After a noticeable hesitation, they responded appropriately. Ryan accepted the vampire court’s need for information, and the moment of crisis passed.
Together, Ari and Ryan related everything they knew about the fight and the events that transpired at the Second Chance parking lot. Throughout this recital, Andreas remained silent, not even asking questions. Ari had no idea what he was thinking; the vampire had wiped his face of expression and blocked his magical power.
When they finished, Andreas spoke only to Ryan. “If you allow me to view the bodies, I can provide positive identification, Lieutenant. And notify the nests.”
“Appreciate the IDs.” Ryan looked at Ari. “But the notifications are your call, Ari. This is Otherworld business.”
“I’ve no objection. He can do it more quickly.”
Andreas didn’t even look at her.
Ryan nodded, and the two men walked across the parking lot. Ari didn’t follow. With Andreas ignoring her, her presence would only add tension. She watched as they stopped briefly at each corpse.
When they returned, Andreas finally spoke to her. “Are you still convinced there was no other way?”
“Yes, I’m positive.” She answered without hesitation, but she wasn’t going to beg him to believe her.
He frowned, slid his hands into his jeans’ pockets and walked away.
Ari stared after him, feeling somehow betrayed. He claimed she was easy to read, but if he’d seen the truth tonight, he wasn’t acting like it. Why had he jumped to the conclusion that she was in the wrong?
“He’s a strange fellow, even for a vampire,” Ryan said.
“Yeah. Complicated.” Ari turned toward the cop. She didn’t want to talk about Andreas, didn’t even want to think about him right now. She wanted to concentrate on the case. “I hope you handled the gunshot I heard.”
To her surprise, Ryan chuckled. “Hank, one of our officers. He carries firecrackers in his pocket. First time I’ve seen him use one, but it busted up the crowd.” He glanced around the crime scene. “What do you suppose set this off? Your vamp buddy ID’d the big guy as Christopher. That’s the one you’re looking for, right?”
Ari hardly thought Andreas qualified as her vamp buddy, but she agreed Christopher appeared to be the suspect from the eastside fight. She repeated what the witness had told her about this fight and added the details on the earlier incident: the Canadian wolves, the unlikely reports of intoxication.
“Sounds like the eastside fight carried over into this mess,” Ryan said, eyeing the coroner’s van. “But a lot of things don’t add up. Any theories?”
“Don’t I wish. I’m afraid something even worse is going to happen. And Molyneux’s wolves keep turning up everywhere. I’d like to know if they were here tonight.” She noticed the crew with the body bags. They were getting ready to load the vampires. She pointed toward them. “You realize the vampire corpses are useless as evidence, don’t you? There will be nothing in the bags but bones and dust when they reach the morgue. Even if we took samples now,” she said, anticipating his question, “there’s no way to preserve them. Once a vampire dies, decay spreads rapidly until it’s done. It’s quick.”
“Great,” Ryan grumbled. “Didn’t know it was that quick. Not many vamp deaths reported. What about the human? Will he rise as a vampire?”
“No, he’s just dead. It doesn’t happen by accident.”
A uniformed officer called to Ryan and, muttering an apology, he went back to work.
While the police were busy outside, Ari stepped inside the Second Chance Saloon to speak with the barkeep. The lighting was dim. The air stank of beer, spilled on the floor and tabletops, and cigars, a favorite vice among werecreatures. A lone barmaid mechanically wiped tables with a rag and stacked dirty glasses on a metal tray.
“Hey, Miss, don’t do that. Everything in here is evidence.”
The girl jumped, the tray teetered, and Ari sped forward to grab it. The barmaid was short for an elf, pale and thin. Her shoulders slumped, and when she turned toward Ari, tears glistened on her cheeks.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” the elf said.
“Careful.” Ari set the tray on the table. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m with the police. Can you tell me your name?”
“Feyla. Sorry I jumped like that. Just can’t stop crying. I was so scared during the fight, and now they’re dead.”
“Did you know them?” Ari softened her voice. The girl’s tears were real. Was she a friend of the victims? A girlfriend?
“Not really.” Feyla sniffed, wiping her face with the back of a hand. “The