“Ms. Forrester, I’m sorry to interrupt you, but I was wondering if we could have a few minutes of your time,” Lang said.
“Yes, of course. Mr. Kamber didn’t tell me what was going on, but I’m assuming some sort of crime was committed within the department?”
“Yes, a murder.”
Kimberly’s eyes opened wide. “Oh my goodness, I never imagined it was such a serious crime. Who was murdered?”
“A woman named Elizabeth Bower. She worked in the lab area of the building. Did you know her?” Genn asked.
“No, I’m sorry, I didn’t. Who is the scum that murdered her?”
“We don’t know yet. That’s why we’re asking questions to any one in hopes of picking up any kind of information,” Lang said.
A puzzled look contorted Kimberly’s face. “I don’t get it-I thought there was always DNA and therefore a positive ID.”
“Yes, this is a first for us. It seems we have an unregistered Vampire on our hands. When we came to see Mr. Kamber a short time ago, he told us that it is impossible…yet here we are.”
“Well I’ll do anything I can do to help. I hate murderers. They’re just selfish Vampires who have lost the will to live and take as many innocent Vampires, usually women, with them before they go. Why don’t they just kill themselves and leave everybody else alone.”
“Some of them do just kill themselves, while ever increasingly, the selfish, mad at the world ones, leave a path of destruction before they are caught,” Lang said. “We’ve also been to see Tasha Murdock, who works on the lab floor.”
“I know Tasha, she’s super nice.”
“And Elsie Fleck, whom I’m sure you know.”
“Yes, she’s in here all the time-or at least, she used to be.”
“Yes, I suppose things have changed around here quite drastically the last couple of months. We interviewed Ms. Murdock and Ms. Fleck separately, but they seem to be very close.”
“Oh yeah, they’re really good friends. Have been since I’ve known them.”
“And how long is that?” Lang asked, and Genn glanced at his partner.
“Well, I’ve worked here for 52 years, and I met them both at a party shortly after I started here.”
“Going back to Mr. Kamber for a minute. He was very helpful to us and provided us with a wealth of information that we need to follow up on. I think we kind of caught him off guard though, and he said he would get back to us with any additional information.”
“Probably something to do with the file he asked me to get for him, right after you left.”
“Oh good, so he found something. Hopefully it’s something that will help us in our investigation. Is he still in?” Lang asked.
“His car is still here. He disappeared after I got him the file, though, so I’m not sure where he is, specifically. And the building is locked now.”
Genn clued in to his partner’s strategy. “Too bad, we were hoping to get a jump on this investigation, before another innocent woman is murdered by this selfish piece of crap.”
“Well, I probably shouldn’t pass on this information, but if it will help I don’t mind doing it; especially if it saves a life. And I’m sure if it is important, Mr. Kamber will pass it on anyway. Just try to sound grateful if he calls you with it, and don’t tell him that I already mentioned it…he’d be really angry with me for overstepping my bounds.”
Lang smiled warmly. “Don’t worry, our lips are sealed. Right, Genn?”
Genn nodded. “Right. No problem.”
“He asked me to get a file on a human named, Drake Ulah. It’s a name that I’ve heard before.”
“Really?”
“Yes, Ms. Fleck was really high on this human. She had big plans for him once he was converted. Apparently he was some sort of genius or something. But the Great Edict put an end to that. Mr. Ulah just missed the deadline and the board of directors wouldn’t make an exception for him. Do you think he has something to do with the murders? I know for a fact that he was never converted, so it couldn’t be him.”
“To be honest with you, Kimberly, we don’t have a clue at this point ourselves. Like I said, this is new territory for us. Can you think of anything else that may be helpful to us?”
“Not off the top of my head, but if I do, I’ll call you right away.”
Kimberly took the business cards from the detectives and they went on their separate ways.
On the way back to their car, “Mistake number one. Elsie Fleck lied about her friendship with Tasha Murdock.”
“This is getting interesting. You’re rather good at this. How did you know how to ask just the right questions?” Genn said with a look of admiration.
“Just naturally nosey, I guess.”
“And now we have a name. How significant do you think it is?”
“I’m hoping, very. I mean, it could be just coincidence, but I have a hunch that this Ulah human isn’t human anymore. And it lines up with our theory of the Great Edict putting a stop to Elsie Fleck’s plan. A plan that has gone astray and I’m sure has put her and her accomplice in a panic.”
“What’s our next move?” Genn asked.
“We look up the file on this Mr. Ulah, and I’ll bet when he was put up for auction, guess who was there to pay top dollar for him?”
“Elsie Fleck?”
“Either her or Tasha Murdock, but my bet is Ms. Fleck. She’s a woman who works closely with humans and if she allowed herself to fall in love with one of them, assuming and counting on the fact that he would be converted, but the Great Edict ruined her plans. So she buys him and talks Ms. Murdock, her longtime friend, into performing an illegal conversion.”
“You’ve got it all figured out. Where to now?” Genn asked.
“Back to the precinct.”
“Are you sure we won’t be coming back here in the next few minutes, again?”
Lang smiled. “Nope-we’re done for now.”
***
Kamber walked down the hall with a grim expression on his face.
Elsie Fleck was surprised and uneasy when he strode into her office and threw a hard copy file onto her desk.
“Where is he?” Kamber asked.
“Where is who?”
“You know perfectly well who. Open the file.”
Elsie’s mind raced as she slowly opened the file. “Oh, Mr. Ulah. Yes I purchased him and fed from him months ago, as per your suggestion. And you were right, it was a very satisfying kill.”
“You’re lying. You wouldn’t have killed him this soon. It would have taken you decades to be able to do it…if ever. I can’t believe you did this. If I have a blemish on my record because of you, I’ll do all I can to make sure you pay the ultimate price. Where is he now? Or do you even know.”
“I’m looking for him as we speak, Mr. Kamber. I can’t believe it has come to this. But I assure you; I’ll find him and put an end to it before it comes back on you.”
“You had better Elsie, your life and my career depend on it.”
“I know. I’m so sorry.”
“With all your training, experience and warnings that you were headed towards heartache, how could you possibly have done this? I never imagined you would take it to this level of stupidity. And I assume Ms. Murdock is your accomplice?”
Elsie sinking expression answered his question.
“To drag her into this as well, and for her to even go along with such a mad scheme is unfathomable. I am so disappointed with the two of you. I don’t want you back in the office until you find Ulah. Do you have any leads?”
“Just the purchasing records of Drake’s expenditures on the line of credit I provided him. I’m just waiting for the information. I should have it later today, they said.”
“And what do you intend on doing if you find him?”
“I don’t know. I’m hoping I can convince him to come home. Once I get him back, I’ll figure out what to do.”
“He needs to die. It’s the only way. And the b
ody disposed of so the authorities can’t get their hands on him. Keep me informed every step of the way. And don’t tell those detectives anything. But if it comes to it and you get caught…I will deny everything. Do you understand?”
“Yes sir.”
Kamber turned on his heel and walked out.
Genn felt a little twinge of hesitation when he drove past his customary turn around point, but was relieved to get past it without Lang telling him pull over. Lang was deep in thought and had requested the personal records of their suspect which were at her desk when they arrived. It didn’t take long to see that their suspicions were not so farfetched after all.
“Just as we suspected, Genn, Fleck was Ulah’s counselor and sponsor. Apparently Ulah had great promise but missed the deadline. You don’t have his purchase history there , do you?”
“I think so…yes, here it is from the blood shop. Purchased almost 6 months ago by…Elsie Fleck.” Genn looked up from the document.
“Bingo.” Lang continued to read over the material. “It seems he was assigned as a breeder. That must have just about sent Elsie Fleck over the edge.”
“What do you mean?” Genn asked.
“I mean, she would have been consumed with jealousy. But it seems he and his partner decided not to procreate.” Lang thought for a moment. “You know why?”
“No, why.”
“Because by this time, Ulah had been informed of the secrets of the Empire, before the rug was pulled out, so he knew what the humans were being bred for and didn’t want to be a part of it.”
“Here’s something interesting,” Genn said as he continued to look at blood shop records. “Ms. Fleck made some female purchases around this time frame. And as I look back over the years, she has never, ever, bought female blood stock before.”
“Hmm, let me see those as soon as your done,” Lang asked and Genn handed them over directly. “Very interesting. We can almost pinpoint the time that the illegal conversion was performed. Except the first female purchase was months before the next few that are in a cluster. Hmm, this name looks familiar, I just saw it, I think.” Lang grabbed the report she had just been looking at. “Megan Durham. It’s the same name. What in crimson. Ulah was paired with this woman as a breeder and then through some sort of third person transaction, she was purchased by Ms. Fleck. This Megan Durham was Fleck’s first female purchase, and it wasn’t for another 3 months that she made her next female purchases. That’s unusual,” Lang said as she sat back in her chair and rocked, then keyed in a request on her computer, tagged urgent. A short time later her information arrived. “Megan Durham was raised in the same area as Ulah and they worked on the same farm. I have a hunch they were sweethearts, but for the life of me I can’t understand why Elsie Fleck would buy her.”
“If Ms. Fleck was in love with Ulah, maybe he insisted that she buy Durham and save her from someone’s bloodstock,” Genn ventured.
“Maybe. That must have just eaten her up inside to have a human woman in her house that Ulah was in love with.”
“She still may be around,” Genn suggested.
“It’s worth another visit to Ms. Fleck, I think.”
“Couldn’t we just call her?”
“No, then we don’t get the full effect of her reaction. But, I want to go to her house. Let’s wait until she’s home and pounce on her then. I think we’re on the right track, Genn.”
“And I thought you were way off base with this crazy theory, but it just keeps getting crazier.”
The detectives decided to show up unannounced at Elsie’s house. They knocked and Christopher opened the door.
“Good afternoon. We noticed Ms. Fleck just got home and wondered if we may have a word with her. I’m Detective Lang and this is Detective Genn.”
The color draining from Christopher’s face did not escape notice.
“We’re investigating a murder and hope that Ms. Fleck can help us with some information on a Mr. Drake Ulah,” Genn said, and they both watched for Christopher’s reaction.
His next expression was one of shock. He stammered that he would fetch his employer.
“May we come in?” Lang asked.
“Yes, of course. Make yourselves comfortable.” Christopher led them into the sitting room.
When he had left…“He knows what’s going on,” Lang said and Genn agreed.
In another part of the house Elsie looked over Drake’s transaction record. He was staying at the Balmoral, downtown. He picked an expensive enough hotel, Elsie thought to herself. Just then, Christopher walked in.
He just stood there with a stunned look on his face.
Elsie looked up at him and waited. “What is it, Christopher?” she finally said in an exasperated tone.
“Umm, there are 2 police detectives in the sitting room Ms. Fleck,” Christopher’s voice sounded nervous.
Elsie’s face went blank. “What did you tell them,” she whispered.
“Nothing, Miss, just like you told us.”
“Why did you let them in?” she said as she got up.
“I don’t know, I guess I got nervous.”
“Well, make yourself scarce. Don’t come out until they’re gone.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“Ahh, detectives. It’s good to see you again, so soon,” Elsie said through an artificial smile.
“Good afternoon Ms. Fleck, so sorry to bother you again. We have just come across 2 names in our investigation and we’re interested to ask you about them,” Lang said.
Elsie felt her level of tension rise even more.
“Do Megan Durham or Drake Ulah still reside here?”
“Let me think for a minute. Oh no I’ve already fed from them. They went into the cadaver bin weeks ago. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, they are just 2 humans of interest. We are curious as well to the sudden interest in human women. It interrupts a pretty consistent buying pattern,” Lang said.
“It’s a personal matter. Experimentation and variety…that’s all.”
“Yes, of course. We don’t intend on prying into a person’s privacy, but sometimes within an investigation we need to follow a particular path of questioning. Going back to Mr. Ulah, he certainly is an interesting case; a human that showed so much promise, missing the deadline for conversion by so little. I can’t believe that Mr. Kamber and the board wouldn’t have made provisions for one so exceptional. It must have been very difficult for you, to bring this brilliant youngster along over the years, knowing how much he would benefit our society. And then to lose him right at the crucial moment. It must have been a bitter loss for you.”
“I have been trained to not get too attached to my charges, but yes, I must admit it was disappointing.”
“I’m sorry, please permit me another personal question, woman to woman. Why did you buy him after he was designated as blood stock?”
“I suppose I hoped that the panel of elders would change their decision regarding Mr. Ulah and putting him up in my home was just my way of trying to help the Empire become stronger. Because he was brilliant-it was such a waste.”
“But you ended up feeding from him only months later.”
“I guess I just got frustrated, and I could tell nothing was going to change. They really missed a great opportunity to make the Empire stronger, and I fully believe that Mr. Ulah would have made a difference.”
“Is it difficult to work so closely with a human and then feed off him? It seems like one would have to develop some sort of relationship with the individual.”
“I am highly trained not to let my personal feelings enter into any aspect of my function as a human liaison. Feeding from him was nothing more than any other feeding session.”
“We understand that Megan Durham was some sort of sweetheart to Mr. Ulah. Is that why you purchased her, for his comfort?”
Elsie felt her face flush with emotion and took a moment before answering. “Yes, something like that, but they are both gone now, so none of that really mat
ters anymore. Now, I feel like I’ve answered all of your questions and have given you enough of my time.” Elsie stood up.
“Yes, you have been very patient with us. Thanks again for your time. We’ll keep in touch,” Lang said as she and Genn rose from the couch.
Christopher retreated from his eavesdropping; quickly tip toeing away in stocking feet. He put his slippers back on and walked into the kitchen where Margaret was working.
Elsie stormed past.
They watched her pass by. “Thank goodness she didn’t come in. What if the police want to question us?” Christopher asked.
“Then we play dumb. We just work here, that’s all. They’re all just blood stock to us, nothing more. What a bloody clot you’ve gotten us all into.” Margaret glared at Christopher.
He hung his head and walked out of the kitchen. Christopher felt confused and worried about the entire predicament that he was responsible for. He liked Drake, and wished him the best, but now he may be a killer, unleashed on the populace of the dome by none other than Christopher Landis. He heard Elsie thundering down the stairs and scurried for cover. She passed by in a flurry of rage and was out the front door with a slam. Christopher peeked out of the window to watch her go, then took a couple moments to wipe the dust from the sill. A car passed. He recognized Genn in the driver’s seat. Christopher came out of hiding, relieved that Ms. Fleck was out of the house. Feeding of the blood stock would not be for an hour so he performed some minor clean-up duties. Ms. Fleck got so annoyed if her little messes around the house were not cleaned up after her. Ms. Fleck’s computer desk was in disarray and an open file caught Christopher’s eye as he straightened it out. It was a transaction record in Drake’s name, bankrolled by Ms. Fleck. The Hotel Balmoral stood out. Christopher thought for a moment. “I’m going to the grocery store to pick up some stuff the blood stock asked for. I’ll be back in a bit.”
Margaret didn’t answer but grumbled something under her breath.
***
“Too bad we couldn’t have questioned the staff at Ms. Fleck’s,” Genn said as he walked to the car.
“We’ll need their testimony for a conviction when the time comes, but for now we know what we need to know: she fell in love with a human, her plans got spoiled and she chose to convert him illegally. Now he’s escaped from her home and is a bitter and vengeful murderer. I think she purchased Megan Durham to appease an unhappy Ulah so that he would be a more amiable escort for Ms. Fleck. I would venture to guess that Drake took Megan with him, and is now out in public with her. Perfectly acceptable in our society and they can blend in easily.”