"Patti had rights too, Todd. So did all those other girls you killed to cover your own ass. Or wait ... maybe you got off on it, huh? Are the cops going to find streaks of cum on those little souvenirs in your hideaway?"
He looked away from Duncan, his face twisted in disgust. “Jesus, you're a repulsive bitch—” His gaze snapped back, words cut off as Duncan took a step forward.
"You watch your mouth, human."
Ryder blinked furiously, his thigh muscles bunching beneath tan material as he struggled to push the bolted chair away from the vampire. “Look, look. I'd like to help but, I didn't—"
Duncan leaned a little closer and sniffed. “Nervous, little man?” he whispered, and blew a soft breath over Ryder's sweat-dampened skin.
Ryder jumped as if he'd been stabbed, his eyes rolling nearly white with fear as a high-pitched keening noise came from his throat. “You can't do this,” Ryder said again, his voice a hoarse whisper.
"But, Todd, I was never here,” Cyn said reasonably.
He stared at her, trying to make sense of her words. His face paled as realization struck. “No,” he whispered. “You can't, I'm not..."
Cyn smiled.
"Okay,” he croaked, his gaze shifting frantically between Cyn and Duncan as he strained to keep on eye on the vampire while talking to her. “Look. I'll tell you what you want to know, but don't let him...” He jerked his head toward Duncan.
"Confession is good for the soul,” Duncan said softly. “Or so I've heard.” He laughed and it was a terrifying sound.
"Please,” Ryder whispered breathlessly. “I'll talk, but don't—"
"So talk,” Cyn said in a bored voice. “Start at the beginning."
"Okay, okay,” Ryder said, then swallowed noisily. “You've got to believe me, though. I didn't mean to kill her,” he said quickly. “Patti. We had a fight, like you said.” He nodded at Cyn. “She got invited to one of those parties with the vampires, those blood houses. She was so excited. It was sickening."
He obviously remembered his audience and looked up, eyes wide. “I didn't mean...” He swallowed again nervously and continued. “I loved her and I asked her not to go, but she didn't care. I got pissed and threw something. I don't even remember what it was, but I didn't mean to hit her. I loved her,” he repeated in a pitiful whine, as if that excused everything.
"But I knew the cops wouldn't believe me, so I...” He sat up straight suddenly, sucking in a breath, as if aware for the first time what he was about to say. He frowned and gave Cyn a calculating look, but Duncan was suddenly there, right in front of him, blocking him from seeing anyone or anything. Ryder's eyes glazed over and he kept talking.
"I decided since it was the vampires that started it all, they should pay for it. But I had to do something fast. I took Patti to the tub and bled her so it would look like a vampire had done it, then I dumped the body somewhere the cops would find it. I only did the other girls to make it look like Patti was part of a killing spree. I mean those vampires kill people all the time, so what difference..."
Cyn tuned out Ryder's voice, disgusted by his pathetic attempts to justify everything he'd done. As if those girls deserved to die because Patti Hammel had f**ked a vampire. She didn't need to listen to know the kind of shit he would shovel. And besides, no matter what Eckhoff said, she knew the conversation was being recorded. Not officially, and the cops wouldn't be able to use it as evidence, but it would tell them everything they needed to know to get Ryder for the murders. She sat in the chair, staring at her feet, until Duncan touched her shoulder gently.
"Cynthia."
She looked up, startled to realize Ryder had stopped talking. The whole room stank of sweat and fear and she wanted out. She stood. “Duncan? Are we finished?” She had enough presence of mind to keep her back to the window, but Duncan was studying her with concern, so she drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I'm okay. Let's just get the hell out of here."
* * * *
When she dropped off Duncan in front of the main house, it wasn't even midnight yet. She pulled up and left the engine running, and Duncan turned to her in surprise. “You're not coming in?"
"Not tonight. Listen, Duncan. Thanks. I couldn't have done it without you."
He shrugged. “None of what he said will stand up in court."
"No, but now they know what to ask and they'll get something out of him. Enough to convict anyway. Besides, you're one scary vampire. I don't think Todd's going to be in any hurry to get out of jail."
"I'll fill Raphael in on the details unless you...” He didn't finish, but looked at her expectantly.
"No, you go ahead. I need some sleep. There's always sort of a letdown after I close a case, you know?"
Duncan smiled knowingly which irritated her somehow, and so she grumbled, “What's with the accent? You had it at the airport, too, with Mirabelle. You don't normally talk like that."
His smiled broadened. “But I do, Cynthia,” he said with a heavy drawl. “It's that northern speech that's not normal."
Cyn laughed. “You're a man of many surprises, Duncan Milford. Is that your real name?"