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thou shalt not kill

CLASSIC ROUND ROBIN

Chapter 2

by PearlAnn SnowStar

“It looks perfect,” Vincent said.

Catherine smiled. “Well, I suppose I must be getting back.”

“Yes.” He said it so softly, so sadly.

They stood up at the same time.

“Vincent, one question.”

“Anything, Catherine.”

“Did you know Lucy went back onto the streets?”

“That can’t be.”

“It is. I thought she was going to turn over a new leaf. I’m going to check up with her after I talk to her defense lawyer.”

“Be safe, Catherine.”

“I will.”

Vincent pulled her hands up to his lips and gently kissed them.

“I will guide you up.”

She smiled as he kept one of her hands in his for the walk.

The next day, Catherine was back at work. Checking the vampire murders case file, she again noted that the file mentioned seven victims. With the four in the hospital and two dead, where was the seventh one? Then she read further down and noticed that the seventh victim, found in the area where Lucy lived, had been brought to the same hospital as the other four, and that her wounds, while bad, were not as critical as the others’. Disturbing, yes, and she was assigned a room, but an hour later, when a nurse came to check in on her, she wasn’t in her room. She had not been found.

So, one had disappeared. Did she die on the street somewhere?

After she called the defense lawyer, she decided to call Lucy. There was no answer, no voice mail message. Catherine was confused.

“A cheese nugget for your thoughts.”

She looked at Joe. “Still on those?”

“Of course. What’s wrong? You got that look.”

“Someone who I befriended, Lucy, who was charged with the crime of prostitution, is back on the streets. I found out that the name of the defense lawyer who took her case is R. MacLaren. He went to see Lucy at 1:25pm yesterday at the precinct, and was present when Lucy went before the judge. She’s been released. She didn’t leave with the lawyer. She talked to him briefly after the judge let her go, then told him she would go home.”

“So?”

“Before I called Lucy, I got hold of this R. MacLaren. He said the judge let her go because he relayed what she told him. Seems that Lucy was with some prostitutes on the street, not to solicit, but to look for someone. And, since she was a prostitute, the police just assumed she was back in the business and arraigned her, as well. He mentioned he tried checking in on her an hour ago and nobody answered. There wasn’t a chance to leave a message, as no answering machine.

“I just tried calling her myself. Also, no answer. Her answering machine wasn’t working. Something’s wrong.”

“Ok, so what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to check on her,” Catherine said.

“And what about Count Dracula and his crew?”

“Did you notice that the file said seven victims and accounted for six?”

“What?!”

She showed him. “I think Lucy might be involved somehow.”

“In what way?”

“She might know about the missing girl – the fifth victim who got to the hospital then disappeared. She was still alive, as they don’t list her as dead.”

“Or she left the hospital, afraid she might be charged for, oh, I don’t know, prostitution?”

“I’m going to call somebody, but first I want to check with Mike again.”

“Any other cases you’re working on?”

“I’m done with all the depositions and meetings for the day.”

He paused, then said, “Ok. I can tell you’re dying to check up on this Lucy. Check again with Mike.” He had a serious look on his face. “And you better show up here tomorrow.”

“Joe, it’s Friday, and Saturday I have a date with a friend to go to the annual hospital benefit. I don’t intend to do anything that will make me miss that.”

“Ok.”

When he walked away, she packed up her things, stuffing her briefcase. She left a message on her phone. She got up and headed for the elevator. She had to find Lucy.

Lucy was scared. Something had happened to Tammy. Something horrible.

She had thanked the lawyer, Mr. R. MacLaren, after seeing the judge. He had asked if she needed a ride home and she had told him no, then quickly walked out of the courthouse and headed home.

She caught a bus to her neighborhood. She was scared. Vampires were roaming the street…at least, people who thought they were vampires. Her lawyer was nice enough to tell her that only two died of the seven victims they knew of. Four were still in the hospital. One had disappeared. He wouldn’t tell her the names of the victims. She wondered, was one Tammy? She remembered that one of the girls on the street had told her to check with Maurice.

The bus was near her stop, so she reached up and pulled the cord. Getting up, she looked around. She was on high alert.

She got off the bus and started to walk toward her apartment. Halfway there, she felt something in the pit of her stomach. She felt danger.

She looked around. There was no one. She quickened her pace and kept looking around. When she got to her front door, she took her keys out and quickly unlocked her door. She entered her place, closing the door and immediately locking it.

She sighed and checked her place. Empty. Then she heard a loud knock on her front door.

She went over to the big window, which had the curtains closed. She carefully peeked out the window to see who was there, and her heart froze. The person looked like a gargoyle. He was dressed like Jack the Ripper, covered in a gray coat. His long white hair did not hide his ears, which looked pointy. He was holding a briefcase.

She quickly walked away from the window.

She jumped when he knocked louder and harder.

At the same time, her phone rang, and Lucy realized she hadn’t set up her answering machine. She had forgotten to do so on the night she was arrested. And now, she once again didn’t have a chance to do so.

She held her breath for a moment, then exhaled and prayed.

After a few long minutes, she took a chance and peeked out again. He… it…was gone.

Grabbing her purse and coat, she cautiously opened the door. Seeing no one, she ran as quickly as she could to the bus stop and caught the bus in time. She saw an empty seat to her left and sat down. Looking out of the window, she saw the gargoyle-like man standing, watching the bus go. He stared at her. His eyes were red. Inhuman. And he was not alone. Someone came up to him, dressed in a black cape, with long black hair. The other man looked her way. He looked like Dracula.

Where to go? Should she go see Maurice? Cathy Chandler? Or make it somehow to where Cathy’s friend lived? Which most likely was somewhere below, where the homeless go.

Catherine walked into the 54th District Precinct.

“Where is Mike Juarez?” she asked the desk sergeant. He pointed to a nearby desk. She saw Mike talking on the phone. She walked over to him, takeout calzones in hand.

Mike ended the call. “Oh-oh. I know that look, Chandler.” He relieved her of the promised food.

“Mike, I can’t find Lucy. She doesn’t have her answering machine on.”

“Did you talk…”

She interrupted him. “Yes, I talked to R. MacLaren. He can’t get hold of her either.”

“Does she have to return to court for sentencing?”

“No, the judge dismissed her case. Seems she was out on the streets looking for a friend. A girl by the name of Tammy. She got picked up because she was talking with some of the prostitutes on the street and the cops assumed she was soliciting.”

“Ok.” He sighed as he brushed through his hair with his fingers. “Maybe she wasn’t looking for a friend. She might have fooled the judge and the defense attorney and was actually…”

“No. Something is wrong. I feel it.”

“Well, I’ll let you know if I hear anything. Don’t go investigating on your own. Ok?”

“Right now, I’m going to set up a meeting with someone.”

“Anyone I know? And, just to make sure you’re behaving, can I come with?”

“He likes me to come alone.”

“Of course he does.” Mike looked at the smile on her face. “Oh, that kind of meeting.”

“Thanks, Mike, I’ll let you know if I find her.”

“And if you do and she knows something about the gang of Lost Boys, get hold of me.”

She nodded, then turned and walked out of the precinct.

The next day, Catherine contacted Isaac early and told him about her plan to find Maurice.

It was almost ten when her phone rang. She quickly picked up the receiver and said, “Hello, Cathy Chandler.”

“Cathy, Isaac. Got a meeting with Maurice in a bit. Can you come?”

“Sure. What time?”

“11.”

“That’s unusual.”

“Yes, so I’m coming with you. Even though he said to go alone.”

“Ok, Isaac.”

“I’ll be in a cab by your apartment building at 10:30.”

Catherine was in a cab with Isaac. The cab stopped at a dilapidated building.

The cab driver, a black woman, turned to face them. “Isaac, you sure about this?”

Isaac replied, “Yes, Alicia. Wait here. Anything dangerous, honk and leave, got it?”

Alicia took a quick look around. “Don’t worry. I will.”

Isaac and Catherine got out of the cab.

“Did he tell you he knows where Lucy might be, or Tammy?” She looked at the building, then at Isaac.

“He said they weren’t his, but he did hear something for the right price.”

She nodded. “Of course he did.”

“Well, let’s get this over with. I’m going to stay on the first floor as you go up. But if anything is wrong, scream.”

“Don’t worry, I will.”

They proceeded cautiously into the building.

“I got a bad feeling about this,” Isaac said.

“So do I, but if I can find out anything about Tammy and/or Lucy, I have to know.”

She started to walk up the stairs, and he stopped her. “Is your friend nearby?”

She looked at him, puzzled. Then she realized who he meant. “He knows if I’m in danger and will be nearby.”

“Good. ‘Cause a cat like that is good to have around when people think they are Dracula.”

She proceeded up the stairs. When she got to the second floor, she opened the door, and there was Maurice.

On the floor.

Dead.

She heard a car horn, then a sound behind her. Turning around, she saw what appeared to be a man, but not just any man. A gargoyle with a briefcase.

She screamed.