Merry Sister Mary and the One and Only Killer

9: Sister Mary Becomes a Vampire

"I should have locked the front gate," said Mrs. Stanton as the police questioned her. Stumbling over her words, Mrs. Stanton's hands shook; the ice cubes in her drink clinked against the glass. "M...m...aybe if I had locked it then this person would not have made it to my home. Please, search the grounds, officers. I'm...i'm... terribly frightened someone is here to do me harm."

"We highly doubt that, Mrs. Stanton," said the head officer. "Probably just a bunch of teenagers or some unhappy neighbor trying to unnerve you."

"Well, it is working." said Mrs. Stanton sipping her cocktail.

"Is there anyone who would wish your family harm?"

"Everyone in this insane town! You must not be from around here, sir."

"I am not, ma'am. I am usually stationed in New Orleans. I am here training new investigators."

"I don't care where you're from or why you are here. I want this criminal arrested. Please, check will you? They can't have gone far. You must have seen them from the road."

"Calm down, ma'am. I will send a few officers to scout the grounds. Don't you worry. We will find out who did this."

Mrs. Stanton was not feeling calm nor was she in a patient mood. Understandable now that someone had threatened her life twice in one day. I sat off away from the hustle and bustle on steps by the east side of the home. While at a glance I appeared disinterested to the situation at hand, my whole body was in fact fully focused, every sense attuned to the slightest twinge of deception. I listened to every word and watched everyone I could. Police officers shuffled through bushes and shined their lights into the towering oak trees. Pearl and Brandon sat on the porch swing, rocking back and forth. Gloria stood on the lawn huffing and puffing one cigarette after another. Ms. Annette stood with Janet and Baines, saying very little. Giles and Susan stood near the west side half hidden in the dark. They appeared to be fighting. A pair of police officers scouted the door, one setting up a tripod preparing to take pictures of the bloody writing and the other taking unnecessary fingerprints. Many bugs buzzed in and out of the police car headlights. They zipped confidently into the glowing glass making small ping sounds with each successful hit. What simple minded creatures, I thought not referring to the bugs. How could they not see the obvious.

Before I could make my move, Michael sauntered over to my side. He sat down letting out a long sigh.

"What a night, huh?" he said nudging me.

"It's certainly entertaining," I said straightening my coif. "Perhaps the best dinner I've ever had."

"Surely you don't mean that," said Michael.

"Oh, but I do." I turned to him and smiled. "If you've ever had a dinner with a bunch of no fun nuns then any meal that ends with a police spectacle is well worth it."

"I think it's scary." Michael rubbed his eyes. A worried look grew on his face "Maybe inviting mom down here was a bad idea. Guess the town really does hate her and wants her gone."

"I wouldn't be so quick to say that," I said watching a group of officers returning from their search.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just a nun. Sitting here praying for people's souls and whatnot. Thinking that everyone here is a bunch of belligerent fools."

"You speak as though you know something we don't."

"Perhaps I do." I chuckled. "Perhaps that blood everyone keeps mentioning is not blood at all but a simple mixture of corn syrup, flour, and food dye."

"And how would you know that?"

"Blood coagulates fairly soon after it exits the body making it difficult to use unless fresh. This blood is still dripping even after ten minutes of us being here."

"Wow. I'm impressed." Michael looked at the door. "But what would that prove?"

"It proves that this is an empty threat. I believe the person who wrote it does not intend to act upon their words. It is a scare tactic."

"What if you're wrong?" asked Michael. "What if our family is being targeted and something does happen?"

"I hope it does not come to that." I looked once over my shoulder. That urge to run over and straighten out this matter was too great. "Will you excuse me for a moment, Michael. I need to give these officers a lesson in forensics."

I stood up and licked my lips. This was going to be fun. I stomped passed Gloria who was informing a police officer what happened prior to her finding the bloody message. I entered in the home from the back kitchen door and skipped merrily through the rooms. Soon I came to the front entrance and poked my head out.

"Hey, boys." I smiled at the officers. "What you doing?"

"Excuse us, sister," said one officer politely. "We are about to take pictures of the blood. We need you to step away from the shot."

"I got a picture for you, officer," I said crouching down. "Let the record show that this blood is fake." Leaning over I stuck out my tongue and with a big upwards movement I licked the door.

"My, Lord!" cried the officer. He flailed his arms and shielded his eyes. "What's wrong with you? You're a nun!"

"No." I said hissing like a vampire. "I am a daughter of the night, and most importantly, this fake blood won't do for me."

Needless to say, I ruined the crime scene, but I did discover something unexpected upon tasting that "blood," a realization that my suspicions were correct. And like how a vampire needs permission to enter a home, I had been invited into this family's life and havoc I would soon unleash.