Night Kill (Private Investigator Andrew Knight Mystery Series) (34 page)

“You thought I was going to do something bad tonight, right?” Andrew smirked.

“Yes.” Chloe took hold of her dad’s hands. They were ice cold too. “Did you?”

Andrew was about to answer when there was frantic pounding at the door. Whoever it was, they seemed very much in a panicked rush. They kept knocking. Andrew left Chloe to go and answer the door. When Andrew opened the door he saw Storm standing there. Her eyeslids and face were black from the mascara. She was still crying. Her whole body was trembling. Andrew escorted her inside and shut the door. Storm was trembling so badly that Chloe put her arms around her. Andrew told the girls to go into the family room and for Chloe to start a fire. Andrew grabbed a blanket from the foyer closet and joined them soon after. Storm had taken off her coat and sat in a chair by the fireplace. She thanked Andrew for the blanket and wrapped it around herself. Storm sobbed between labored breaths. What could have upset her so much? Chloe started the fire. Andrew sat in the chair beside Storm. He knew something terrible had happened and need to find out what it was right now.

“Are you okay?” Andrew started out simple.

“Y..Yes,” Storm sniffed back her tears.

“Are you hurt?” Andrew asked. He looked Storm over and bent down to pick up her coat. There was blood smattered on the right sleeve and shoulder. Andrew did not see any wounds on Storm. So whose blood was it?

“Where you at a blood feast?” Andrew took a chance.

“No, I mean yes,” Storm violently shook her head from side to side. “But it… it was much worse. He made us do it. Why…why the house?”

“Who made you do what?” Andrew grasped hold of Storm by the shoulders.

“We killed them!” Storm shrieked. She shook loose of Andrew’s grip and headed to the front door. Andrew and Chloe went after her. Storm reached for the doorknob, but it was Chloe that stopped her. She put her arms around Storm and subdued her. Exhaustion finally caught up with Storm, and she passed out in Chloe’s arms. Chloe struggled to keep standing, and Andrew came to her aid. He picked Storm up in his arms and carried her into the family room. Andrew laid her on the sofa and covered her with the blanket. Chloe and her dad slumped down in the chairs.

“What was she talking about?” Chloe looked at her Dad for an answer.

“Storm was part of a blood feast,” Andrew explained. He glanced over at Storm who looked peaceful now. “Something went wrong.” Andrew stood up and walked over to the gun cabinet. He unlocked it and took out a Glock 9mm and belt clip holster. Andrew clipped it to his belt and also grabbed extra clips. He also grabbed the pouch with throwing stars and clipped it to his belt.

“Where are you going?” Chloe stood up.

“To the Higgins house.” Andrew put his coat on.

“How do you know she came from there?” Chloe inquired.

“Storm said ‘the house’.” Andrew looked at his daughter. “It is safe to assume Storm meant her house.” Andrew took hold of Chloe’s shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “I need you to stay with Storm and keep a watch on her. No one can leave the house. Make sure all the doors and windows are locked when I am gone.”

Andrew looked over at Storm again. She was still asleep, which was a good thing. He went on, “I am not sure what it is yet, but I need to go and find out.” Andrew now looked at his daughter, “At any sign of trouble, call the police.” Andrew kissed his daughter on the forehead and left the family room. Chloe followed behind and when Andrew left the house, she locked the door. Chloe returned to the family room and checked on the fire. She lay down on the other sofa.

Andrew parked the car on the side of the road. The Higgins house was just a short trek through the woods to the south. Andrew checked his weapons and headed into the woods. He hadn’t gone far when he noticed several tracks headed in the direction he was going. By the number of prints in the snow, Andrew knew it was a group of six or eight all together. Some prints were larger and others smaller. So there were both male and female in the group. By the distance of the steps, Andrew knew they were not in a hurry, but walked at a normal pace. Andrew continued on his way to the house.

When Andrew cleared the woods, he saw that the back door to the house had been forced open. Andrew knelt down and scanned the area. He did not see any movement. Whoever had been at the house was long gone just like Storm. Andrew was amazed that she had traveled several miles to Bayport. But it was not on foot, Storm had ride back to town. Who had given her that ride? He would have to worry about that later. Andrew figured the coast was clear, so he walked to the house. Andrew drew his weapon and stepped inside the house.

Andrew walked down the hallway. He swallowed hard and felt sick to his stomach. Someone had written in blood on the wall ‘death to the slayers’. A shiver went up his spine. Andrew continued to the living room. When he entered, Andrew drew an exasperated breath. There were two bodies lying face down on the floor. They were Knights of VanHelsing. Their weapons lay only inches away, just out of reach. Andrew felt sick to his stomach as he knelt down beside the first one. It was Darcy, his friend from the Sheriffs Department. Her blonde hair was matted with blood and her eyes were wide open. Andrew closed her eyes. Andrew turned to the other. It was Veronica, Doctor Straussman’s nurse. Her face was spattered with blood. Like Darcy, her throat had been slashed.

Andrew stood up. He left the house to get some fresh air. He walked around to clear his thoughts, but soon came upon another bloody discovery. There was another body that lay face down in the snow. Andrew knelt down. Andrew removed the hood. It was Claudia Straussman; Doctor Straussman, the one who was treating Wyatt. Andrew tossed aside the hood. Night Blade, Star Blade, and Moon Blade were dead. Andrew took out his phone and called for help.

Andrew searched the area around the body. There was a single set of prints in the snow. Andrew decided to follow to see where they led.

Andrew walked through the woods for quite some time and finally emerged on River Road. He saw relatively fresh tire tracks in the snow. The vehicle had a leak, for Andrew saw oil spots in the snow as well. It was probably and older vehicle. Andrew took out his cell phone and snapped a picture of the tire tread marks left behind. He also took a picture of the oil stains. When he had been in the woods, the majority of foot prints had been muddled due to the deep snow. But fortune must have smiled on Andrew, for there next to the tread marks were a clear and distinctive set of boot prints, along with several drops of blood. The boot impressions were set rather deep in the snow and not single flaw about them. Andrew bent down and snapped a photo of the prints. He searched his pockets and pulled out an old candy wrapper. Andrew took his pocket knife out and scraped some of the bloody snow onto the wrapper. Hopefully, the crime lab would be able to get a blood type off of the sample. Andrew closed the wrapper tightly and placed it back in his pocket. He headed back to the Higgins house. As he walked along, Andrew could hear the sirens off in the distance. Andrew looked up at the night sky. It was clear and he could see all the stars. He closed his eyes and said a prayer for the poor souls murdered this night. Andrew knew in his heart that all of this was his fault.

Chapter 18

Nick woke up the next morning to find that Kara was not there. There was a note on her pillow. Nick opened up the note and read it…

My Dearest Nick
,

I had to return to Chicago to meet with my publisher. I will be back in a few days.

Love
,

Kara

Nick folded up the note and went downstairs. Last night was the first in a long time that he had actually gotten a good night sleep. The bed was very comfortable and the comforter made him feel all warm and toasty inside. Nick threw back the cover and got out of bed. He put on the robe that was set out for him on the chair. Nick left the bedroom and went downstairs.

Chloe and Roxanne were already in the kitchen when Nick got there. He could smell the fresh brewed coffee. Nick saw the girls eating a breakfast of pancakes, sausages and hashbrowns. His stomach grumbled loudly. Nick was told to help himself and to join them when he was ready. Nick slid into the seat at the breakfast nook across from Chloe and Roxanne.

“Where is Kara?” Chloe asked.

“She had to meet with her publisher in Chicago,” Nick went back to eating.

“In the middle of the night?” Roxanne was curious.

“Okay,” Chloe shrugged.

They all heard the front door open and close. Soon Andrew walked into the kitchen. He didn’t say a word, but walked over to the coffeemaker and poured a cup. Andrew never even acknowledged them and left the kitchen. Chloe and Roxanne looked at each other completely puzzled by Andrew’s odd behavior. They quickly got up and followed. Nick remained and kept eating his food. He just thought Andrew was being weird and nothing more.

The girls found Andrew sitting on the sofa drinking his coffee when they entered the family room. Chloe and Roxanne sat down respectively in the two chairs by the fireplace. Andrew finally nodded his head in acknowledgment that they were there. Storm was still asleep on the other sofa.

Chloe was ecstatic at even this slight progress. She recognized the look etched on her dad’s face. It was the look of him in full deductive reasoning mode. Chloe was sure her dad was pouring over all of the events that had transpired since the Higgins family was murdered. She saw the intensity in her dad’s eyes; as if he were searching for clues at that very moment. Once in a while, Andrew paused to take a drink from his cup. He still said nothing.

Roxanne sat there quietly, watching Andrew drink his coffee. She had never seen such a look of intensity on his face like that before. Roxanne hoped to get some kind of reading off of the psychic energy in the room.

She closed her eyes to concentrate. At first there was nothing, but soon psychic images in the room started to come into focus. Roxanne saw images of bodies in a house. She cringed and her heart started to beat at a quickened pace when Roxanne saw the message written in blood on the wall. Roxanne watched Andrew walk through the house as he discovered the bodies. She sensed the anger that built up inside of him; the despair. Roxanne opened her eyes again. She saw that Andrew stared at her directly. It was as if he had given her the vision.

Andrew finished his coffee and stood up. He looked at the two of them.

“Call Peter and have him put Storm in protective custody,” Andrew finally said. “I have my appointment with Wyatt and will return later.” Andrew gave them a look not to follow him. Chloe and Roxanne remained behind. He left the room.

The room was devoid of any bright colors. The table and chairs were of the same gray that was the room. Even the pitcher of ice water and its companion glasses looked pastey white.

Wyatt entered the room, bound in handcuffs and leg chains, and escorted by two burly looking jailers. One of them pulled a chair out and pushed Wyatt down on it and the other secured the leg chains to a hook on the floor. Wyatt would be going nowhere anytime soon. Now he had to wait.

Andrew entered the room a few minutes later. He shook the jailers’ hands and joked around with them. They spent several minutes in their conversation. Then the jailers left and told Andrew they would be right outside. Andrew thanked them and took his place at the table opposite of Wyatt. Andrew placed his briefcase on the table and opened it. He took out a file folder filled with papers and set it down in front of him. Andrew stood up and removed his overcoat and hung it across the back of his chair. He retook his seat. Andrew opened the file folder.

“You are presently being treated for Renfield’s Syndrome,” Andrew read from the sheet of paper. “Is that correct?”

“Yes,” Wyatt answered. It was an easy question, but not what he had expected.

“And who was your doctor?” Andrew asked.

“Doctor Claudia Straussman,” Wyatt complied.

“How long have you been undergoing treatment?” Andrew continued.

“Since I was very young,” Wyatt replied. He could no longer stand it and asked, “Why are you asking me these stupid questions. What do you really want to know? Huh?” Wyatt gave Andrew a dirty look, “I know what you want to know. You want to know if I did kill Storm’s family, right.” Wyatt leaned closer and folded his arms in front of him on the table. “Well, I didn’t do it and neither did the Knights. But you know that already don’t you? So why are you dancing around?”

“Who told you to get out of the country and go to Gothica?” Andrew closed the folder. He pushed it aside and leaned in the same way as Wyatt had just done. Their faces were just inches apart. Andrew’s eyes were intense, purposeful. “Who was it Wyatt?”

“Doctor Straussman, Claudia, told me she got a call from Ana,” Wyatt explained. “She told Claudia that we did not need that kind of attention for the Knights. She also said that the public had become more aware of our presence and we might have to disappear like back in the 1800’s.”

“Did you know about the Knights of VanHelsing’s book?” Andrew switched the subject.

“Maybe,” Wyatt leaned back now. He shrugged. “It was said that the only one to see the book, if it were real, would be a VanHelsing and no one else. That way only one person knew of our secret identities and the number of ‘kills’ we had.”