Hunter: Eclipse

Chapter 18

The house wasn't much to look at it. Old red brick, an oddly new metal roof, broken white picket fence and overgrown lawn greeted us as we got off the bike. Looking around, most of the houses were in the same state. A mix of old and new, with a side of neglect. With a shrug to Apollo, we step over what had once been a gate, only now was a half hinged and broken scrap of wood that had been nailed together, which now littered the concrete path with paint flakes.

The noise from a TV inside tells us someone is home and knocking three times, we wait. I knock again, before peering into the window beside us. The square light of the TV shines through a doorway. The front room has a dining table inside, and not much else. The lace curtains look as old as the rest of the building and the holes in them make it easier to peek in; if you ignore the dust all over the windows.

The door creaks open, and the man who greets us gives us the once over before realisation appears on his face.

"Hunters?" He asks cautiously, and I think that's as much of a hello we're going to get.

"Are you Kale Farrington?" I ask, already knowing this was the Slayer I'd come to see.

"Yeah. What can I do for you?"

"I'd like to know your progress on the special project you were assigned to. Case Two Thirty-Nine?"

He frowns. Deep ridges were appearing on his forehead as he gives us another once over. He's older than us, well me, but not quite as old as my Dad. His hair is cut short, yet the shine of silver seem to match the stubble on his face, and the stench of sweat mixed with cigarettes slowly seeps out to greet us. Kale looked to take as much pride in his appearance as he did his house.

"Why?"

"Because you seem to be doing sweet fuck all about it, and I want to know why that is." I snap, ignoring the big sigh Apollo gives beside me.

"Who are you?" He stands taller, shoulders squaring and I think he is trying to intimidate me. "You don't just come to my house and talk to me that way young lady. I don't know who you think you are, but-"

"I am Elise Bunting, Councilwoman Bunting if you want to get specific." I poke him in the chest. "Who do you think you are, ignoring a direct request from us regarding those vampires."

He swallows, and then slowly opens the door. "Come in."

There isn't a lot here. It smells damp, and the thickness of old cigarette smoke has me covering my mouth and nose.

"Your house, well it stinks," I tell him as he takes us down the corridor and into a small bedroom.

"You get used to it." He shrugs unbothered.

The fold out sofa is left as a bed, a sheet spread out across the middle and a triangle pillow up against the wall. He stops by a desk on the other side and pushes some folders around.

"Get used to it, sweetheart." He grunts, handing me one of the folders. "That's everything I know. It's been dead end after dead end. Most of it I've already submitted, but the few new leads I've got are there. It's a waste of time."

"Unlike personal hygiene." I force a smile, and open the folder, ignoring the glare he sends my way. "Why aren't you chasing these up? Where are the others assigned to this case?"

"I work alone. Teamwork makes me itchy." He mocks, scratching his head.

"Pretty sure it's not teamwork that's causing it."

"Have the others come up with anything?" Apollo asks quickly, pointing at the names of those that were supposed to be in this winners team.

"No. I don't know why they assigned a vampire to a vampire issue to start with. The other two are okay, but Nicki, well, don't trust her. I think that's why we hit so many dead ends and why I decided to work on my own." He rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. "You going to see them next?"