Kiss of the Vampire(28)

“No, thanks,” Tobias said. “Just let him know we’re here.”

Nix and Dante also turned down his offer.

Within a few minutes a short, bald man walked into the room. He wore shorts and a red T-shirt with the words “Kiss me, I’m a vampire” emblazoned across the front. “I’m Carson Loren. My man said you’re from the council?” He seemed soft, more like a mouse than a fearsome predator. Unusual but not unheard of for a vampire. If Nix had to guess, she’d say he’d come through the last Influx, though with his timid manner she was amazed he’d lasted this long.

Tobias went through the introductions. “We’d like to talk to you about Johnson Pickett.”

The vampire spread his hands. “We split up the partnership a few months ago, though he still lived here. We led separate lives, so I don’t know what I can tell you.” He sat down in the chair behind the desk and motioned for them to sit.

“What sort of business did you have?” Tobias asked as he took a seat in front of the desk. Dante glanced at Nix and she waved him toward the other chair. Tobias wanted to do all the talking and she was fine with that. She knew from her notes and from talking to other acquaintances of Pickett’s the day of his murder that he and Loren had owned an import-export company. Tobias probably knew that, too, since he’d read the report, but most likely he wanted to see if Loren would lie about anything.

“International trade.” Loren shifted his feet. A tic started up beside his left eye. “We would purchase goods, usually from a foreign country, import them into the U.S., and resell them. It was quite lucrative for several years.”

“And?” Tobias prompted when Loren faltered.

The other vampire shrugged. “The economy went down the toilet here and in just about every country around the globe. We were having a much harder time making a profit. Some months we lost money. A lot of it. So we closed up shop and disbanded the partnership.” He rubbed one hand over his scalp. His gaze darted from Tobias to Dante to her and back to Tobias. “That’s all. Nothing more sinister than a failing economy.”

Nix leaned her shoulder against the door frame and watched the exchange. Loren was twitchy, and it was more than the fact he had three investigators sitting in his office. If he were human, he’d be sweating buckets right now.

“Do you know of any reason someone would want him dead?” Tobias crossed one leg over the other, his demeanor relaxed but Nix knew he watched Loren closely.

“No. Of course not. Johnson is…was…harmless.” He clasped his hands on top of the desk and started to pick at his cuticles. A nervous habit left over from his days as a human, and one he hadn’t yet gotten rid of.

“He was a vampire,” Dante said in a dry tone. “Hardly someone I’d call harmless.”

Loren barely spared him a glance. “I don’t know anything about what Pickett got himself into, or why he was killed.” He rubbed his head again. “I’m sorry.” He abruptly stood. “I just don’t know anything that can help you.”

“We’re not finished.” Tobias didn’t move physically, but his entire being radiated danger. “Sit.” When Loren remained on his feet, Tobias said, “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

The other vampire slowly took his seat once more. He kept his eyes glued to Tobias. “You used to work for Maldonado, didn’t you?” The look on his face suggested he’d just made the connection.

“Yes.” Tobias uncrossed his legs and leaned forward slightly. “Where were you the day before yesterday?”

“You want an accounting of my whole day?”

“Since you were unavailable for questioning at the time, yes, I want an accounting of your whole day.” Tobias tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair. “Starting with the morning and going through till midnight when your former partner was killed.”

Loren sputtered and stammered, but he finally trotted out his itinerary.

Dante pulled out his phone and started playing with it. Nix saw his eyebrows shoot up and he looked like he was suppressing a grin.

After a few minutes, Loren petered to a stop. “I had nothing to do with any of it, I swear.”

“We’ll see about that.” Tobias got to his feet. He pulled out a business card and jotted something down on it. “That’s my cell number,” he said. “In case you think of something.”

Loren’s eyes flickered but he took the card Tobias handed him. “I don’t know anything,” he repeated. When Tobias merely stood there, staring at him, Loren lifted the card and with a trembling smile tucked it into the front pocket of his shorts. “If I think of anything, I’ll call you.” His tone was largely unconvincing.