“Beast, start up,” Declan said, eyes still closed. The Land Cruiser turned over, powerful V6 rumbling softly. On the pad of paper, the little knot of blonde hairs suddenly crinkled up, twisting as if burning before suddenly puffing into smoke and ash.

“Let’s go,” Declan said, putting his materials away as the SUV drove itself forward, past the little office of horror.

Two blocks later, Declan was turning right onto a side street just as a police cruiser passed him going the other way.

“Whew. That was tighter than it should have been.”

“I have traced the call to a disposable phone whose GPS signal ceased completely right after the call was placed.”

“Burner phone, either tossed in Lake Champlain or crushed.”

“As the signal was lost near the lakeside boardwalk, your first guess is somewhat likely to be accurate.”

“She’s trying to get us in trouble? That would mean she’s keeping an eye on the place.”

“At least monitoring it remotely. Landline telephone activity in at least one residence within sight of the office building indicates someone awake over the last hour. There was an incoming call to the house from yet another mobile unit two hours ago, and then a call to the mobile phone seven minutes ago. Now that phone has ceased sending location signals too.”

“Was I seen?”

“The residence is within line of sight of your position on the street.”

“Clever. Circumstantial but bothersome. And high tech for a demon. Perhaps Nika should interview the owner of that house.”

“I concur. Police suspicions will be raised by your presence at a crime scene of such graphic violence. No evidence linking you to the building exists, but we can assume an accurate description of Beast will or was transmitted to the police. What rationale for your presence?”

“My knee-jerk reaction would be that I was out for an early morning breakfast, but my gut tells me that’s too pat.”

“Again concur. Perhaps in this case, a version of the truth has potential?”

“What? That I was out burning up vampire hairs?”

“Not that version.”

“Well, what if I felt something? Had a feeling? A flash of intuition?”

“A disturbance in the Force?”

“Nice movie reference, and yeah, something along that path. I felt evil, supernatural evil. Maybe had a dream. But when I pulled up, I couldn’t feel anything except that something bad had happened inside the building. I should call Darci and tell her. On a well-established line.”

“Concur. Placing call now.”

The radio began a calling ring pattern. It picked up after five rings.

“Hello,” a sleepy voice said.

“Darci, it’s Declan.”

“What’s up?” The sleepiness was suddenly gone from the voice, replaced with tightness.