Part 14 (1/2)
”But you went to the station to see Sean. And you're staying at Jessica's place. What a coincidence,” Maggie said, staring at him.
He shrugged, leaning forward slightly, not letting his gaze slip from hers. ”I believe there's going to be trouble here,” he said flatly.
”Trouble?” she arched a brow. ”Are you bringing the trouble?”
Hardly a discreet question. He leaned back, grinning. ”No, ma'am. I don't bring trouble.”
”But you do follow it?” Jessica asked softly.
He turned to her. ”I haven't come here hiding anything,” he said, as if he knew they all suspected him of having done just that.
”I've explained several times-”
”Not to me,” Maggie said politely.
”No, nor to me, not really,” Jessica agreed.
He glanced apologetically at Sean. ”Because of my expertise in ancient beliefs, and the way they're often twisted in the present, I've been able to help the police solve cult-related murders in several countries. A number of them have been a.s.sociated with parties like the one several local students attended in Romania recently. Rumor has it that New Orleans is the next city on the circuit, that celebrities will show up, that it's going to be very wild and s.e.xy.”
”There's a s.e.x party coming to New Orleans?” Jessica asked. She looked at Maggie, shrugged and turned to him, speaking dryly.
”What a shock.”
”It's a little more than that,” Bryan said. ”There's talk of something dangerous. Vampires. Latex and leather.”
Jessica stood suddenly. ”More coffee, anyone?”
”I'm fine, thanks,” Maggie murmured.
”So? Such a party is hardly uncommon,” Sean said.
”There's a big party this fall at one of the big hotel chains,” Maggie said. ”I heard some women talking about it the other day in the shop. It's got a bondage theme. That kind of thing goes on all the time.”
”There's something called the Voodoo Ball this Friday night,” Jessica added. ”One of my patients is a dancer. She's part of the entertainment.”
”You can buy just about any kind of entertainment on Bourbon Street,” Sean said.
”What went down in Transylvania was hardly your usual party,” Bryan told them bluntly.
Silence.
”These parties are all about the vampyr,” he said.
Jessica's cup clinked against her saucer.
”Well, people who think they're vampires,” Maggie said after a minute, but her voice sounded strange. ”I think Jessica might be of some help on that subject,” Bryan said.
”What?” Jessica demanded, shocked, staring at him.
He smiled. ”Sorry. I meant you talk with young people all the time. And then there are the two who went after you this afternoon.”
She waved a hand in the air. ”Hey, this is New Orleans. There are flocks of Anne Rice fans all over town. There are-”
”There are those who play at the fantasy,” Bryan said.
”Yes, of course,” Jessica agreed. She seemed annoyed. ”I understand what you're saying, and it's true that people's beliefs, however misguided, can make them dangerous.”
”You have talked to some of them, right?”
”Them...?”
”People who think they're vampires. The ones who literally practice blood rituals, and the ones who think they're spiritual vampires, sucking the life force from others.”
She nodded.
”Then I would think, if something was stirring on the breeze, you'd know.”
Jessica shook her head. ”Like I said, there's always something like that going on around here.”
”Wouldn't you know if it was something more serious? Like the situation in Transylvania.”
”Actually, I think Transylvania might have been some kind of ma.s.s hysteria-” Jessica began.
”A girl almost died. May still be dying,” Bryan said.
Maggie rose abruptly, going for the coffeepot. ”That poor girl isn't doing any better?”
”She's holding her own,” Jessica said. ”A friend of hers, Jeremy, stays with her constantly.”
”People were meant to die at that party,” Bryan said. ”I'm sure of it.”
Sean leaned forward. ”Okay, so someone is throwing parties where the guests are invited to be the entree by people who are either rich, perverted and sick, and believe that they're carrying out some ancient ritual, or people who are simply perverted s.e.xual killers, or...”
”Or?” Bryan said.
Sean shrugged. ”Or vampires.”
”Why would they come here?” Jessica demanded.
Bryan stared at her. ”It's a good place to hide in plain sight. You just said so yourself,” he told her.
”I didn't say that,” Jessica protested.
”Yes, you did. Who would really notice another weirdo walking around in a cape?”
”He's got you there,” Sean pointed out. Bryan realized both he and Sean were staring at Jessica thoughtfully. And she knew it.
”You're both making me really uneasy. You know I have a professional obligation, both legal and moral, to keep my sessions confidential.”
”Yes, but...if you know about something dangerous, you have to let us know,” Sean said.