When Darkness Falls

Chapter 50

It's been about a week since the murder by the bar and, surprisingly enough, the bar is already open again. I guess the alcoholics got angry with the only one in town being closed.

Anyways, I decided a few minutes ago to try and take matters into my own hands with trying to find out who did this.

Everyone else, including Tyler, Troye and Zoe, have grown tired of the case already. They say that it's been a week without another murder, so it was probably just a passerby.

I don't believe it though. I've met a number of reckless vampires, and none of them just pass town to town killing people that brutally without even drinking from them.

Images of the man's mutilated body flash through my head.

There's just something odd about the way it was staged. Something is off, and I need to figure it out. My brain won't be able to be at peace until I do.

As I make my way to town, I try to think of any way possible that I could know something about how he was killed.

Obviously he must've been drunk. That much is obvious, but there must not have been a time delay between walking out of the bar and seeing the killer. Did he even get a glance at him?

Regardless. The vampire snatches him up as soon as he steps out. Chances are, the only reason the vampire even worries with dragging him behind the corner is most likely to assure that nobody would interrupt it's art. His, or her, message towards either Phil or me.

That's another thing. I don't know who would want to. As far as I know, Phil didn't know any other vampires besides the ones already here. I know plenty but none that would go out of their way to send a message for me.

Then something clicks. It could be one vampire in particular who knows I hate them. One that hasn't showed their face here at all for almost three years. Anthony.

With that thought on my mind, I take one hand off of the steering wheel and grab my phone so that I can dial Troye; still the only one I seem to really be able to trust these days.

It only takes three rings for him to pick up.

"Hello sunshine how are you?"

I roll my eyes and chuckle into the speaker. "Fantastic," I sing with a fake cheerfulness. "I had a thought cross my mind, and I wanted to run it by you to be sure that it actually makes sense. Is that okay?"

There's a silent shuffling in the background of the phone call before he finally answers. "Yeah I'm alone now. Go ahead."

"Alright," I begin as I turn off onto the main road only a mile or two from the bar. "I was considering a vampire that knew me and Phil besides the ones already here. And I could only come up with one that actually made sense. It was Anthony."

There's a moment of silence, and then I hear him clear his throat. "Well it would make sense, but you told me he hasn't showed his face since he killed Phil's father. Why would he show up now if he ran away before?"

"Maybe he's been following me and realized we were all back in town and wanted a reunion?"

Troye sighs. "It's the closest thing we have to a suspect or whatever, but something about it doesn't seem right. If he ran away from fear of you killing him then why show up and rub in your face that he is here?"

I bite my lip and turn into the parking lot of the bar. "I'm not sure. I just wish it was something easier than trying to find someone that nobody knows about."

"You're right. Just don't give up okay?"

"Alright. Well I'm at the bar to ask around, so I'll talk to you tonight."  After saying our goodbyes, I lock my phone and hop out of the car. I shove my keys into my left pocket before fixing my shirt and heading inside.