Chapter 21 - Half the truth

Steve arrived at St Patricks hospital where Louis White was hospitalized. For a hospital, the place wasn't so busy. A pregnant woman crouching in pain and what appeared to be her husband talked to the receptionist at the lobby. A nurse came to their aid and the woman was wheel chaired away. Five people sat in the lobby and each was reading a pamphlet.

Steve headed straight to the receptionist, "I'm Steve Rodolf and I'm here to see Kelvin White."

The acne faced ginger headed receptionist typed something into the computer. With a bored look on his face, he said "Room 29, fifth floor."

Steve got into the elevator and headed there. Waiting for him was a doctor. He immediately guessed who Steve was.

"Mr. White has been constantly asking for you. You have come earlier than expected." the doctor said to him.

"And you must be Doctor Patel." Steve shook hands with him.

"Why, yes I am. Please come this way." he led Steve into the room.

Steve unconsciously cringed at Louis who was wrapped in bandages like a mummy. Louis was connected to an oxygen tank and other wires. His eyes swollen shut and both of his arms gone.

Dr. Patel leaned down to Louis and whispered into his ear. He then glanced at Steve, "I have let him know that you are here. Please be aware that he has trouble in hearing and speaking so try not to strain him." he said and left.

Steve walked closer to Louis, and took the seat right next to him. He heard Louis breathing slowly, and cleared his throat. "I am here as you requested, Louis."

With a frail voice, Louis responded, "It took you long enough."

"Why did you want to see me?" Steve got down to business.

"You ever heard of the Packet brothers?"

Steve's heart skipped a beat. "Err yes, I am aware of them." he said, trying his best not to sound nervous.

Louis grinned with his bruised lips, "Those bastards are responsible for what you are seeing here." he coughed only to groan in pain, "I don't have much time left so I'll cut to the chase. Those three are responsible for Whitney's death. I know this because I was an accomplice to her murder," he coughed again but violently.

Steve got up stared down at Louis tensed.

"I don't know what she did to them but what I know is that I was promised $47000 if I ruined her career. The night she was killed, I was told to deliver her alive to a cabin in the woods for an extra $3000. Those assholes took her and told me to wait for my money."

Unable to take what he was hearing any longer, Steve walked away, took off his glasses and wiped his face with his hanky. His suspicions over his brothers were right after all. He scowled and clenched his fists.

"I know that this is difficult for you to hear but let me finish. Weeks went by and those mother fuckers didn't give me my money. I threatened them and they finally did. Unfortunately, the money was fake and had a bomb in it. My point is, they decided to kill me off. "

"What?"

"I know I am trash but those three are worse. If I die, at least let them rot in jail. You should know, however, that they are not working alone. They are working for a powerful vampire. This vampire is - "

Louis coughed uncontrollably, helplessly wheezing. Steve rushed to his aid. Louis body bounced on the bed with every cough. It was an agonizing deep cough that left him barely gasping for air.

"Tell me! Tell me, fucking damn it! " Steve screamed impatiently.

Steve heard the dreaded heartbeat monitor give a straight constant beep. Steve desperately shook Louis but his mouth remained agape with no signs of breathing.

"No, no, no!" Steve shouted, "Can I have a doctor in here?! Help! Help!" he exclaimed in panic.

Dr. Patel and three nurses rushed into the room. They immediately separated Steve from Louis and forced him out of the room. Through the little glass on the door, he saw the nurses put a cover up Louis' face.

Steve was left shaken as he slowly walked back to the elevator. Louis' last words kept ringing in his mind. He wondered why they even killed Whitney to begin with. Perhaps the mystery vampire had a grudge against her. But who was this vampire?

Steve sat in his car too upset to drive. His hatred for his brothers grew even more. He cursed the day he was born into such a messed up family. His father was a drunk who abused his mother. She lost sanity and hacked him to death.

When he was 8-years-old, his mother committed suicide by hanging herself. His brothers brought him up into the life of crime. They brainwashed him into believing that it was okay to hurt people. It was always survival of the fittest with them.

Just when he thought that he couldn't hate them more, they beat up one of his close friends to death.

The sudden sound of his phone interrupted his thoughts. Steve slowly pulled out it from his shirt pocket, "Hello, Asher," he answered, and took a deep breath as he waited for her to speak.

'Steve, something terrible has happened.' she replied, crying.

Steve sat up straight with his eyes wide, "What is it? What happened?"

'Paul is, is... d-ead." she stammered in her cries. "His head was found in his flat and his body was found d-downstairs in the middle of the road.' she wept even more.

"What?" Steve gasped.

'I'm at the police station right now.'

"Stay right there. I'm on my way."

Another ruthless murder occurred. Another person died like a dog. Steve wondered what the world was coming to as he raced down the road. Your friendly emo author, Rechiana