“I hate to ask you this at such an awful time, but could you tell me where you were tonight?”
“I was working.”
He looked at his watch. “A little late for that,” he commented.
I hesitated. I couldn’t very well tell an officer of the law that my clients were vampires.
His suspicious eyes took in my sparkly party dress. “What sort of work do you do?”
Shit.He knew I was hiding something. But he couldn’t truly think I’d hurt—
“She was with me all night, officer,” Jerry said as he came striding up.
“And who are you?”
“I’m her friend. I’m also her attorney, Jerome Bellamy.” Jerry, all business now, produced a card from his pocket and handed it to Officer Hamilton.
The officer glimpsed at the card briefly, then handed it back. Given the way he’d looked at my outfit, plus the late hour, I sensed he was now under the impression that Jerry and I had been up to some hanky-panky for which I’d been paid. Fine by me.
“You can keep your card, Mr. Bellamy. Olivia isn’t a suspect, but itismy job to question her. Which I’m sure you can understand.”
A member of the forensics team removed David’s shirt and placed it in a plastic bag. She waved at Office Hamilton, who gave her a nod. He turned back to me. “I just have one more question. We’re having difficulty reaching your roommate’s next of kin. Might you know where her parents are?”
“They take a lot of trips overseas,” I said. “Liz mentioned something about going to Europe—Switzerland, I think.”
The officer snapped his notebook closed, repeated that he was sorry for my loss, and then went to talk with the woman from forensics.
“Thank you for being here with me,” I said to Jerry.
“Sweetie, you must be freezing.” Jerry removed his thick wool trench and wrapped it over my shoulders. I attempted to protest, but he wouldn’t hear of it. “You need the jacket more than me. It’s not like I can catch a cold. Listen, are you okay? Can I do anything for you?”
“No, thank you. You’ve been a huge help. I’m so sorry that our evening had to end this way.”
“Olivia, not at all! I’m just so sorry about your friend.” He discreetly looked up at the sky. I understood.
“You’d better go. It will be daylight soon. Honestly, I’m fine.”
Jerry hugged me tightly as we said our goodbyes. He left his jacket with me, along with a business card and a directive not to say anything more to the police. If they had any additional questions, he said, then they could call Jerome Bellamy, Attorney at Law.
I turned my attention to a group of officers standing close by. They were engrossed in a dialogue about what the coroner had told them. Contrary to what Officer Hamilton believed, the injuries to Liz’s neck had not been caused by an animal. They were treating her death as a murder. I tightened my fists in rage; the killer had left my best friend in the mud to perish like she was nothing more than a heap of garbage.
From what I gathered from further snatches of conversation I was able to catch, Liz had been dead since around midnight. This validated the alibi David had given them. The neighbors probably would have found her before David did, had it not been for our porch light that had been smashed out.
David was released by the officers, and he rushed over and threw his arms around me. He reeked of alcohol, and we were both shaking violently. His cold lips pressed against my ear. “I’m going to find the bastard who did this. And when I do, I’m going to rip out his fucking heart.”
“The police will find him, David,” I reassured, but I wasn’t so sure. The possibility that a vampire could have done it niggled me. But why would a vampire have wanted to kill Liz? It didn’t make sense.
The apartment was cleared for entry just after dawn. At the front door, I ran my fingers over the cracked smear of blood, now dehydrated to brown. The last mark Liz would ever leave on the world. The police had discreetly left a flyer for a service that specialized in crime scene clean up.
I took one step into the apartment and panicked. I couldn’t be there, not alone, and not knowing Liz would never come back. I snatched my cell phone off the table by the door and then ran back outside. Robert was who I thought to call first.
The line rang several times, but finally he answered. “Olivia, I’ve been trying to reach you to apologize—”
“Liz has been murdered!” The statement came tumbling out in sobs. “Somebody came to the apartment and killed her last night. Her throat was ripped open, and I think it was a vampire who did it. A vampire, Robert! I don’t know how I know, but I do. I’m sorry for dropping this on you, but I didn’t know who else to call. There’s blood all over my door and I can’t believe that she’s dead. How could anyone do this to Liz? How can she be gone? How?”
“But I just . . . That can’t be,” he said strangely. He must have been as stunned as I was. “Are you okay—have you been harmed?”
I let out a sob. “I don’t think I’lleverbe okay, but I’m not hurt. I’m outside my apartment and I’m so scared. I don’t want to be alone.”
