AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, well, we get by.”
“Really? I mean, you don’t get paid for being the mayor. It’s more of a title than a job. You must only get a small salary for helping at the police department. It’s got to be tough.”
“Sometimes.”
“And you’ve got no other income.”
“Okay.” Rita’s voice hardened. “What are you really asking me?”
Barbara eyed her more keenly. “You’ve lived here all your life. You know everyone in this town and everything that goes on. I find it hard to believe the Doc and Mowlam were trading illegal vampyr artifacts right under your nose. And the Doc’s plan, to get a cull authorized and steal the bodies? Someone in authority would have to have been involved. Even if they didn’t get their hands dirty.”
Rita stared at her. “So, you think I was taking bribes? That is a mighty big accusation. You got any proof, Barbara?”
“Nope. And I’m sure if I came to your house and asked to look in your basement, I wouldn’t find anything illegal stored down there, would I?”
Rita swallowed. “Of course not.”
“Good.” Barbara nodded. “Do the drugs work?”
“For now, they’re helping.”
“What happens when you need more?”
“I always keep a little something aside for a rainy day.”
“I bet you do.”
“We all done here now, Detective?”
“Yeah, I guess we are.”
Outside, a horn beeped. Barbara picked up her bag. She walked to the door and then paused.
“You know, I wouldn’t hold on to those ‘rainy day’ things for too long, Rita.”
“Why’s that?”
“They might start to whisper.”
—
Barbara climbed into the back of the cab next to Grace. Al dumped their bags in the trunk and sat down in the driver’s seat.
“I hear you caught the vampyr that killed those boys.”
“I had help—from the Colony.”
He shook his head. “I guess they ain’t all bad then.”
“No, sir.”
He shook his head. “Next thing you know, one of ’em will want to be a police officer.” He chortled at the thought.
Barbara smiled. “Now that would be crazy, right?”
“Oh yeah.”
Al started the engine and pulled away, big tires making light work of the mushy snow.
