see you, Nat.”
“It’s good to see you.”
“Dez filled me in a little this morning. Dead women in the desert, huh? Are you sure it’s like Juarez? I remember you always followed that case.”
They walked over to a table and Natalie could already see news reports and clippings from the previous crimes littering the table. “I’m not sure of anything anymore. There are definitely dead women, but I don’t know what it has to do with Juarez. It’s possible there’s no real connection, and this Ivan character is using those events to mask his crimes here.”
“Get everyone thinking it’s the same serial killer or gang and use it to cover his own actions?” Beatrice said. “I guess it could work. And you’re sure it’s Ivan?”
“Fairly sure.” They both sat down and Natalie spread her hands over the news clippings. “There was a body dumped night before last, out at one of Ernesto’s casinos near the Salton Sea. It was a girl I’d just been talking to down at Ivan’s bar the night before.”
“Jeez, Natalie. You went down there alone?” Beatrice’s eyes widened. “What were you thinking?”
She threw up her hands. “This is me! I was following the story. I thought it was maybe gang-related, but nothing about it said supernatural, immortal killers. How the hell was I supposed to predict this?”
“You couldn’t,” said a voice by the door. The voice was followed by perhaps the most handsome man Natalie had ever seen. He was art on legs with an Italian accent and a seductive stare.
“This is your husband?” she murmured to Beatrice.
“Yep.”
“Nicely done, my friend.” Natalie held out her fist and Beatrice bumped her knuckles with hers.
“I like him.” Her friend gave the handsome man an adoring smile. “Hi, honey.”
The man bent down to brush a kiss across Beatrice’s cheek. “Gos cHer frod evening, tesoro.” Then he stood and held out a hand to Natalie. “And Ms. Ellis, may I say how very nice it is to meet you? Welcome to our home. I hope everyone has made you comfortable.”
“Very. Thanks.” She stood and shook his outstretched palm, noticing that unlike Beatrice and Baojia, this vampire’s skin was warm. Almost feverish. “You must be Gio. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Giovanni Vecchio. And if it was from Baojia, I’m sure it was very flattering.”
Her eyebrows lifted in amusement. “Dez actually.”
“Ah. No wonder you’re not running away screaming.” He smiled again and pulled out the chair next to Beatrice.
“Be nice.” Beatrice gave him a playful slap on the leg as he sat. “You two are too much alike. That’s why you don’t get along.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “You think that’s the reason, do you?”
“Getting back to the current problem…” Beatrice gave him a pointed stare before she turned back to Natalie. “It seems like there are still too many questions. And the Ernesto situation makes it all more problematic.”
“Can someone tell me what, exactly, the Ernesto situation is?” Natalie asked.
“I think it would be best if Baojia shared that with you,” Giovanni said. “I am not sure of the details and I don’t know how much he wants to tell you.”
Her lip curled. “Please tell me you’re not one of those ‘don’t worry the little woman’ types.”
A self-effacing smile crossed his face. “My wife has taught me the absurdity of that notion. I just know he’s a very private person, and I have too much respect for Baojia to speak out of turn. Besides, he’ll be awake soon. In the meantime, our resources are yours. What can we help you with?”
She took a deep breath and folded her hands. “Well, I just talked to my editor and, after she got finished lecturing me about making her worry, she promised to send a box of my notes to a FedEx office here in LA. I’m not sure where we are, so I just gave her the name of one near Union Station.”
“I’ll arrange to have someone pick it up and bring it to the house. What’s in your notes?”
“Maps of the locations where the bodies were found. Victim profiles I’d worked up.” She shrugged. “A few police reports from Imperial Valley and notes. Lots of notes from phone interviews. I have some e-mails, too. It’s just kind of a jumble, to be honest.”
“Ooh!” Beatrice grinned, her fangs on display. “Does it need organizing? I love organizing.”
Giovanni smiled. “Natalie, I believe you came to the right place.”
Natalie was lying on the bed in the guest room, catching a quick nap before the night truly