Page 59 of Top Secret Vampire

“I heard that somewhere.” I had to hand it to the detective, he didn't even flinch.

“I can move myself with a blink of an eye,” Wolf said. “Which means I mistified to my home, grabbed clothing, and returned in the same manner.”

“Did Reese leave the house while you were gone?” he asked.

“Speculation,” Brandon interjected before Wolf could answer. “Reese and I will answer all necessary questions. You're on the clock, Detective. Let’s not waste our time with hypotheticals. Get to the point.”

Carter ignored the jab, fixing his eyes on me again. I didn't see anything malicious there, just a sharpness that told me he was trying to size up my answer before I even gave it. “Reese, can you vouch that you didn’t leave the house during that time? No walks to the garden, checking something inside the garage, or anything like that?”

“No,” I said, sucking back the panic rising in my throat. “I didn’t leave. I was inside the house the entire time Wolfram was gone.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.” The word came out harsher than I intended, but damn it, I was telling the truth.

Detective Carter adjusted his chair and flipped the phone around to face us, tapping to start the video. The footage played again, showing someone who looked an awful lot like me slipping through the back entrance of the historical society, night sky showing through the windows in the main area on the left. The figure moved with purpose, checking around like they were making sure the coast was clear before snatching the small statue from the display and tucking it into a cloth bag.

The timestamp in the corner read 8:22 p.m.

I sat frozen, my breath stuck in my throat. It couldn’t be me. But that woman had my hair, my build, even my damn mannerisms. How?

Detective Carter didn't take his eyes off me. “Is this you?”

Brandon sat stiffly beside me, but I could feel his presence like a wall at my side. He gave the barest of nods, urging me on.

“No.” My voice came out steady but strained. “That can’t be me. It’s not me.”

“Take a good look.” Carter flipped his fingers toward the phone. I didn’t need to. I’d already seen enough. “You’re telling me that this woman, who has your face, your hair, your exact height,isn’tyou?”

“It isn’t me,” I said, louder this time, straightening my spine to mirror my words.

Brandon’s hand landed lightly on the table. “My client stated she didn’t leave her house, Detective. I think we’re repeating ourselves.”

“Even with the timestamps?” Carter leaned back in his chair, his arms crossing on his chest. “It’s a lot for a judge to swallow, don’t you think? But we’ll leave that for later.” He cleared his throat and turned his phone back to face in his direction, focusing on the screen again. “Another question, Reese. Are you capable of mistifying?”

“Are you serious?” My voice pinched higher. “I’m human. Completely human.”

“Are you absolutely sure?” He raised an eyebrow, his expression frigid.

“Do I need to stake myself to prove I’m not a vampire?” My frustration bubbled up, my hands balling into fists on the table. “I can’t mistify. I can’t fly. I can’t disappear into thin air. I come in through doors like a normal person would.”

Detective Carter tapped his phone. “Like this one did.”

“If I may,” Wolf asked, laying his phone on the table. He rose only to ease around me and speak with Brandon in a voice so low, even I couldn't overhear. Brandon released a slick smile and grunted. Wolf retook his seat. “Allow me to show the camera footage on Reese's home during the time in question last night.”

“Alright,” Detective Carter said. Did I hear a touch of sympathy in his voice? He must think he’d caught me and all that was needed was to charge me with the crime. Yet I sensed he would welcome a way to prove this couldn’t be me.

Wolf played a series of videos, the grainy images spooling across the screen. In each, taken of my home from all angles, no one left the building.

And best of all, they all held timestamps between 8:15 and 8:31 p.m. At 8:20, one image showed me standing at the window, peering out at the driveway.

“See?” I gasped out, vindicated at last. “It couldn’t be me.”

Chapter 28

Wolfram

Detective Carter nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving my phone. He reached up, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ll need to verify this footage, of course. Make sure your cameras haven’t been tampered with.”

---