Primacy of Darkness by Brock E. Deskins Page A

out of court by now, and I hope to catch her before she leaves for the night. I send her a quick text message that I need to talk to her, before riding over.
    My thumb hovers over the start button as I look into my mirror, which is slightly skewed. It wasn’t skewed before I went into the library. I lean down to try to get a scent, but it just smells like bugs. I bet it was that Frodo Douchebaggins I evicted from the computer. It shouldn’t be hard to track him down and make him wash my bike—like a cat.
    I decide that I have more important things to do and stab the button with my thumb. If that’s not emotional growth, I don’t know what is. Suck it, Dr. M.
    Since Kat works in the DA’s office, I have to store all of my tools in my bike’s saddlebags to get past the metal detectors. I make it through security without being tackled to the floor, and find Kat in her office.
    She walks over and hugs me when I enter. “This is a nice surprise, but something tells me it isn’t a social call.”
    “You know me, I’m all work.”
    “That’s for sure. So what brings you by?”
    “You’ve heard about the string of killings?”
    Katherine lets me go and sits on the edge of her desk. “Who hasn’t? It’s all we can do to keep it out of the papers and panicking the public.”
    “I have worse news for you. It’s one of us.”
    “I know.”
    “You know?”
    “It didn’t take long for us to get a whiff of vampire all over the crime scenes.”
    “Then you probably know why I’m here. Vincent tasked me with his execution, and I need a nose to help track this psycho down.”
    Kat bites her lip, and I know I’m about to get more bad news. “I’m sorry, Leo, but the wolves aren’t going to help on this one. After that calamity with Homeland Security, I doubt you will find a wolf anywhere in the city. They gathered the pack for a meeting and bugged out of town to their rural strongholds. They can’t afford risking exposure getting involved in another vampire problem.”
    I look up at the ceiling tiles and sigh. “Shit. Vincent thinks if we don’t get this guy quick, it will turn into a serious nightmare.”
    “Do you know who it is?”
    “I don’t think you would believe me if I told you.”
    “I’m a half werewolf dating a vampire. Try me.”
    “Jack the Ripper.”
    Kat’s eyes widen. “ The Jack the Ripper?”
    “The very one, and you know how he liked to make a spectacle of the police when he committed the Whitechapel murders. I think he’s just getting warmed up, but that is likely to change very soon.”
    “Is there anything I can do?”
    “Other than staying off the streets at night, no. I guess I will have to rely on my expert detective skills for this one.”
    Kat hugs me and kisses my cheek. “Just be careful. You look like crap. Get something to eat.”
    “I think you mean someone.”
    “I try not to be macabre.”
    “Isn’t that a type of salad?”
    “Your stupid act doesn’t work on me.”
    “It worked on Vincent. He actually thought I didn’t know who Montague Druitt was.”
    “People see what they want to see.”
    “That must be why you’re naked right now.”
    Kat punches me in the arm. “Go eat. You’re getting delirious.”
    I leave, but I can’t get dinner just yet. It’s too early, even for the meal I have planned. The last thing I need is for the cops to start looking at me for the Ripper murders. Castillo probably already is.
    I wind my way through the side streets and alleys as much as I can to avoid the traffic. There isn’t a whole lot of people going to the ME’s office, so it’s an easy drive, and there is ample parking. I give Raj a call and he lets me in the back door.
    “You must be here for our two headless horsemen,” he says as he holds the door open for me.
    “Who?”
    “The two guys with their heads cut off. I’m pretty sure they bat for your team. I just assumed you were here about them.”
    “I was just going to order the special, but I guess