Glaring lights glowed from behind the stone wall. Yellow police tape crossed off the opening, and I could just see someone within standing sentry.
“Did you tell the cops what you saw?” I asked Smokey.
“No way. How could I? First they’d want to know why I felt it was my duty to police the cemetery. Then they’d want to know how come I couldn’t ID the killer. To the first question, I couldn’t very well tell them that I was on the lookout for witches or other supernaturals. And the last…well, we both know I’d sound insane. I haven’t even told Mikey. I don’t know what to tell him, other than that something is going on in the cemetery and you know what it is. Sorry that I had to throw you under the bus, but…”
“It’s fine. So you didn’t talk to the cops at all?”
“No. I don’t do well when questioned.”
“Good.” I sighed and rubbed my eyes. I was tired and hungry. “Well, I killed that thing, so you’re good. It won’t be coming back. But if you see birds like that again, get to cover, or get to where there are morepeople. It tends to pick off the loners, apparently.”
“I got really lucky, Reagan. Really lucky. It’s made me question…” He hesitated for a moment. “I’ve been thinking about moving out of this neighborhood. Vampires are one thing, but stuff like this…”
I patted his bony shoulder. “That thing killed two people in the French Quarter. Trust me when I say that of all the neighborhoods in New Orleans, you’re probably safest in this one.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I live here.” I patted him again and turned toward my house as a white Crown Victoria pulled up alongside the cemetery. I glimpsed the man getting out of the passenger side, did a double take, and then noticed the driver, who was stepping out of the other side of the car.
Damn it.
“Get gone,” I said to Smokey.
He didn’t need to be told twice. He was slinking away even as the younger detective, whose name was lost to the black hole, crossed the street.
“Long time no see,” the younger detective said with a smile. He was a handsome devil and he knew it. That cocky grin of his slipped when he stepped up onto the sidewalk next to me. “What happened to your eyebrows?”
I ignored his question. “You guys here to look at themurder?” I pointed at the cemetery as Sean crossed the street after him.
Suspicion crossed the younger detective’s face. “Yeah. What do you know about it?”
“My department ended the threat not that long ago,” I said, taking a seat on my porch steps. “There were two more victims in the French Quarter. I bet you’ll get the call soon.”
“Your department ended the threat?” he asked. “Aren’t you guys psychics?”
“Yeah. We consulted our crystal balls, so we knew just when to drop the piano out of the window.” I clapped my hands together. “Splat.”
“They think it’s a serial killer,” Sean said as the younger detective shifted in confused annoyance. “This was the first. At least, that’s what I’ve heard.”
“A serial killer who does fast work. Of the three victims that I know of, yes, this was the first. Before this, though…” I shook my head. “I have no idea. The creature that did it is called anaswang. Clarissa gave me the basics after we left your last crime scene. It was old, hungry, and really gross. I have no idea where it might’ve come from, or what it was doing here.”
“Wait.” The younger detective held up his hand, blinking repeatedly.
“Is this what you do, then?” I gestured to the young buck without shifting my gaze from Sean. “You just takethe new guy around until he finally pieces it together?”
“Piece what together?” the younger detective demanded. I could see his anger boiling just below the surface.
“Never mind, J.M.,” Sean said, not sparing him a glance. “Go check in with the others. Get a feel for what happened. We have a lot of ground to cover tonight.”
“No, wait. What is it I’m supposed to be piecing together?”
Sean straightened his shoulders and turned to J.M. Something in the older man’s bearing read:Do not mess with me, or I will rip your spine out of your mouth and beat you with it.
I grinned, because I hadn’t expected this type of alpha standoff from Sean. J.M., sure, but not Sean. He seemed too sweet.
I waved the whole thing away. “Let him stay. You might not think he’s ready, but it’s better to bring people on when they’re younger and can bounce back than when they’re older and easier to break. Besides, if you’re going to keep bringing him around to these kinds of crime scenes, he’ll be a target. He should know what he’s getting into.”
“Okay, this is starting to piss me off,” J.M. said in a rough voice. “I want answers, and I want them now!”
