The Moonlight Monsters Detective Agency Volume One by Maggie Harper Page A

she spoke. ‘Ok Boris, listen,’ she said, ‘I have a reason to believe it’s a Krampus you’re dealing with…’
    ‘A Krampus ?’
    ‘Yeah, and I think there might be more of them around the city. Four, in fact.’
    In the backseat Parker grinned. ‘Told you so.’
    ‘I’m heading back South to see if I can pick one up,’ Tina told her partner, ‘give me a call as soon as you’re finished out there.’
    ‘Ten four,’ Boris answered and hung up the phone.
     
    Tina grabbed the portable siren out of the glove compartment and stuck it on the roof. With the siren blaring, she pulled out of the lane and spun the car around, driving halfway on the sidewalk to get around the traffic. She let her mind filter out across the city searching for an infernal presence. She ebbed through the frantic hum of Christmas shoppers stressing about the season, moving south towards the Waterside Shopping Mall. With one eye on the road she moved closer to the shopping center.
    ‘Hey watch it love,’ Parker protested as she swerved around a fire hydrant.
    Tina ignored him. She was close now and she could feel the Krampus somewhere up ahead. The demon’s mind buzzed and flickered with dull evil. She honed in on his line of vision and clasped her hand to her mouth in shock.
    ‘Oh Jesus,’ she whispered, ‘the bastard’s dressed as Santa Claus…’
    Through the Krampus’s vision, she saw a long line of children lining up, their bored parents standing beside them. At least that meant it hadn’t started rioting yet.
    As they approached the Waterside Multistory parking lot, Parker leaned forward in the backseat. ‘I guess you should have listened to me to begin with then, eh?’
    ‘Yeah well maybe I would have if you weren’t such a bullshitter ,’ Tina muttered.
    ‘Whatever,’ Parker shrugged, ‘so you’ll give me back my pistol then, yeah? I’ll cover you while you move in for the kill.’
    ‘Hah!’ Tina snorted, ‘you’re staying in the car until all this is dealt with.’
    ‘Fine,’ Parker said, sounding a little disappointed but trying to hide it. ‘Your choice then.’
    Tina reached the entrance to the car park and, with the siren still blaring, swerved inside. She rolled down the window and flashed her badge at the attendant.
    ‘SDA!’ she roared, Open up.’
    Looking seriously spooked, the teenage attendant opened up the barrier and Tina powered on through. She sped down towards the mall entrance and pulled the car up beside the wall.
    She opened the door and then looked back to her prisoner. ‘You just sit tight,’ she said, ‘me and you are still due an interrogation and we’re going to get it, one way or another.’ she opened the door and stepped out.
    ‘Can’t wait love,’ Parker called after her, ‘just don’t go getting yourself killed out there, alright?’
    Tina slammed the door and headed into the mall.
     
    Inside it was all bright lights and tinsel, cheesy Christmas songs playing over the loudspeaker. But something wasn’t right. The few shoppers she passed were terrified – and they were all running in the direction of the car park away from the center of the mall.
      Tina felt her way ahead of her with her mind as she stalked, pistol drawn, deeper into the emptying mall. The Krampus was close, on the floor down below. She approached the escalators and cursed as she saw that both sets were full of shoppers fleeing upwards away from the commotion. Pushing her way past them she hopped up on the arm-rest and slid down.
    She reached the ground floor. Up ahead, she could see a Santa’s grotto and Christmas tree. She could hear the throaty giggling and spitting of her target. And then she saw him, halfway up the Christmas tree, with his hands full of fake wrapped presents and a nefarious grin on his face.
    The Krampus had a long, goatish head with huge curved horns and cruel yellow eyes. Its arms and legs were long and hairy – sinewy – and they were wrapped around the huge decorated