CHAPTER 11
"With the amount of mind manipulation involved, I believe we can assume Apollo is a vampire." Jack finished explaining the case of the missing college student.
"I agree." Connor tapped his fingers on the desk in the security office at Romatech Industries. "He could be a Malcontent. Instead of hunting for a victim every night, he lures them to his place and keeps them on hand."
"Yeah," Phineas said. "The dude's stocking his pantry."
Jack suspected Apollo was using the women for more than food. He paced across the office. After dropping Lara off at her apartment, he'd driven back to the townhouse. Then he'd teleported to Romatech and called this meeting.
Phineas lounged back in his chair. "Limp dick."
Connor arched a brow. "Excuse me?"
"I wasn't referring to you," Phineas muttered.
Connor continued to stare at him.
"The Apollo dude's a limp dick," Phineas explained. "He has to use mind control to catch a woman. If he was the Love Doctor like me, the ladies would naturally succumb to his sophisticated charm and manly physique."
Jack chuckled. He'd been in New York for almost four weeks, and in that time, he hadn't noticed any women succumbing to Dr. Phang.
Connor cleared his throat. "I believe it is time for you to make another round."
Phineas frowned. "I did one ten minutes ago."
"And a good job ye did, too," Connor said. "Off ye go, lad."
Phineas trudged toward the door. "I'm more than just a babe magnet, you know. I can tell you want to talk to Jack in private."
Connor's eyes twinkled. "Och, ye're verra astute."
"Yeah, you bet your plaid-covered ass I am." Phineas flipped up the collar of his Polo shirt. "Dr. Phang is one astute son of a bitch." He closed the door behind him.
Jack sat in the chair Phineas had vacated. "I hope you've trained Dr. Phang well. I would hate to lose him in battle."
"He's become a verra good swordsman. Ian and Dougal taught him." Connor narrowed his eyes. "He would benefit from some lessons from you. I would say ye're actually the best swordsman in Europe, but if Jean-Luc heard that, he would skewer me."
Jack smiled. Jean-Luc had been claiming himself the European champ for centuries. "I'll be sure to tell him. He's too vain, as it is."
Connor snorted, and turned his attention to the surveillance monitors.
Jack glanced at them and spotted Phineas leaving through a side entrance. The Vamp's body blurred as he raced into the wooded grounds that surrounded Romatech. "I'll fit in a practice session with him before dawn."
"Good." Connor drummed his fingers on the desk, then stopped abruptly. "How much does the girl know?"
Jack wiped his face blank. "Nothing."
Connor studied him carefully. "Is she... intellectually challenged?"
His mouth ticked. "No."
"The more time she spends with you, the more suspicious she'll become. And the more ye'll be tempted to tell her too much."
"She knows nothing," Jack said. "It's the other police officers we need to be concerned about. So far, they don't know anything about Apollo. We need to keep it that way. We can't afford to let them actually solve this case."
"I agree. Nothing is more important than keeping our existence a secret." Connor gave him a pointed look.
Jack glared back. "She knows nothing."
Connor looked away, frowning. "I'll tell Angus about this Apollo problem. And I'll have Roman send out a memo to all the minor coven masters in America. Perhaps one of them will know of a resort with classical Greek-style architecture in their district."
Jack nodded. "Excellent idea."
"Hopefully, we can locate Apollo's resort in a few nights," Connor continued. "I assume the place will be fenced off and have a few daytime guards. Apollo's control over the ladies' minds may be weaker during the day, while he's in his death-sleep."
"True. And he can't afford to let any of the women escape." Jack frowned as he wondered how many women Apollo might have killed. "I'll compile a list of missing college students." Especially pretty redheaded females.
"Good." Connor glanced at the surveillance monitors. "Do ye know which police officers are working the case?"
"I could find out. They'll be working out of the precinct where Columbia University is located."
"That would be Morningside Heights. We should erase their memories." Connor looked at Jack. "We should erase the memories of every mortal who knows about this case."
Jack gripped the arms of his chair. "Lara is immune. Her memory cannot be erased."
"By you," Connor finished softly.
Jack gritted his teeth. "My psychic powers are as strong as any Vamp's."
"I doona mean to insult you, but I have to question if ye really tried. Deep inside, ye may no' have wanted her to forget you."
"I tried," Jack growled. "Laszlo tried, too. We couldn't get through to her."
"Then ye willna mind if I give it a try."
Jack shot to his feet. "No."
Connor's eyebrows rose. "An interesting reaction."
"Don't play these games with me, Connor. You will leave Lara alone."
The Scotsman heaved a sigh and leaned back in his chair. "What the hell is wrong with you all? Roman, Angus, Jean-Luc, Ian-'tis spreading like a bloody plague. I've been wondering if a Vamp loses his mind once he reaches the ripe old age of five hundred, but I remain unaffected, thank God, and you-ye're just a youngster."
"Two hundred and sixteen years old," Jack said wryly. "Barely out of training pants."
Connor gave him an annoyed look. "There are at least twenty thousand law-abiding Vamps that we know of, and almost half of them are verra bonny and clever women. Why can ye no' dally with one of them?"
Jack shrugged. "I never intended this to happen."
"Do ye no' realize that ye risk the lives of every Vamp around the world when ye tell a mortal our secret? Ye doona have the right to endanger us all."
"I haven't told her anything."
"Yet." Connor rubbed his brow. "I've seen this happen too many times now. Ye're acting just as sick as the others did."
"Love isn't sick. Amore is the most powerful and positive force in the universe."
"Ye've known her-what-two weeks? Ye canna call it love. 'Tis a bad case of lust, nothing more."
Jack paced across the room. No, he'd lusted before. He'd loved before. He knew the difference. "This is more than lust."
"It is folly," Connor grumbled.
Maybe so, but was it love? Jack halted and stared into space. How deeply was he falling for Lara?
"Can ye stop seeing her?" Connor asked softly.
Could he? There were only a few things he had to do to survive. Hide from the sun. Drink blood. When looked at that way, the life of a Vamp seemed endlessly monotonous.
Every day at sunset, his heart leaped to life in his chest, but for so long he'd felt dead inside. He'd given himself entirely to the cause of fighting the Malcontents, for it gave him a reason to climb out of bed every night. It was a dark life of constant conflict and bloodshed. It had lasted two centuries, and it could go on forever. Merda, he was living in a circle of hell.
Lara felt like an angel who had come to his rescue. All beauty and light. He was no longer living for death, but for amove. He was falling in love.
Love. He'd always believed in true love, but he'd always been unlucky in it. His first love, Beatrice, had died before he could marry her. Her loss had hit him with such devastation that many years passed before love found him again, in 1855. With high hopes he'd told his mistress his secret, only to have her reject him. He'd been forced to erase her memory, but his memory had remained intact, and the pain of losing her had taken years to get over.
In 1932, the same scenario repeated itself. The same pain of losing a woman he loved. He had no doubt that telling Lara the truth would mean losing her. He swallowed hard. He couldn't risk it. He couldn't bear the thought of never seeing her again. Just considering the possibility of losing her was causing his chest to clench painfully.
There was something so special about her. And he wanted to share something special with her, something that he loved. The idea of Venezia came back. "I have to be with her."
"I was afraid of that." Connor strode toward the door. "I'll tell Roman about the situation and start the hunt for Apollo's resort."
"All right." Jack circled the desk to sit in front of the computer. He would spend the next several hours compiling information on missing female college students. He glanced at the Scottish Vamp, who was halfway out the door. "Thank you, Connor, for understanding."
Connor snorted. "What I understand is ye're falling into madness. May God save yer soul."
"Amore can fill your heart with joy and peace," Jack said. "It can make you feel whole."
A pained look crossed Connor's blue eyes. "Or it can rip yer heart in two." He closed the door.
Jack sighed. He'd been there before, left behind with a heart ripped in two. He could only hope it wouldn't happen with Lara.
By late Monday afternoon, Lara was becoming increasingly bored. LaToya was at work, so she was all alone. She'd gone to the department shrink for a one-o'clock appointment, and he had declared her fit for duty, starting on Wednesday night. She considered going to work early so she could access the records on missing persons. But how could she explain that she was working a case she hadn't been assigned to?
She wondered how Jack was doing with the investigation. Actually, she wondered about Jack quite a bit. By four o'clock, she was lounging on the sofa and once again studying the You Don't Know jack list she'd written the night before.
The first list gave all the reasons she was attracted to Jack. Intelligent. Strong. Handsome. Witty. Sexy. Sweet. Gorgeous. Protective. Supportive. Generous. Naughty. Great kisser. And he was so much more. He seemed attuned to her thoughts and feelings, much more than any other man she'd ever met. And he truly cared for her. She could see it in his eyes. When they weren't glowing red.
With a sigh, she read the second list. Psychic powers. Super powers. Old-fashioned. That made her wince. If his father died in 1798, that would make Jack born in 1791.
This was definitely freaky enough that she ought to be scared off. Even Jack had told her she should run like the hounds of hell were after her. But if he were truly a bad man, would he warn her? Maybe he was afraid that he'd accidentally hurt her with his super strength.
She tossed the list on the coffee table. Enough with this useless speculation. She needed hard facts. If she were a detective, how would she investigate him? First stop would be his workplace. She'd check out Romatech Industries and confirm his alibi for Saturday night. The trip would probably take a few hours, so she needed to let LaToya know she wouldn't be home for supper tonight.
She turned on her cell phone and noticed a missed call in her voice mail. Probably her mother again, begging her to give up this police nonsense and come back home to do something sensible with her life, like compete for the Miss Louisiana title.
When Lara had first moved to New York, her mother had called every day to nag her, so she'd resorted to turning the phone off when she wasn't at work. And now that she worked the night shift, she continued to keep it turned off so she could sleep during the day.
With a resigned sigh, she steeled herself for more nagging and activated her voice mail. Her heart leaped at the sound of Jack's voice.
"Lara, I've been gathering information on the case. I'd like to show it to you Monday night. I've also planned a... date for us. It would only take a few hours of our time, then we could come back and work some more. I'll call you Monday about eight-thirty to see if you're agreeable to going out with me. Sleep well, bellissima." He hung up.
A date? She listened to his message one more time. Yes, Jack was planning a date! She collapsed back on the couch and closed her eyes, enjoying the deep, sexy sound of his voice. Jack wanted to date her, and he wondered if she would agree? She snorted. That was like asking her if she was agreeable with, world peace. Or a cure for cancer.
She glanced at the list on the coffee table, and the title mocked her. You Don't Know Jack. Should she be this eager to date a mystery man with strange powers? But wouldn't dating him give her the best opportunity to get better acquainted with him?
She checked the time of his call. He'd made it at five-thirty that morning. She glanced at the time now. Four-thirty p.m. She had four hours before he would call. It wouldn't take her four hours to get ready.
And what about her plan to go to Romatech? How could she fit that in? She had time to travel to White Plains, but it would be tight getting back in time. An idea struck her, and she called Jack. He didn't answer, so she left a message.
"Hi, Jack. I'll be happy to go on a date with you. And thanks for working on the case. I'm guessing you did all the work at Romatech, so I'll just meet you there at eight-thirty, okay? Bye."
She showered and after thirty minutes of deliberation, finally chose a blue sundress with a white straw belt. She topped it with a white crocheted shrug sweater in case the evening turned cool. She switched to a white handbag to match her white sandals.
She checked her makeup for the tenth time, and her conscience pricked her. There were kidnapped girls out there who needed her help, and all she could think about was this date. She was letting her attraction to Jack get out of hand.
But there will always be bad guys, she argued with herself. How often does love come along? She stared at herself in the mirror. Was it love? Could she really be falling in love?
Her chest tightened with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty as she gathered her things and left the apartment. She took the subway to Grand Central Station, then boarded an express train to White Plains. It was almost seven when her taxi arrived at Romatech. The facility was bigger than she'd imagined, and completely walled off. The front gate was closed, with a guard station nearby.
When the guard approached the taxi, she rolled down the window and flashed her NYPD badge at him. "Hi, I'd like to talk to your head of security. And I have an appointment with Jack... Venezia, whenever he arrives."
The guard gave her a doubtful look. "I've never known the police to arrive in a taxi. And no offense, but you look more like a fashion model than a police officer."
Her face grew warm. She handed him her badge. "Check it out, if you must, then let me speak to your supervisor."
He studied her badge. "Lara Boucher? I've heard about you."
Heard what? Her face grew warmer.
With a smirk, the guard returned her badge. "Just a minute." He went to the guard station and spoke on a phone.
Lara groaned inwardly. She hadn't realized this place would be so hard to get into. And she should have realized that no one would believe she was pursuing a case when she was dressed like this. It was all too obvious that she was pursuing Jack.
The guard returned to the taxi. "Miss Boucher, Howard Barr will meet you at the front door." He pushed a button on his remote control, and the iron gate swung open.
The taxi proceeded down a two-lane road that cut through a wooded area. Then, around a bend, the facility came into view. A small parking lot was in front and a larger one to the left by a side entrance. The building sprawled from the main entrance with several wings jutting out into the beautifully landscaped grounds.
A large man in khaki pants and navy Polo shirt emerged from the front door just as the taxi pulled to a stop.
Lara paid the cabbie and climbed out of the car. "Hello. I'm Lara Boucher." She extended a hand.
"Howard Barr." Smiling, he shook her hand. "I've heard about you."
"Um... thanks." She watched as he slid his ID card through a slot, then pressed his hand to a sensor pad. "You certainly have tight security here."
"Yep." A green light blinked on a keypad, and he opened the door. "Come on in."
She stepped into a wide foyer and noted a few potted plants resting on the marble floor and beautifully framed artwork decorating the walls. The scent of antiseptic cleanser lingered in the air, reminding her of a hospital. Not surprising, though, since they would need a sterile environment for the manufacture of synthetic blood.
Howard led her to a small table on the right. "I'm sorry, but I'll have to check your bag."
"I understand." She set her white straw handbag on the table. Thankfully, she'd left her handgun at home. "Jack mentioned that you have some enemies."
"Yep." Howard fumbled around her handbag with his huge hands, then refastened the clasp. "We've been bombed a few times, so it pays to be extra careful."
"Why would someone bomb this place?" Lara swung her bag onto her shoulder. "The synthetic blood you're making here is saving thousands of lives."
"Yes, but there are some... weirdos out there who object to it not being real blood. So, Miss Boucher, how can I help you? Jack won't be available for another hour or so."
"I'm investigating a college student who disappeared Saturday night."
Howard nodded. "Jack was working on that last night. He left the information on a laptop. Did you want to see it?"
"Yes, please."
"This way." Howard led her down a hall to the left. "I'll let you use a conference room. Jack mentioned that he was working with you, so it should be all right for you to look at the information he found."
Lara felt a twinge of annoyance. Of course it was all right. The missing girl was a police matter. "I suppose Jack was here Saturday night, working security?"
"Yes." Howard frowned. "Why do you ask?"
"Standard procedure," she murmured. She noted the labeled doors that they passed. Restroom, Storeroom, Conference Room. Nursery? She thought she heard a child's laughter behind that door. Dental Office. "You have a dentist here?"
"Yep. Shanna Draganesti." Howard motioned to the office. "She provides dental care for all the employees here for a fraction of the normal cost."
"That's nice. So what time was Jack here Saturday night?"
"All night long." Howard stopped. "You don't seriously consider him a suspect, do you? Jack's a great guy. And if he were guilty, why would he help you work on the case?"
Lara shifted her weight. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but it would clarify matters if you could provide actual proof that he was here that night."
Howard scowled at her. "Fine. I'll show you the security tapes from Saturday night." He led her to a door labeled MacKay Security. Once again, he swiped his ID card and pressed his hand against a sensor pad. "We've got a few weapons inside, so we have to keep it locked up tight."
"I understand." Lara followed him inside.
At first, it looked like a normal security office: desk, computer, file cabinets, a wall covered with monitors linked to surveillance cameras. But then she spotted the caged-off area in the back. Her mouth fell open.
A few weapons? She walked toward the padlocked cage, counting the assault rifles lined up on a rack. Twelve. Numerous handguns on a shelf. Bins filled with ammo on another shelf. But what really caught her eye were the swords. Gleaming broadswords and foils filled the wall on the left. On the right wall, lethal-looking daggers and knives were on display.
She curled her fingers around a chain link of the cage and studied the swords. Some of them looked really old. And what an old-fashioned way to protect a building.
Old-fashioned. Those words were starting to haunt her. "What's with all the swords? Are you expecting a horde of Vikings to attack?"
Howard snorted as he sat behind his desk. "The guys like to collect them." He typed on his keyboard. "Okay, I've got surveillance video coming up from Saturday night."
Lara turned to look at the monitors. They went fuzzy for a second, then cleared up. The numerical date for last Saturday was printed in the bottom right corner along with the time. Twenty-one hundred hours. Nine p.m.
Howard joined her by the monitors, holding a remote control. "As you can see, the building's fairly empty on Saturday night. Just security, and people going to Mass."
"I see." Lara had noticed that most of the monitors showed empty hallways. She recognized the main foyer. A few people were congregated there.
A blur of movement on a different monitor caught her attention. It looked like someone racing at warp speed through the wooded grounds. "How fast is that guy going?"
"Oh, it's just on fast forward," Howard muttered.
She wondered if one screen could be on fast-forward while the others weren't.
Howard pointed at a screen. "There's Jack, leaving this office."
She watched his graceful, long-legged stride. "How long have you known him?"
"Since I started working for MacKay S & I," Howard said. "About ten years, I guess."
Lara saw a little boy run into the hall. Jack swung him up into his arms. "Who's that?"
"Constantine Draganesti. Roman and Shanna's son," Howard explained. "That's Shanna coming out of the nursery with the new baby."
Lara smiled when she saw Jack step back. He'd looked perfectly comfortable around the toddler, but the baby seemed to terrify him. Shanna handed the baby to an older woman who had also exited the nursery. While the older woman returned the children to the nursery, Shanna strolled down the hallway with Jack.
"They're headed to the chapel for Mass," Howard explained. "I'll fast-forward."
Lara noticed Howard was wearing the same sort of clothes that Carlos had been wearing at the townhouse. "Are you wearing a uniform?"
"Yes. For MacKay guards."
"I've never seen Jack wear the uniform."
"Jack's one of our top investigators, and he works under cover a lot. He can do pretty much whatever he wants." Howard punched a button on the remote control. "You'll see them coming out of the chapel soon."
"It strikes me as a bit odd to have a church service here."
Howard shrugged. "Roman likes to do it. Okay, here they come." Howard motioned to the monitor as everyone exited the chapel. Most of them went into a room on the right. "That's the fellowship hall where we go for refreshments. There's no camera in there."
Lara spotted Jack in front of the chapel, talking to the kilted Scotsman she'd met at the wedding. Robby. The two of them strolled into the fellowship hall. The time in the corner of the screen said twenty-two hours. It looked like Jack did indeed have an alibi.
The older woman showed up on the monitor displaying the hall outside the nursery. She was walking with the baby in her arms, and the little boy was skipping by her side. They soon appeared in the monitor outside the chapel. The little boy jumped into his daddy's arms. Roman Draganesti hugged the boy, and Shanna took the baby. They were a lovely family and looked so normal.
All the people seemed normal and nice. Lara wondered if she was being too suspicious where Jack was concerned. Maybe she should just relax and enjoy being attracted to him.
She blinked when Jack suddenly walked into the hall. He had a glass in his hand, and he sipped from it. At last! Proof that Jack actually drank.
She pressed closer to the screen. "What is he drinking? Wine?"
The screen went blank.
"What-?" She glanced back at Howard and saw him set the remote control down on his desk.
"I assume that was enough to prove his alibi." He typed on his keyboard, and the monitors went back to real time. "Now would you like to see the information Jack compiled last night?"
"Yes, I would. Thank you."
"It's all in here." Howard picked up a laptop and strode toward the door. "You can use the conference room across the hall."
Lara grabbed her handbag to follow Howard and glanced back at the monitors. Was she just being paranoid, or had he tried to keep her from seeing something?