Unfortunately, Goldie’s Den had to close early tonight. Something about a disturbance involving violence. I’m not exactly sure myself, but the authorities seem to be on it with quickness. Never did I imagine them arriving in such a haste. Shame, as my favorite song had come on.

“There you are!”

It’s easy to recognize that disgruntled, disapproving voice. Approaching me with a heavy stride, strong shoulders, a deep frown, well-kept, short cinnamon-colored curly hair, and a distinguished dark brown beard to match was none other than the Lieutenant of the Hallow Grove City police department himself—Woods.

“Fancy meeting you here, Lieutenant…”

“Don’t give me that! No thanks to you. This is a crime scene with a lot of commotion. Do you have any idea who owns this club?”

“Not really…”

“Do me a favor, yeah, stop littering! One mess is enough. And when did you even start smoking? It’s terrible for you.”

“Of course, you would say that, given that they’re yours.”

He searched frantically, discovering his pockets had been rummaged through before quickly reclaiming what was his.

“I’m serious!”

“What does it matter? It’s not like it’s going to kill me. Or are you choosing now to give me one of those do as I say, not as I do, sort of speeches?”

“Siri,” Lieutenant Woods snapped. “The whole kitchen is a mess. Several witnesses speak of various individuals moving back there with much noise following suit. It’s one hell of a scene when there are no bodies to point to, just blood everywhere. Where does that leave me? What should I say?”

“You don’t say nothin’ at all.”

The Lieutenant reacted poorly to that suggestion, as I could see his lip twitching with irritation.

“What got you so bothered?” I inquired. It’s not that people are unaware; instead, they simply ignore one truth out of fear for another. “I am sure having fewer vampires is beneficial for you. Your new D.A. would likely appreciate cleaner streets, no?”

My comment left Lieutenant Woods indifferent for only a moment before hiking up his pants. I told him he should invest in some suspenders or a suitable belt that fits, but here he was.

“Listen, whatever case you’re handling, it better be worth it. I can’t have you creating a situation I can’t justify. Sure, the D.A. may take this with even a smile on his face, but that doesn’t eliminate the fact that there aren’t rules. What you did was chaotic. You can do better. I have seen it. So, why?”

“Don’t worry about it,” I supplied him.

The truth was simple. I wasn’t just chasing a ghost. I was hunting the vampire who turned me. Every case, every lead, every confrontation brought me one step closer. Woods didn’t understand—this wasn’t just any job.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Don’t tell me this is about finding him? Didn’t I tell you to drop it? You’ll run yourself ragged looking for a ghost. What do you want me to say—that I’m worried? I am. It’s been what—three, four, five months since you last found anything? You don’t sleep, you don’t feel tired? When was the last time you even ate? Because you look like shit.”

“I had a bagel not long ago.”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it. Look at you. You’re covered in blood from head to toe. And your wounds aren’t healing as fast as they used to. What are you doing to yourself?”

“Nothing I can’t handle. And what does it matter to you?”

“Of course, it matters to me! I care!”

“Now you care?”

“Siri…”

Several pairs of eyes were watching us just past the Lieutenant’s shoulders. I stayed quiet, knowing that his decision to meet me alone wasn’t exactly subtle.

“You can take your hand off my cheek now. I am fine.”

My words only spurned another heavy sigh from the big guy. 

“Your grandmother will be concerned if she sees you like this. I’m sure the hospital up on 3rd has some extra blood bags they can spare. I’ve heard rumors about certain vampires out there who are—“

“You ought to see her sometime…”

The air grew silent. It only broke after a moment passed, and the Lieutenant released another heavy sigh. At this point, I doubt it’s a reflex and more of a nasty habit like his drinking. Just another thing that keeps him company all night. He can’t fool me; I smell it on his breath. 

“You should get some rest, not me. I am fine. Is there anything else you want to say, or am I free to go now, Lieutenant?”

“No, not yet—we need to talk about the girl—Macie. First responders are having a look at her, but she is going to be out for half a day. How could you involve her in this?”

“Get to the point.”

“Alright. Stop entertaining her. Tell her to piss off or something—kindly, of course. She can’t be getting wrapped up in any more of this. Especially if you’re going to go and cause problems.”

“She’s grown. She can make her own decisions.”

Macie wanted to be a cop, like her mother. Do some good in this city. Shame—when she found out that half the force is crooked. Not lifting a finger to do any real good to clean the streets of these issues that spread like a plague. 

“…are we done?”

“Yeah, sure, let’s hope so. Do one thing for me. This warpath—the anger boiling up in there—don’t let it consume you, yeah? You’re not a vigilante. You’re a private detective. So how about doing that instead of causing a mess for me to clean up. Because the last I checked, you didn’t want me in your hair, remember? Or did you have a change of heart all of a sudden?”

“Piss off…”

Two days had passed since that night, and I was back to square one. The fine fellow who called me crazy was veryforthcoming in providing me with some answers that didn’t amount to much at all. A few names I have already had the pleasure of meeting personally, but no big fish that helped me out in my own unique “case.”

“In the latest news, we have numerous reports that several children have gone missing from SleepyPoint…”

SleepyPoint is undeniably an upscale location. Each of its apartments would make my loft seem quite shabby by comparison.

Considering the residents in that neighborhood, I’m sure the police department is already looking into things. They typically show more urgency when it involves the elite in this city.

“…With two weeks left until Christmas Eve and the big holiday parade…”

That’s right. I had nearly forgotten. No, not really—actually, it is more fair to say I have been shelving responsibilities.Buying gifts always tends to be so hard—finding the right thing for the right person. Even if you aren’t grabbing much at the end of the day, hours fly by just like that. 

With no time better than the present, I picked myself up and grabbed my coat, only to hear the buzzer for my front door going off. 

The door is much too thick for a simple knock. It’s a formidable 8 inches of solid steel—heavy and challenging for most to open without knowing the trick. You have to grab it in a specific way and leverage a hidden handle right after inputting a code.

Why is it hidden? The same reason it’s made of steel: extra security. The door has several sliding bolts and locks along the side, keeping it firmly in place. My home also serves as my office—Owl Private Investigations—so I need to keep both my personal items and work files extra secure. Sue me. My two-floor loft, with its high ceilings, contains many things that I want to keep safe.

Speaking of which, I had installed security cameras just outside the building and at my door within the hall that leads to the stairs and freight elevator.

To my surprise, standing by was a woman clutching herself. I recognized her, as I don’t tend to forget faces. Several cranks later from the locks, I opened the door.

“You’re Delilah’s mother. The woman from the convenience store the other night, right?”

“HUH?!” Her eyes went wide in fear as she took one step back. Under a different light, I suppose it made what I am all the more apparent. “SORRY! Forgive me—I-I, please I, uhh…”

“Would you like to come in? Tea? Coffee?”

“No, I, ummmm…”

“It’s alright. You’ve clearly come a long way. I won’t bite.”

She didn’t take too kindly to my joke, as she let out an awkward chuckle filled with nervousness and fear. Her hesitation seemed to ease ever so slightly after I stepped aside. I guess my place did have that effect. It should—I put quite a lot of effort into it, even leveraging Macie’s artistic eye. If her pursuit of law enforcement doesn’t work out, there is always the venture into interior decorating.

“You’re more than welcome to have a seat—”

“N-No. Rather I-I need to—p-p-please!!”

It was evident from the way she immediately covered her mouth after speaking that her sudden surge of bravery shocked her. However, this moment was fleeting—she trembled, wrapped her arms around herself, and stepped back from me.

“I’m sorry. I am so so so very. I-I…”

Something more was troubling her. That much was clear. It wasn’t just fear of me or my nature; she seemed genuinely worried. Her body language was tense, and it appeared she hadn’t eaten well. Dark circles marked her eyes, and her hair was unkempt beneath her beanie. Overall, she seemed worse than when I last saw her.

“Take a deep breath. What’s wrong, and why are you here?”

“My, my—Delilah, she’s missing! Please help me. I have nowhere else to go! PLLLLEASE!!”