Victoria Nelson - Blood Trail Part 18

Suddenly, he grinned. Maybe he should introduce Vicki to Aunt Maria; the old lady'd never know what hit her.

"What are you so nervous about?"

Vicki jumped, whirled, and glared up at Henry. "Don'tdo that!"

"Do wha ... Sweet Jesu, Vicki, what happened?" He reached out to touch the purple and green lump on her temple but stopped when she flinched back.

"There was an accident."

"An accident?" He glanced around, nostrils flared. "Where is everyone?"

"Outside." Vicki took a deep breath and released it slowly. "We agreed I should be the one to tell you."

Peter had wanted to, but Vicki had overruled him; he'd been through enough for one day.

Henry frowned. There were strange undercurrents in Vicki's voice he didn't understand. "Has someone else been shot?""No, not that." She glanced out the window. Although the sun had set, the sky was still a deep sapphire blue. "The wer have been staying out of those fields, patrolling around the house; it seems to be working for now. No, this involves something else."

"Something that involves ..." He flicked his gaze over to the lump and she nodded. "... and me."

"In a manner of speaking. The brakes failed on the BMW today. We - Peter, Rose, and I - were broad-sided by a truck. The car, well, the car was pretty badly damaged."

"And the three of you? You weren't badly hurt?"

"If we had been," Vicki snapped, "I'd have more to worry about than totaling your car." She winced.

"Sorry. It's been a day."

Henry smiled. "Another one." He cupped her chin lightly with his right hand and looked up into her eyes.

"No concussion?"

"No. Peter got a b.l.o.o.d.y nose and Rose has a few cuts from flying bits of gla.s.s. We were lucky." His hazel eyes appeared almost green in the lamplight. She could feel his hand on her skin through every nerve in her body, which was strange because as far as she could remember her chin had never been an erogenous zone before. She moved back and his hand dropped.

"You werevery lucky," Henry agreed, pulling out a chair and settling into it. He wasn't sure if Vicki was responding to his hunger - his own injuries would heal faster if he fed - or if his hunger rose with her response, but for the moment he ignored both possibilities. "I don't understand about the brakes, though.

I had a full service check done in the spring and they were fine. I've hardly driven the car since."

Vicki dropped into a chair beside him. "The garage was closed today, it being Sunday and all, so I'll talk to the mechanic tomorrow." She leaned her elbows on the table and peered into his face. "You're being very understanding about this. If someone trashedmy BMW, I'd be furious."

"Four hundred and fifty years gives you a different perspective on possessions," he explained. "You learn not to grow too attached tothings."

"Or people?" Vicki asked quietly.

His smile twisted. "No, I've never managed to learn that. Although every now and then, I make the attempt."

Vicki couldn't imagine watching everyone she cared about grow old and die while she went on without them and she wondered where Henry found the strength. Which set her to wondering. ...

"How areyou tonight?" She plucked gently at the sling around his left arm.

"Bruised thigh, bruised head, shoulder's healing." It was frustrating more than painful. Especially with her blood so close.

"You've got that look on your face."

"What look?"

"Like you're listening to something."

To her heartbeat. To the sound of her blood as it pulsed just under the skin. "I'd better go."

She stood with him.

"No, Vicki."

Just in time she remembered not to raise her brows. "No, Vicki? Henry, you need to feed, I need to relax. I'm a grown woman and if I think I can spare you another few mouthfuls of my precious bodily fluids, you have no room for argument."

Henry opened his mouth, closed it again, and surrendered. Healing had used up whatever reserves he had and the hunger was too strong to fight. At least that's what he told himself as they climbed the stairs.

"How dare you! How f.u.c.king dare you!" Barry Wu couldn't remember ever being so furious. "You G.o.dd.a.m.ned f.u.c.king son of a b.i.t.c.h, you actually believed I'd do something like that!"

Colin was trying desperately hard to keep his own temper, but he could feel himself responding to Barry's anger. He'd been pulled out of the car for special duty tonight, and this was the first chance they'd had to talk. "If you'd listen - I said I didn't believe you did it!"

Barry slammed his palm down on the hood of Colin's truck. "But you didn't believe I didn't! It took a f.u.c.king Toronto PI to convince you!"

"You've got to admit the evidence. ..."

"I don't have to admit s.h.i.t!" He stomped off half a dozen paces, whirled around, and stomped back.

"And another thing, where the f.u.c.k do you get off searching my place?"

"What? I was supposed to just sit on my a.s.s and wait for the guy to strike again?"

"You could've f.u.c.king told me!"

"Icouldn't f.u.c.king tell you!""Hey!"

Neither of them had heard the car pull up. They spun simultaneously, shoulder to shoulder, dropped into a defensive position, and went for their guns.

Which neither of them are wearing.Celluci lifted a sardonic eyebrow.How lucky for all three of us.

"You two might want to find another place to have your disagreement. Police officers screaming profanities at each other in the station parking lot looks bad to civilians." If he remembered correctly, a sergeant had once said the same to him and Vicki.

Neither Barry nor Colin wasted a moment wondering how the stranger had known they were police officers even out of uniform. They were young. They hadn't been on the force very long. They weren't stupid.

"No, sir!" they replied in unison, almost but not quite coming to attention.

Celluci hid a smile. "I'm looking for someone. A woman. Her name is Vicki Nelson. She's a private investigator from Toronto. She's working for some people who own a sheep farm north of the city. I figure by now she'll have contacted the police, for information if nothing else. Can you help?"

Colin stepped toward the car, trying to paste a neutral expression over concern. "Excuse me, sir, but why are you looking for her? Is she in trouble?"

Jackpot first try. She's probably had this poor kid breaking into police files for her."I'm a friend. I have information about the man she's traveling with."

"About Henry?" The concern broke through. Information about Henry could mean trouble.

Barry frowned at the tone but moved forward, ready if Colin needed him.

"Youknow him?"

"Uh, yeah, I do." Barry looked a little surprised at the change in Colin's voice and more surprised when he continued with, "I'm Colin Heerkens. Henry and Vicki are out at my family's farm," and then proceeded to give detailed directions. There was an undercurrent of amus.e.m.e.nt about Colin's whole att.i.tude that made Barry very nervous.

As the car pulled away, Colin gave a shout of laughter and slapped Barry on the back. "Come on," he yanked open the truck door and climbed in, "you're not going to want to miss this!"

"Miss what?"

"What happens when he gets to the farm."

"What happens?"

Colin rolled his eyes. "Christ, Barry, I know your nose isn't worth much but I don't believe you didn't smell that. That guy was so jealous he was practically green." He leaned over and opened the pa.s.senger door. "You know, if you'd learn to read nonverbal clues you'd be a better cop."

"Yeah?" Barry swung up into the truck. "And if I'd wanted to be in the canine corps, I'd have joined it."

He settled back against the seat cushions and buckled in. "I still want to know what happens when he gets to the farm."

"Beats me." Colin shot him a grin as he pulled out onto the street. "But it oughta be interesting."

"You think this is pretty funny, don't you?"

"We think most of you humans are pretty funny. Laugh a minute."

"Sheep-f.u.c.ker."

"Yellow peril."

"You know, Colin, your uncle's probably not going to be too thrilled by you sending this guy out to the farm." Barry drummed his fingers against the dash and shot a look at his partner. "I mean, you lot aren't big on company just generally and right now. ..."

Colin frowned. "You know, you're right. I guess I was reacting to his scent and the situation. Uncle Stuart's going to have my throat." He sucked in a deep breath through his teeth. "I guess I just didn't think."

"It's your least endearing trait." And one that would keep him from promotion; keep him on the street, in uniform. Barry doubted that Colin would ever rise any higher than constable and sometimes he wondered how the wer would manage when he moved on.

"Barry, I didwant to tell you."

"I know. Forget it." And he knew that Colin could, the wer lived very much in the here-and-now. It would take a little longer for him.

Ten.

This is ridiculous. It's 11:30. Vicki's likely asleep.Celluci sat in his car and stared at the dark bulk of the farmhouse.Or at least in bed. He decided not to take that thought any further.The lights are on in the kitchen. Someone's up. I could at least make sure this is the right ... "Jesus!"

The white head staring in the driver's side window belonged to the biggest dog he'd ever seen. It looked to be part shepherd, part malamute, and, if he didn't know better, he'd swear, part wolf. It didn't look angry, just curious and its eyes. ... Unable to decide if the eyes were as strange as he thought or if the gla.s.s was distorting them somehow, he cracked open the window enough for the head, but not the shoulders, and kept his finger on the switch in case the beast should lunge.

Not so much as a whisker crossed the edge of the window, but the wet black nose twitched once, twice as the cool air inside the car flowed out into the night.

The eyes were strange; it wasn't just the gla.s.s. Celluci wasn't quite sure what the difference was but he'd never seen a dog of any kind with eyes that looked so human.

Suddenly, the big dog whirled and ran barking for the house, its pale form flickering like a negative image against the night.

Realizing his choice had just been made for him, Celluci shut off the engine. He'd been announced. He might as well go in.

"Vicki. Come on, Vicki. Wake up."

Vicki tried to ignore both the voice and the hand gently shaking her shoulder but, in spite of her best efforts, her body betrayed her and began losing its hold on sleep. Finally she surrendered, muttered an obscenity, and groped for her gla.s.ses. Cool fingers gripped her wrist, guiding her search. She didn't bother opening her eyes until she actually had the gla.s.ses in place - not much point when she wouldn't be able to see anything anyway.

In the dim spill of light from the hallway, she could just barely make out the darker outline of a man. It had to be Henry, not only was he the only adult male in the house who habitually wore clothes, but the temperature of his touch was a dead giveaway.

"Henry, I'm flattered but I'm exhausted. Get lost."

She could hear the smile in his reply. "Next time I'll be able to do more of the work. But that wasn't why I woke you. We've got company and I think you'd better get up."

"What time is it?"

"11:33.".

Vicki really disliked digital watches, only race horses and defense attorneys needed to time life to the second. "I just got to sleep. Can't it wait until morning?"

"I don't think so."

"All right." She sighed and swung her legs out from under the sheet. "Who is it?"

"Detective-Sergeant Michael Celluci."

"Say what!"

"Detec ..."

"I heard you the first time. Close the door and turn on the light."

He did as she requested, shielding his eyes against the sudden glare.