Maybe Davids words irritated him because they had touched a little too close to home.
Well, she is nice eye candy, David continued. And everyone is welcome at my club. She has to do her job, right, Jagger?
No, I have to do my job. I have to find a murderer. I hope that it doesnt prove to be a vampire, but if it does well, we have to handle it as a community.
David looked away. Its against nature, he said softly.
Our lives are against nature. We drink blood thats inferior to what our ancestors craved, but weve evolved, weve adapted to it. Louisiana has the death penalty. And since we dont have any vampire prisons, we have no choice. Rogues die, and its a community affair.
What do you want me to do?
Call a meeting.
All right. And Ill make it known that everyones presence is required, though I cant guarantee that well get everyone.
I think most of our kind will be extremely concerned, since they know the other races will be breathing down our necks. This is frightening, David. Frightening for everyone. A young woman was killed, drained of blood. The whole city will be up in arms. And you can guarantee our friends in the underworld of New Orleans society will all be staring at us.
Ill call the meeting, David assured him. Youll be presiding?
You bet.
I think I can manage it by latelatetomorrowthe following morning, really. Make it 3:00 a.m. Those who are still hanging out here will probably be three sheets to the wind, not likely to interrupt. The rectory, 3:00 a.m.
That will work. Thanks, David.
So, will you have some lunch? As my guest, of course.
I appreciate the offer, but its going to be a long day.
Where are you off to now?
The morgue, Jagger told him.
Fiona arrived at Underworld while lunch was still being served. She walked up to the hostess stand, and the woman standing there looked up at her with patronizing patience. She looked Fiona up and down, and would have sniffed audibly if it werent against all sense of Southern courtesy. She was dressed in black, and had long black hair, black eyes and enormous breasts.
Yes? A table for one? Im afraid theres a wait, the woman said.
Shapeshifter, Fiona thought.
And she probably knew damned well who she was, and what she wanted.
Im sorry, Im not here for lunch at all. I need to see Mr. Du Lac, Fiona said.
Ah, the woman said, just looking at her.
Fiona wasnt in the mood for a staring contest.
If you would be so kind, I would deeply appreciate it if you would tell Mr. Du Lac that Im here.
Do you have an appointment?
Im quite certain that hes expecting me, Fiona said.
Hes a very busy man. Perhaps you could leave your card.
Perhaps you could inform him that Fiona MacDonald is here. In fact, I strongly suggest that you do so right now.
The woman lifted her chin. Fiona could tell that she was about to stall again.
Fiona hated changing. She seldom had to do so, but she was adept at the art that was her birthright. She could do so in an instant, and change back so quickly that anyone seeing her who didnt know would assume it had been a trick of the light. So
She changed. She gave something that was a warning growl, fangs dripping and bared.
And then she changed back instantly.
You dont need to get huffy, the woman told her. Right this way.
She led Fiona past the scattered tables in the courtyard. Beneath one of the lovely umbrellas with its fleur-de-lis in black and gold, she saw David Du Lac comfortably seated.
He had been leaning back, eyes shaded by his dark glasses, hands folded, toes tapping to the sounds of the jazz band.
His pose was casual, but he had seen her coming. He rose, extending his hands to her, a broad smile stretching out across his features.
Fiona, my dear, welcome, welcome to my club.
She accepted his hands, along with the kiss he gave her on each cheek. Valentina, be a dear and see that Miss MacDonald receives a libation right away. What will it be, my dear? A Bloody Mary is always a lovely concoction for lunchtime.
Im fine, really.
You must accept my hospitality, David insisted.
Iced tea, please, Fiona said.
She noticed that Valentina, the bitchy shapeshifter, as she would always think of the woman from this moment forth, did sniff audibly then.
Certainly, David, the woman crooned.
David, you know why Im here, Fiona said, watching the bitchy shapeshifter swish away.
Dont mind her. Shes a jealous vixen if ever Ive seen one.
Shes a triple D with feet, Fiona said. Hardly likely to be jealous of me.
Ah, my sweet child, what you dont know about your own sex! David said, then grew serious. But never mind. I do know why youre here.
David, this wasnt just someone who went insane and attacked a woman, then tried to hide her body. It wasnt someone trying to create his eternal love. This was an act of war, really. She was left where some city guide with tourists in tow would find her. She was put on display, stretched out David, this is extremely serious.
I do know that, my child, he said.
Im not a child, David, she reminded him quietly. Im the Keeper.
Fiona, no offense meant. But youre supposed to step in when we cant police our own.
This was the action of a rogue, David.
Yes, yes, of course. And I promise you, if wed known heor shewas out there, we would never have let it happen. But have some faith, Fiona. Please. Jagger DeFarge is working the case and
Hes a vampire, David. He doesnt want to believe that hes hunting down one of his own.
David leaned back, stretching his arms out as if to encompass not only his club but the entire city. Fiona, I love my life. Or death. Or afterlife. However one chooses to refer to this existence, Im a good man.
David, I wasnt accusing you of anything.
My point is that I dont want anyone taking this away from me. I enjoy the money, frankly, not to mention the beautiful creatures of all kinds who cross my threshold. I revel in the music. Would I risk losing this? If I knew who had done this, I promise you, I would see to it that Jagger DeFarge knew, and that our own council handled the matter immediately. You must believe me.
A friendly ash blond waiter with a broad smile delivered her ice tea and asked if she wanted anything else.
The crawfish étouffée is to die for today, David told her.
Thank you, but
Please, David said.
She was hungry, and she had to have lunch somewhere. Fine, thank you, she said.
David grinned broadly, delighted, as the waiter moved on to place her order.
David, you know that I will follow this all the way through, that Ill be in everyones face everywhere, Fiona said.
It will be charming to have you here, he assured her. Fiona, I swear, I will do my utmost to help you in any way that I can. But I am asking you something, too. Give Jagger DeFarge a chance.
It will be charming to have you here, he assured her. Fiona, I swear, I will do my utmost to help you in any way that I can. But I am asking you something, too. Give Jagger DeFarge a chance.
I have to give him a chance, dont I? Hes with the policehell be front and center in the investigation, she said dryly. But heres what I wont get from Jagger, David. I dont believe hell tell me when hes suspicious of someone. Hell protect his own until the very endand he may cause more deaths by his unwillingness to believe the killer is a vampire.
Thats not true, David said.
A throat was cleared behind them. Crawfish étouffée, the young waiter announced, giving Fiona a fascinated smile. She thanked him as he refilled her tea and handed David another Bloody Mary.
Who do you suspect? she demanded, when the waiter had left them at last.
No one, David said.
Youre a liar. But if you point me in a certain direction, I will be discreet as I investigate, Fiona said.
No one, really.
Liar. Who is the most belligerent? Who wants to go back to the old ways?
David looked away.
She followed his line of vision toward a tall man across the courtyard, just on the other side of the small stage reserved for the jazz band. He was flirting with a woman seated at his table. She was middle-aged, slim and elegant, with fingers that dripped jewels. She was laughing delightedly at something the man was saying.
Who is he? Fiona demanded, staring at David. Hes a newcomer to the area, but a vampire, I can smell him a mile away.
David sighed. Well, of course, you can, he murmured. All right, all right. That man is Mateas Grenard, and yes, hes not been here long. He immediately sought out the council, though, before anyone had to find him and welcome him to the city. He has openly disagreed with some of our rules, but isnt that the American way?
Theres not much else I can tell you, Craig Dewey said. They were in autopsy. The corpse of the beautiful blonde still looked as angelic as when it had first been discovered. I havent opened her up yetwell get to that tomorrow. Weve done the death photographs and taken what blood we could for testswhich was hard, since shes been drained almost completely dry. If theres a quarter of a pint left in her body, Id be surprised. Cause of deathwell, I could be wrong, but it looks pretty obvious that she bled out. Its as if it was siphoned from her body. Weve tried to find semen stains, and we ran a rape kit with intriguing results, particularly given what we just found out in the last few minutes. Determining sexual assault has been almost impossible.
What? Why? Was there evidence of semen? Or condoms?
At least seven different brands, Dewey said dryly. Were taking it step by step. Im sorry, but its the only way, even thoughI know you want to catch this killer before panic fills the city.
There was something that seemed eternally sad about the snow-white body on the table, though the white gown had been replaced by a morgue sheet.
You said you found something out in the last few minutes, Jagger said. You know who she is?
Got a match on her prints. The results posted to your office and mine about five minutes ago, Dewey told him, an odd look on his face.
What is it?
Snow White here isnt what she appears to be. Her name is Tina Lawrence. She worked at Barely, Barely, Barely, which is a pretty lowbrow establishment across Rampart from the Quarter, Dewey said, offering him the report folder.
Jagger scanned it quickly.
The angelic Miss Tina Lawrence had a rap sheet a mile long. Drugs, prostitution and assault and battery.
Wow, he said.
Not a nice young lady, Dewey said.
Jagger winced. She knifed a college student for being four dollars short, he said quietly.
Keep reading. She tried to cut the balls off another john. Get this, she admitted she wanted to kill him. Amazing she wasnt in jail, Dewey said.
We can pick people up, but we cant always get them past the legal systems and the pleas and the deals, Jagger said. Seems she got off that because she had some drug connections and the D.A. offered her a plea in order to pick up a few of her friends who were higher up in the drug chain.
Not a nice girl. Actually a deadly girland now a dead one, Dewey commented. Well, anyway, there you have it. I guess youll be heading off to the strip club, Dewey said, punching him lightly on the arm. Have fun.
Thanks.
Jagger walked out of the autopsy room and left the morgue. He called Tony Miro, and told him where to head to start questioning Tina Lawrences friends, coworkers and employer, and to pull the credit card receipts and find out who had been in attendance at Tinas last show. He needed to hang around near the morgue.
Waiting for the sun to fall.
As Dewey had said, Tina Lawrence hadnt been a nice girl. Shed been a deadly one.
He could only begin to imagine the horror that would be Tina Lawrence as a vampire.
Chapter 3
The coroners office never closed. It employed all manner of forensic specialists, along with financial and clerical staff. Under the Napoleonic Code of Law still in effect in Louisiana, the New Orleans coroners office was responsible not only for the classification of death, but also the evaluation of sex crimes and the overall general health of the citizens of the city, specifically recognizing serious threats from disease. It was a busy place. By day pathologists, forensic psychiatrists, patient liaisons, nurses in charge of sexual assault exams, forensic anthropologists, forensic odontologists and more clogged the corridors.
Death didnt stop at any particular time of day, so naturally a morgue couldnt close.
But by nightfall the accountants, assistants and usually even the experts in such fields as toxicology, entomology and more had called it quits for the day, and only a skeleton crewif the pun could be forgivenwere on duty. The dead, after all, were dead.
Usually.
Fiona headed down Martin Luther King Boulevard and arrived outside the buildings entrance while it was still early; she watched as people came and went, and then kept on watching as they mainly went.
There was no choice then but to go through the change, to concentrate and enter as a vampire would, in a shroud of mist.
The guards never suspected a thing as she went by; the outer offices, where a few doctors were still working, were easily breeched; and she breezed by the night attendant sitting outside the morgue without being noticed. Because several people had died in recent days, she took a chance and searched through the records to find the right body.
Then she headed into the dim, chilly room.
To her surprise, the body of Tina Lawrence had not been slid away neatly into a refrigerated slot but she was stretched out on an autopsy table.
The room smelled heavily of antiseptics and chemical compounds, not so much of death itself, yet the very antiseptics made it seem that the scent of death was prevalent in the air.
She slipped in and concentrated hard on regaining her customary form, aware that during the good times she should have been practicing her transformations techniques. But all the while she couldnt help wondering why they had left Tina Lawrence as she was.