Читать книгу Barry and the Vampire in the Rosedale Encounter - Darrell Bartell - Страница 12

After placing the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door, Barry walked down the hallway and entered the elevator with Casey, who had her duffel bag in tow. “Sure you don’t want me to carry that?”

“I’ll manage,” she said. “But I appreciate the offer.”

When they arrived at the lobby, the doors opened and chaos greeted the pair. The security guard, Mr. Ryan, and more than a dozen people, most of them police officers, had gathered near the hotel registration desk. A woman was clutching a rag doll while a man who appeared distraught with grief held her in his arms. The security guard answered a call on his cell phone, while a plainclothes detective stood next to them, holding up a picture and giving instructions.

“Listen up. An Amber Alert has been issued for Lashonda Saunders, who disappeared over an hour ago. African-American female, eight years old, stands a little over four feet tall. Cover the parking lot, the pool, knock on doors, and do whatever it takes, but find her.”

Mr. Ryan, still on his cell phone, walked to his office. The uniformed officers paired off and separated, leaving the detective with the grieving parents in the lobby. Barry watched the first pair of police officers walking toward him.

“What happened, officer?”

“Mom and dad were getting ready to check out and their daughter disappeared. Doll was found in the parking lot. Have you two noticed anything suspicious going on?”

“We just got here. Did the security cameras pick up anything?” asked Casey.

“Nothing,” replied the other officer. “Whoever took her sure knew what they were doing. If you’ll excuse us.”

“Sure, and thanks.” Barry watched the officers walk down the hall and turn the corner.

“Let’s go.”

“Go? Go where?” Barry turned around.

“We’re leaving.”

“Are you kidding? Didn’t you hear what he said?”

“I heard, but it’s not our concern.”

Surprised, Barry couldn’t believe her callousness. “An eight-year-old girl has been kidnapped. Can’t you do something with those tracking skills of yours?”

Annoyed, she replied, “My abilities are limited in daylight.”

“Casey, we have to try. Look at them. We can’t just walk away.”

The vampire stood motionless. Barry wished he could read her mind, but he couldn’t see her eyes through her sunglasses. He hoped she would do the right thing.

“Follow me.”

They walked to the registration desk and stood in front of a courtesy computer.

“See if Lubbock has a museum,” she requested.

Barry didn’t understand.

“Just do something with the computer while I listen,” Casey whispered.

That he understood. He used the touch-screen computer to look up museums, movie theatres, and bookstores. Barry could hear the despair in the parents’ voices.

The detective tried to console them while asking questions and getting more information. Seeing the quick action of Lubbock’s finest brought back memories of his dad’s disappearance.

The research for his term paper had revealed one disturbing fact. It wasn’t illegal for an adult to go missing. Children, yes, but not adults. The laws were different in every state. Thankfully, Texas had laws making it possible to file a missing person’s report at any time. Most states didn’t, and many families of missing loved ones paid the price.

Barry would’ve loved for his dad to have been given the same courtesy and respect they were showing Lashonda.

Casey broke his train of thought. “Come on.”

Together they walked out the front and stopped at the valet stand, where she handed the valet a ticket. “How long to get my car?”

“About ten minutes or less. There are two in front of you.”

“We’ll be back in ten minutes.”

Barry followed Casey to the east end of the building. After turning the corner, they walked to a larger parking lot. The hotel’s long shadow almost reached the main highway, thanks to the setting sun. Two security cameras on the light poles were turned away from the building.

She handed him her duffel bag. “Stay here,” the vampire instructed.

Barry watched her take off her sunglasses and look up into blue sky. With her eyes closed, she turned her head left and right. Then Casey walked out to the far end of the parking lot and looked down at the pavement. She bent down, touched the asphalt, and brought her hand up to her nose. A few moments later, Casey stood up and walked back to Barry.

“Anything?”

“I’m not sure. I picked up her scent from the doll her mother was holding. She was here, but her trail ends over there.” Casey pointed to the far end of the parking lot.

“What’s that on your fingers?”

“Antifreeze,” she answered. “Whoever took her is driving a car with a leaky radiator. They were parked down there.”

“There’s more, isn’t there?”

“No and that’s what bothers me.”

“What do you mean?” From the look on Casey’s face, Barry felt her concern.

“I’m only picking up Lashonda and the antifreeze. I should be able to pick up her abductor, too, but I’m not.”

“Maybe you have a glitch because of the sun. There’s still about three more hours of daylight left.”

“Yeah, maybe. Then there are the security cameras.”

“I noticed that too,” Barry confirmed. “No wonder they didn’t pick up anything. Management is probably afraid of a lawsuit.”

If something else bothered Casey, she wasn’t saying.

“Can you track the car using the antifreeze?”

“Let’s find out,” she put on her sunglasses.

The pair hurriedly walked back to the valet stand in time to see an attendant pull up the Dodge. Casey tipped the man while Barry placed the duffel bag into the trunk.

“You drive,” she ordered, getting into the passenger side and rolling down the window. The sun shined on her face.

Barry slid in behind the wheel, closed the door, and put on his seatbelt. He drove the vehicle away from the hotel and stopped at a red light. “Where to?”

“When the light turns green, go straight. And drive under the speed limit. The vehicle went in that direction.”

Barry complied, going at a speed of thirty miles per hour. Five minutes later, he took a left turn and made his way to 193 South going into Wolforth County. Casey’s directions weren’t complicated, but once in a while he had to stop to allow her to pick up the scent again. Thankfully, there was no wind and the temperature held at a mild eighty degrees. There was still an hour of daylight left.

“Exit here,” she pointed.

Barry turned the vehicle onto FM 1585. A few miles later, Casey instructed him to drive into an abandoned warehouse district, park the car, and shut off the engine.

“Do you hear that?”

“Hear what? I don’t hear anything.”

“Exactly,” she replied. “Pop the trunk.”

Barry pulled the latch next to the driver’s seat. They exited the vehicle and walked to the trunk, where Casey unzipped her duffel bag and produced her katana.

“Do you really need that?”

She didn’t answer. “The smell of the antifreeze is coming from that last warehouse on the right.”

“Great, we can call the police.”

“And tell them what? We need to know if he’s in there.”

“He? Don’t you mean she?” he asked.

“That’s what I meant,” her words were slurred.

“Meant?” Barry became worried. “Casey, are you all right?”

Ignoring him, she fumbled with the duffel bag’s zipper before closing the trunk. “Stay close.”

They made their way to the back of the warehouse. Several loading docks were sealed off. The area hadn’t been used in years, but a brand-new padlock securing an old door appeared out of place. Barry watched in awe as Casey used her bare hand to snap the lock open before dropping down on one knee to recover her sunglasses, which fell from her face.

“Whoa!” Barry grabbed Casey before she hit the concrete. “What’s going on?”

“Don’t know. I’m dizzy.”

Her gaze alarmed Barry when she looked up. “Oh God!”

“What is it?”

“Your eyes,” Barry stuttered. “They’re chalk white.”

“Damn. I’m dehydrated. Been out in the sun too long.”

“How? It’s not hot out here.”

“Doesn’t have to be,” she reminded him. “It’s the sunlight, not the heat, that affects me.”

“Why didn’t you say something earlier?”

“Earlier I was fine. Now I’m not.”

Barry feared the worst. “What do I do?”

“I need blood.”

Now his fear turned into terror. “How much are we talking about?”

“More than you’ve got, so don’t go there with me,” Casey grimaced in pain, clutching her stomach.

Dumbfounded, Barry didn’t know what to do. Inside, a child predator might have his latest victim. Right next to him, a vampire needed blood to survive.

She picked up her sunglasses, put them on, and stood up. “Let’s get inside.”

“You’re in no shape to go anywhere,” he argued.

“I can’t stay out here.” Casey leaned against the wall. “Once inside, I’ll be okay. I just need to get out of the sun.”

“And if we run into trouble?”

“I’ll handle it.”

Before he could stop her, she opened the door, entered the warehouse, and stumbled a few feet inside.

As Barry walked in to help her up, he was struck from behind and collapsed on the dusty floor.