Page 64 of The Vampire and the Case of the Cursed Canine

‘Three years ago.’

‘Where did you live before?’ I asked nosily.

He smiled. ‘The cabin by Kamluck.’ Connor had taken me there to keep me safe after I was shot by the crazy murderess, Virginia Tide. It was a one-room place with a twin bed, a chair, a table and a fireplace. I didn’t think it even had running water.

‘How long did you live there?’ I figured he’d stayed in the cabin while he built his fancy mansion. How long would that take? Six months? A year? I couldn’t imagine living there for a year.

‘I lived there for about thirty-seven years. Give or take.’

My jaw dropped. ‘Thirty-seven years? Where did you go to the loo and shower?’

He laughed. ‘There’s an outhouse, and I showered at the bunkhouse.’

‘I can’t believe you lived there that long. It’s so small!’

He shrugged. ‘I grew up a long time ago, Bunny. People lived in confined spaces like that for millennia. It was perfectly adequate.’

I shuddered. ‘I prefer your new place.’

He laughed. ‘I do, too. I guess I got tired of living like that, and I was always worried that my father would call me back. I finally stopped worrying and decided to start living.’

I’d have to unpack all of that later because we were pulling up to Josephine’s gate. I hadn’t thought this through. If she didn’t let us in, what could I do? Get a warrant, I supposed, then I could break in legally.

There was a speaker box next to the gate. Connor rolled down his window and pressed the button. We waited; it was a few minutes before there was a response. ‘What do you want?’ a woman’s voice demanded.

‘It’s Connor Mackenzie and Bunny Barrington. We wish to speak to you. Will you let us in?’

‘I’m not letting any vampires in,’ she sneered. ‘Go away.’

‘Ms Payne, this is Officer Barrington. I need to ask you a few questions. Would you please let me come up to the house?’

‘No.’

‘Then you leave me no choice but to come back with a warrant. If I do that, I’ll arrest you and take you to the Nomo’s office.’

‘You can try.’ She laughed. ‘Now kindly fuck off.’

We had no choice. Connor was with me but I needed another council member to sign off on an arrest warrant, so we’d have to go back to town and come back. I looked at Connor but I didn’t need to say anything. He turned the truck around and we headed back to town. As we drove, Connor called someone and ordered a vampire to get to Payne’s residence, stat. Relief swept through me that we’d at least have some eyes on the building. She wouldn’t be able to do a runner.

I called Gunnar on the way to the office, chafing at the delay. I’d been too eager. If Josephine knew Posie Payne, or was Posie Payne, I’d tipped our hand and put Mum in even greater danger, all because I’d been too impatient. I’d fucked up, and she might suffer for it.

‘Gunnar, she refused us entry. I’m going to need a warrant. Can you get that ready for me? I have Connor with me. I’ll call and see if I can find another council member to sign off.’

‘Sure thing. Thomas said he was going to swing by to see our Sidnee – I’ll tell him to wait. Sidnee!’ he bellowed in my ear. To be fair, he probably pulled the phone away from his mouth, but it was so loud he almost deafened me.

I heard Sidnee’s voice. ‘You bellowed, boss?’

‘Yeah, type up a warrant for Posie…’

‘Josephine,’ I yelled into the phone.

‘No need to be so loud, I can hear you,’ Gunnar said and I rolled my eyes. Then he said to Sidnee, ‘For Josephine Payne aka Posie Payne.’

‘Got it boss.’

‘And if Thomas shows up, tell him I need him to sign off on it. Connor’s on his way to sign as well.’

‘Got it.’

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