Larry sat down on the bed with his back pressed against the wall. Jeff sat down next to him, propping some of the pillows into the corner for a back rest. Raven jumped up on the bed, circled his lap twice, and lay down. Cozy.
"How hot an item were Andy and your sister?" No prelims; off with the clothes.
He glanced at both of us. Larry gave him an encouraging smile. He shifted more securely against his mound of pillows and said, "Pretty hot. I mean, they hung all over each other at school."
"Embarrassing," I said.
"Yeah. I mean, she was my sister. She's only a year older than me, and there's this guy pawing her." He shook his head. He rubbed the poodle's ears, hands moving down her small curly body. He petted her like it was habit, a comfort measure.
"Did you like Andy?"
He shrugged. "He was older and sort of cool, but no, I thought Ellie could have done better."
"How so?"
"He did smoke pot and didn't have any plans for college. Andy wasn't going anywhere. It was like the fact that he loved my sister was everything. Like they'd live on love or something stupid like that."
I agreed that that was stupid. "When your dad put a stop to it, did it stop?"
He grinned at me. "No. They just started sneaking around. I think if anything, telling Ellie she couldn't see him made it worse."
"It usually does," I said. "When did Andy disappear?"
"About two weeks ago. His car went missing, too, so everybody thought he'd run off, but he wouldn't have left Ellie behind. He was sort of creepy, but he wouldn't have left her."
"Was Ellie upset at being left behind?"
He frowned, hugging the dog against his chest. Raven licked his chin with her small pink tongue. "That was the weird part. I mean, I know she had to pretend not to care in front of Mom and Dad, but even at school or out with our friends she didn't seem to care. I was kinda glad. I mean, Andy was a loser, but it was like she didn't believe he was gone or knew something the rest of us didn't. I thought he'd just gone off to find like an out-of-town job and was going to send for her."
"Maybe he did," I said.
The frown deepened between his smooth, unblemished brows. "What do you mean?"
"I think Andy may be the vampire that did your sister."
A look of disgust crumbled his face even further. "I don't believe that. Andy loved Ellie; he wouldn't kill her."
"If he's a vampire, Jeff, he wouldn't think turning her into the undead is killing her. He'd probably think of it as bringing her over."
Jeff shook his head. Raven wiggled out of his grasp as if he was squeezing too hard. She hopped off his lap and lay down on the covers. "Andy wouldn't hurt Ellie. Doesn't it hurt to die?"
"Probably," I said.
"The bushes underneath her end window are all crushed," Larry said.
I looked at him. "Say again."
He smiled, pleased with himself. "I took a look around outside. That's what took me so long when you sent me out for gloves that you didn't need. The bushes under the end window to the girl's room are all smashed like something heavy fell on them."
I had a moment to visualize Larry out in the dark all alone, unarmed except for his cross. The thought made my skin cold. I opened my mouth to yell at him and closed it. Never dress anyone down in public unless it's an object lesson. I said, "Any tracks?" I gave myself a dozen brownie points for not yelling.
"Do I look like Tonto? Besides, the ground is just grass and it's been so dry lately. I don't think there'd be any tracks." He frowned at me. "Can you track vampires?"
"Not normally, but if this one is as new as I think he is, then maybe." I nodded. "Yeah." I stood up. "I've got to go ask the deputy something. Thank you for your help, Jeff." I offered him my hand to shake. He took it. His handshake was a little uncertain, as if he wasn't used to it.
I went for the door and Larry followed.
"You will find him and kill him, even if it's Andy?" Jeff asked.
I turned back and looked at him. His dark eyes were still intelligent, still full of purpose, but there was also a little boy needing reassurance.
"Yeah, we'll find him."
"And kill him?"
"And kill him," I said.
"Good," he said. "Good."
I wasn't sure if "good" was the word I would have chosen, but it wasn't my sister lying dead in the other room.
"You got a cross?" I asked.
He frowned, but said, "Yeah."
"You wearing it?"
He shook his head.
"Get it and wear it until we catch him. Okay?"
"You think he'll come back?" Fear glittered at the edge of his eyes.