The Power (29 page)

“What about the vampire theory?” Jack felt like an idiot once the words were out. Agent Darcy laughed at Jack‘s words.

“Do you believe in vampires, Detective Stone?”

“No. Of course not!” Jack sp
it out defensively. “I just meant it’s obvious that’s what they are aiming at making us believe. Right? The holes in the neck? The blood loss? The Psychopath kills his victims on sight, but the other, I think she kills them somewhere else, and then brings them to a new location.”

“Oh?” Agent Darcy’s interest was peaked. He looked to Jack for answers now.

“How else would you explain the lack of blood anywhere on the scene?” Jack raised a dark brow. Agent Darcy shrugged. “How close are you guys on this one, really?” Jack stopped to ask suddenly. His heart beat hard in his chest as if already knowing the numbing answer: not far at all. He considered crossing his fingers beneath his desk for luck. They had to be doing better than him, didn’t they?

“Would I be here talking to you if we had had any luck?” Agent Darcy put to him, and Jack had once again cursed beneath his breath.

“Tell me Agent Darcy, how common are female serial killers?”

“You find them about as often as you find a diamond in an oyster.” Darcy said, and Jack lowered his head in thought.

“That common, huh?”

“Yeah, but not unknown. N
ot that anyone has ever found a diamond in an oyster.” Agent Darcy chuckled at his own pun. Jack smirked.

“We’re not any closer to catching them, are we?”

Agent Darcy shrugged. “How long can they hide in this city? The killings have occurred within the same general area. We know where to look. Your captain has assigned extra nightly patrols. We know they like to travel under the cover of night. We know they like dark alleys and rooftops, abandoned buildings.”

“So tell me what we’re looking for. What sort of man would do this? What sort of woman?” Jack was ready to take mental notes.

“A young man, late twenties to early thirties. He enjoys the night-life because he likes to look at people, to study them. He loves attention, can’t get enough of it. People admire him, trust him.” Agent Darcy said, deep in thought. “He lures his victims away with promises that he is able to convince them to believe perhaps with just a smile. He probably works with the public. He’s well known, but by reputation only. He doesn’t allow anyone close to him, not to the real him. He guards his secrets close to his breast. He doesn’t like for others to think of him as the monster that deep down he knows he is.” Agent Darcy expanded on his theory.

“And the woman?” Jack lifted a curious brow.

“Also young, but an old soul. She was probably hurt in the past by someone close to her physically, sexually? She has no family, no one that she fully trusts. She doesn’t allow others to get close to her either, but she does it to guard herself. She believes that she does what she does to rid the world of evil. That is why she attacks the so-called evil-doers.”

“A child molester, a murderer, and two rapists.” Jack supplied, and Agent Darcy nodded agreement. “She could actually be doing us all a favor.” Jack quipped, and Agent Darcy shrugged.

“But how does she accomplish the murders on her own? The transporting of the bodies and where does she do the actual killing?” Agent Darcy asked the pointed questions.

“Damned if I know.” Jack muttered in frustration.

“These are the things we need to find out, Jack.” Agent Darcy pointed a thick finger Jack’s way as if to suggest that this part was Jack‘s job.

“So, now we have to find one killer to protect her from the other, more deranged one?” Jack shook his dark blonde head in disbelief.

“It appears that way.” Agent Darcy nodded. “Keep looking, Jack, and keep me posted.”

“Onl
y if you promise to do the same.” Jack countered as Agent Darcy’s thick body reached the door, his head almost touching the top of the door frame.

“I will.” Agent Darcy had promised, and then the man had left Jack sitting there to go over the case, or rather cases, over and over again in his mind.

Chapter twenty-three

“I’ve been watching the news.” Gina said later that evening as they walked a practically deserted sidewalk down a street that Lillian was familiar with. “Don’t you think it is getting a bit tense around here, Lillian?” The question was not the one Gina had wanted to ask, Lillian realized. The real question was this, “What the hell are you still doing here amidst all this chaos?”

“Yes.” Lillian agreed.

“He could be dangerous, this other vampire. What if he believes you are the one invading his territory?” Gina’s words provoked Lillian’s already tainted thoughts.

“He could be a she.” Lillian pondered. It was a possibility, she reaso
ned, but somehow she didn’t think so. It just didn’t feel right.

“And still dangerous.” Gina pressed.

“Yes.”

“And still you stay? Are you that confident in your abilities these days, Lillian?” Gina asked pointedly.

“Not at all.” Lillian confessed, and she turned to face her dark mother. Gina hadn’t aged a day, but why would she? In appearance, Gina didn’t seem to be but a few years older than Lillian, having been turned a few years later in her life. Her beauty was astounding, breathtaking. Her skin as white as fresh cream, her eyes so bright a blue it was difficult to look away from them, to not become lost within them. Her hair hung to the middle of her back in raven-wing, thick curls that seemed to hide the moonlight within their depths. She was taller than Lillian by a few inches, and she was thin with voluptuous curves that men lusted after.

She was dressed in the usual black, as if she were attending some local funeral, not walking down the street with an old friend.

“Then why do you stay?” Gina asked carefully, not understanding. She held Lillian’s gaze for a moment before she spoke again. “For him. You’re protecting him.” she read of Lillian’s mind. She was going to have to get better at keeping her thoughts her own, Lillian realized in displeasure.

“He doesn’t know what he is dealing with. He is a detective, Gina, assigned to the case. Can you imagine if he actually found this creature?” Lillian cried out worriedly.

“Lillian, that shouldn’t be your problem. This creature is being careless! He will expose us all!” Gina bit out almost violently.

“Perhaps, he will leave
New York soon?” Lillian could only hope.

“Perhaps, you should as well? Come away with me, Lillian. We can go to
Paris. It’s fabulous this time of the year.” Gina gushed, just as Lillian’s gaze took in the tall, handsome man stepping out of the dark Mustang ahead of them. How had they ended up here, at their coffee shop? She hadn’t been paying attention to where she was going! She wanted to strike herself for her carelessness as she watched Jack stop, and turn to look at her. He held up a large hand in greeting, and Lillian smiled uneasily before mimicking his greeting.

“So this is Jack?” Gina asked, giving Jack a thorough once over as the three came together.

“I know you from somewhere.” Jack announced in recognition. His amber gaze swept over Gina’s face.

“Jack, this is Gina.” Lillian introduced the two.

“Gina?” he questioned. “The woman from the painting in your house?”

“The one and the same.” Gina offered Jack her hand. She looked as if her feelings had been injured when Jack merely shook her hand, and turned his gaze back to Lillian, instead of kissing the back of Gina’s knuckles like Gina had become accustomed to from other men.

“These Americans have no manners. I much prefer the English.” Gina’s injured words found Lillian’s thoughts. Lillian smiled tightly.

“
I don’t know?” Lillian threw her thoughts back to Gina as she met and held Jack’s captivated gaze. “There is something to be said for these Americans, if you ask me.”

“
You only believe so because the love-sick fool only has eyes for you!” Gina accused.

Lillian grinned. “You’re
out late, Jack.” she commented aloud.

“Was
n’t able to sleep. I’ve been online looking up vampires and creatures of the night.” Jack grinned in return. Beside him, Gina paled if that was possible.

“Vampires?” Gina echoed, side-glancing Lillian to make sure she had heard Jack right.

“Haven’t you heard? New York city is riddled with them.” Jack chuckled.

“Jack is a detective with the NYPD, Gina. He is working the murders that have occur
red here recently in the city.” Lillian explained unnecessarily.

“And what exactly does that have to do with vampires?” Gina quipped.

“Long story.” Jack smiled. “Which reminds me. You ladies really shouldn’t be out here so late at night with what has been going on lately. It isn’t safe.” he warned. Gina and Lillian looked at each other. “I mean it. Just last week I was investigating the double homicide of two young men. There have been four others, all brutally murdered and most of them were found close to this area.”

“We’ll be careful, Jack.” Lillian promised, but Jack frowned heavily. She could read of him that he wasn’t pleased with her answer. He wanted her home and safe.

“You came in from England?” Jack asked of Gina now as he led the women into the coffee shop, and together they took a seat at an empty booth.

“
London.” Gina replied. “How do you know my Lillian?” she asked point blank.

“
You know very well how he knows me!” Lillian sent to her mind in a warning tone. Gina merely smiled.

“We met here actually.” Jack said, glancing
around the coffee shop with its quaint, quiet booths and stained, tile floor. He met Lillian’s gaze. “Not too long ago.’ he smiled. “Forgive me, but the painting in Lilly’s house…well I thought it was an antique? Reginald told me that Lilly had thought of you as a second mother. I guess I assumed, well, that you had passed on.” Jack turned to Gina for answers.

“
I did pass on, Jack. Don’t you know, you are sitting here conversing with a dead woman.” Gina smiled knowingly as Lillian read her thoughts.

“Stop.”
Lillian warned privately, but Gina merely shrugged.

“I guess I have been like a second mother to Lillian, and no I did not pass on. Lillian loves her antiques though. The frame surrounding the portrait is indeed from more than a hundred years ago. Lillian painted that, you know, Jack?”

“No. I didn’t know.” Jack’s amber gaze came back to Lillian. He was impressed, and Lillian didn’t know how to take that. She ducked her head.

“She captured your likeness to perfection.” Jack complimented.

“Didn’t she?” Gina agreed.

“How do y
ou two ladies know each other? From London?” Jack turned his gaze back to Gina to ask.

“Yes
, actually. We met when Lillian was very young. Her dear aunt died shortly after, leaving poor Lillian alone in the world. She was but eighteen at the time.” Gina filled in.

“I’m sorry.” Jack breathed out, and the sympathy that he was feeling for her, made Lillian feel uncomfortable. He took her hands from across the table, and gently began to rub her fingers. “That must have been hard for you?” he inquired in concern.

“Lillian is stronger than she appears to be, Jack.” Gina smiled knowingly. “Still, I simply could not leave her as things were. I whisked her away, and together we explored the world. Of course, I tried desperately to teach her everything I know along the way, but Lillian is as stubborn as she is sweet, and simply would not conform.”

“Enough.”
Lillian scowled over at her dark mother with a smile to hide her true feelings as she sent the thoughts.

“
But your Jack is curious about you, Lillian. He has feelings for you, you know? Deep feelings. And I do believe you do for him as well.” She replied silently.

“It isn’t your concern!”
Lillian threw back harshly.

“
Wasn’t what happened with Ewan enough pain and misery for you?” Gina countered cruelly. It cut and it cut deep. Lillian stood angrily.

“We have t
o go, Jack.” She stated firmly, once again speaking aloud.

“Did I say something?” Jack stood as well. He didn’t understand what was going on between the two women, but he could sense that something was up.

“Of co
urse not. Jack, it was a pleasure. You’ll have to come over for dinner before I leave. Is tomorrow night too soon?” Gina invited, and it was all Lillian could do not to strike the interfering vampire!

“I could probably get away.” Jack took Lillian’s hand in his. “Could I talk to you a minute before you leave?” he asked, and Lillian looked at Gina expectantly.

“Right.” Gina quipped. “I’ll just wait outside.”

“If you don’t want me there
...” Jack gave Lillian a way out after they had watched Gina step out onto the sidewalk.

“It’s not you, Jack.” Lillian touched his arm with the tips of her fingers.