had become deeply irritated. A ginger cat pounced on to his lap, and he began petting it, the stroking motions seeming to calm him, reducing the redness in his cheeks. I held back mockery the best I could, though my tone was swathed in sarcasm.
“Oh, nice kitty. That pet therapy? When’d you get it?”
He exhaled hard through gritted teeth. “You’re the one who needs therapy. In spades. Now just get on with it.”
“Great, let’s do that.” I turned my focus back to Serenity. “Rico said yesterday some vamp came up to him outside the shelter, said he was close friends with you.”
Hunter and Bryce both began protests but Serenity held her palms up in both directions, signaling for them to stop. I liked that, the stripper putting the tough guy and the big shot in their places with such ease. “Guys, I know you mean well, but I want to answer these questions myself, please.”
Hunter huffed, Bryce sighed, and I let her speak. “Detective, if you knew me, you’d know I’d never be friends with any vampire, let alone a drug-dealing one. I’m frankly shocked at this. You have to believe me.”
Again, her eyes spoke the truth. Unfortunately, the vamp marks told a solid story too. A story that could be quite different than the one she was telling me. Was she in collusion with the vamp gangs? One of these girls who had a kink for being fed from violently, maybe. They were rare but they did exist. One thing was clear though: if she was playing Hunter and Bryce for complete fools—a hard task in itself—she was doing it with the best act I’d ever come across. And I’d seen many in my time.
I smacked my lips and shrugged. “Okay, let’s say I believe you. Why was he handing out fifty dollar wraps to this kid and his friends for free, saying it was the same sort you liked? And—”
“Detective, please. That’s crazy. I’ve never used—”
It was my turn to hold up a palm. “Let me finish. This same kid also said the vamp showed him a photo of you, saying he was your biggest fan and good friend.”
She gulped, her voice shaky. “What photo?”
My jaguar growled but I stifled the sound. He was furious at the prospect I might embarrass this woman he’d grown strangely attached to in a matter of minutes. I didn’t enjoy shaming adult entertainment workers either, they were just doing a job that was in regular demand. I decided to tread a little lightly for once.
“Uh, nothing explicit. Just a picture of you. Dancing. Wearing a cowboy hat and smiling widely. He showed it as some sort of proof, though I suspect the free drugs would have been enough temptation without it. There’s been a huge rise in drug deaths recently. I know the vamps are behind it. You have experience with vamps, right?” The marks made my question almost obsolete, but I wanted to see if her eyes would keep shouting the truth.
They did. But through a glaze of tears. “I do. But not in the way you’re implying.”
Now my suspicions were starting to ease. But not disappear. She seemed genuinely pained and I felt it vibrate across my body. I kept my composure though, wincing inside at the next question Ihad to ask. “I can’t help but see you have certain marks. Seen them thousands of times. They only happen one way. I’m sorry I have to ask, but have you ever received money for letting vamps feed from you?”
Hunter growled under his breath.
