Chapter 47
Forty-Seven
MARIS
When I said I was coming to Moretti’s looking for vampires, I don’t know what I thought it was going to be like. Maybe more scary? Or spooky? Some vampire king sitting in the corner looking over everyone as they entered maybe?
There’s no vampires at Moretti’s.
There’s not even any good music here.
It’s the same dive bar that I remember sneaking into in high school with Billy for watered down rum and coke, a shitty fake ID that shouldn’t have worked, especially since the bartender knew who I was.
I sip my beer and scan the bar for the hundredth time since I came in half an hour ago. It’s just after six, and the bar is getting busy but nothing about it screams vampire. A pity since I took the time to ditch my kitchen knife for a gun.
The first thing I did after I called repairmen and a cleaning service was to go down to JJ’s Armory and buy a hand gun.
I didn’t have to explain why I wanted the gun.
Not after last night. JJ had been friends with Mike Sheep and I know for a fact the man wouldn’t have done business with me before word got out about Brian.
By now, everyone in town knew that a murder had happened and it had been one of them this time.
Not me. And worst of all, the murderer had wanted me.
Brian ripping Liz’s head off because he couldn’t get to me had done more for my reputation in town in twelve hours than I had managed in two years.
Although that really shouldn’t be that hard considering I didn’t try to make amends in the slightest but still.
Now here I was with no word from Julian and fucking vampire hunting with a hand gun that I barely know how to use.
I’d strapped a knife to my ankle, plus added a pepper spray key chain because a variety of violence making means seemed best when it came to vampires.
Who knew what the fuck they were scared of?
I’d taken the walk up to St. Edwards to get some holy water too.
As silly as I felt scooping it into my plastic water bottle from lunch, I did it.
If vampires needed an invitation to get inside then who’s to say holy water wouldn’t work on them?
I filled that water bottle up to the brim. It’s in my bag now.
“Can I buy you another?”
I glance to my side to see a local but not one of the locals I’m looking for. This one is named David and is actually sort of decent. His family owns the mechanic shop in town. I’ve never seen David hanging out with Brian.
“No, thanks,” I tell him and go back to my brooding.
It’s only a few more minutes before I’m offered another drink.
This one by an off duty officer. It looks like Moretti’s is bumping tonight.
Everyone is here. I turn in my stool and survey the place.
I’m not used to this kind of attention. Normally, I go into a place and everyone makes a point of ignoring me until they don’t and that’s only because they’re ready to start trying their hand at pretending to be a bully in an Eighties John Hughes movie.
There’s none of that here now. It’s like the last two years have melted away by magic and just like that I’m Maris Martinez again, the most eligible bachelorette and richest heiress in town. I frown and turn away from the cop.
“Another time,” I tell him before dismissing him.
I’d prefer no one noticing me. It would make surveilling this place easier that’s for fucking sure.
I pull out my phone and debate on calling it a day and getting back inside my house to hunker down and wait for Julian.
He still hasn’t contacted me. I swallow hard and stare down at his contact on my screen.
That stupid fucking heart next to his name taunts me.
“Brought you one. Looked like you could use a refresh.” A glass appears in front of my nose. It smells like bourbon and soda, but there’s something else. Something sour. I look up from the glass to see Ben, Brian’s wife beating brother.
Bingo.
This fuck knows where Brian is. I lean back on my seat and look him over. “What makes you think I want a drink from you?”
He sucks on his teeth and chuckles. “I’m hurt, Maris. I know what my brother did and I’m sorry. Wasn’t right. Everyone in town is talking about it.” He gestures around the bar with one hand when he says that. It’s true the entire town is, just like this entire bar is.
“Where’s your brother?” I ask.
“I don’t fucking know. He’s crazy. Why would I know where he is?
Now, I came here to bring you something to drink.
If you don’t want it,” he moves like he’s going to put it down beside me but when he does, I notice something.
He isn’t breathing. There’s a stillness to him.
One that I felt in Julian. I grab the glass from him, making sure to brush my hand against his, and sure as shit his hand is freezing.
“I changed my mind.”
“Nice. Once you finish that, why don’t we head outside to talk?”
There’s no fucking universe I would ever go anywhere with Ben to talk, let alone outside after his brother tried to kill me…again, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
“Why don’t we go now?” I offer and put the drink down with a thunk. I hop off the seat and grab my bag. The gun inside makes me feel…okay. I saw how fast Brian was, not very, which means yes, Ben might be strong but he’s not faster or stronger than the bullet I’ll put between his eyes.
Ben doesn’t move when I go towards the door. Instead he grabs my arm and hauls me back. “Finish your drink.”
I look at the drink. It looks fine but it smells wrong. That fucker drugged it. That’s why he wants me to drink it.
“You seem awfully eager for me to drink that. You trying to get me drunk, Ben?”
He smiles what I bet he thinks is a charming smile at me. “Just a shame to let it go to waste is all.”
I slide the drink his way. “Why don’t you have it then?”
Ben’s smile goes slimy as an oil slick. He leans in close to me, one hand on the bartop beside me. “You want to know about Brian? Drink the drink, Maris,” he whispers.
Fuck.
My choices are stay here and risk losing info on Brian, and possibly get jumped on the way home, or drink the drugged drink, definitely get jumped but probably get a lead on Brian.
If I find Brian, I find Julian. I’m not a fucking idiot.
I know who made him a vampire and it’s that psycho maker of Julian’s.
It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together about where Brian fucking came from.
In the end, I decide to go for the possibility of getting info on Brian. Whoever is waiting out there for me is going to be there no matter the way I slice it. Might as well see if I can get something out of it.
“Fine. This better not be bottom shelf,” I mutter and throw back the drink. I finish it in two swallows. I cough when I’m done. “Jesus fuck, a well? Your family really is cheap.”
“Shut the fuck up and let’s go,” Ben mutters. He turns on his heel and stalks towards the back of the bar. The bathrooms are back that way and so is the back door. It leads to a small patio area and then out to the docks, hidden from Main Street. Of course he’s taking me back there.
I sigh and follow after him. The move gets curious looks for me. Everyone is wondering why I’m following the brother of my almost killer outside but I pay them no mind. I’m passing the bathrooms when I hear Minnie’s annoying voice.
“What the fuck are you doing here, you bitch!”
I look to the right and see her. She’s just coming out of the bathroom.
She looks decent, at least in the low lighting of the bar she does.
Minnie’s red hair is pretty enough but her face is plain and she knows it.
Heavy makeup has been applied by her to play up her features.
I have to do a double take when I realize she looks…
holy shit, she looks like me, or at least what I would look like through a circus mirror.
“Are you wearing contacts?” I ask her, leaning close to get a look at her.
Minnie usually has watery blue eyes that look more gray than anything.
Now they’re dark brown. She’s lined her eyes with dark kohl and shaped them to resemble mine.
Fake lashes, deep contour, overlined lips, carving and what looks like a spray tan round it out.
I’m surprised she didn’t fucking dye her hair.
I laugh. “You are, aren’t you?”
Minnie jerks back like I’ve slapped her. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about your new eye color, you freak. What’s the matter? Billy can’t get it up for you anymore?”
She crosses her arms and steps in front of me. She’s my height but she’s skinnier. If it comes down to a fight I’m going to throw her through the wall the way I’m feeling.
“You shut the fuck up about my fiancé,” she says and makes a show of flashing her ring. It’s a nice ring. An heirloom from Ireland that Billy used to swear would be mine.
“Okay, then tell him to stop coming by my house.”
“He-” Minnie looks around and shakes her bony finger at me, “he hasn’t been by your house. You’re a liar.”
“Well, he’s been by my house but he didn’t stay for long. He saved that for Liz.”
She goes pale when I mention Liz. The woman might be dead but she was absolutely fucking Billy. “What do you know about Liz? I-I know something happened this week. He hasn’t been acting right.”
“I know he was sleeping with her. Don’t feel bad though, he’s got this thing with cheating.
Happens to everyone,” I tell her and start to walk past her.
Ben is by the back door with a glare on his face.
He’s waiting for now but I don’t think he’s keen on waiting much longer while I have a Mean Girls run in with Minnie.
“Think you’re fancy just because you got married and cleared your name in town?”
I stop and look at her. We’re shoulder to shoulder now. I give her a pitying look. “Oh, Minnie. I didn’t need either of those things to know I’m better than you.” I shoulder past her and meet up with Ben at the back door.