Page 50 of Whispers at Dusk
“Yeah. Feels like we’ve been together forever.”
“Sorry,” Della murmured.
He smiled, moving closer to her. “I meant that in the best way,” he told her.
“Oh, well, cool. I guess you’re growing on me, too.”
His grin widened as he stood. “Guess it’s time we get over there.”
She stood, too. “How are we doing this?”
“One and one and switch?” he suggested.
“You want to start with our blonde, Mandy? And I’ll tackle our vampire.”
“It’s a plan.”
When they walked across the street and entered the police station, Wilhelm was waiting for them. “We’ve drawn IDs off the fingerprints. The man is Tomaso Rodriguez, dual citizenship, Spain and the United States. Rap sheets in both countries, one a serious felony, assault and battery, in New York City about five years ago. He served a year but was then paroled for model prisoner behavior. He’s railed against his companion in several languages since they’ve been in custody. The fingerprints on our blonde woman also gave us an identity. Maryanne Green, again, dual citizenship, the UK and the US. She has decided to clam up since they’ve been here. Just sits in the room, sobbing.”
“Thanks, Wilhelm. Della will start with Tom, and I’ll take on Maryanne,” Mason told him.
Wilhelm nodded somberly and showed them down a hallway. He indicated a door to Della and she thanked him and headed in.
It might be a peaceful country, but the police here were taking no chances.
Of course, they had lost one of their own.
But Tomaso Rodriguez was still wearing cuffs, and the cuffs were attached to strong steel bars on the table he sat behind. His right hand and wrist were heavily bandaged—he had probably received expert medical attention—but the police still managed to see he was cuffed and secured.
He looked at Della as she walked in, bitter hatred rising to his eyes.
“You,” he said. He shook his head. “You could have been in the place for heroes, but...now we are all lost. You were perfect, a beautiful sacrifice, and I... What a fool!”
“Well, Tom, I’m afraid you’ve been sold a very bad story—a book of lies. Killing is never a good thing to do.”
He smirked at her. “Ah, you have never killed, right?”
“Only to save another.”
“And I haven’t killed. It was her—always her.”
“Really. She committed all of the murders? I guess your so-called Master would be highly disappointed in you.”
“In me?” He started to laugh. “I could draw them, I could draw them all. I secured the women for the blood we needed—”
“That is called conspiracy, you know. You’re just as guilty.”
“I’ll be out in no time,” he told her. He smiled pleasantly. “This is Norway.”
“Ah, the Norwegians do hope for the best. But I think you’ll discover you’re mistaken if you think they’re fools. They won’t release you just because you might be as charming as you think.”
“I will be out, I promise.”
“You committed murders here, in England, in France—”
“Oh, no, no, no. My work has been here. Rather, that vicious Maryanne has kept her work right here, in Norway.”
“You claim you didn’t kill women in England and France?”
