Chapter 30: Heart, Part 1

At the same time, Annie unloaded her clip into Big Bird's forehead, and watched as his brains covered his friend and the ground.

"Hurry," Rick said, looking around. We hadn't been interrupted yet, but we might have company soon after hearing the gun shots. We'd been lucky so far. Gun shots in New York City were pretty common place, but our luck couldn't hold out for long. Together, Annie and I gathered the pieces of the bodies. Then, Annie pulled a lighter out of her pocket, lit it, and threw it onto the pile. Suddenly, a flash fire rose up brightly illuminating the night as the flames consumed the bodies of Big Bird and Boy Blue. Well, at least they died together. And just as suddenly, the flames died out-except for the flames burning the surrounding grass-leaving a pile of hot gray ash behind.

"Amazing," Annie said, shaking her head.

"Yeah," I replied, looking at the pile of ash. "It never ceases to amaze me how quickly we burn."

"Well, at least it's quick," Annie retorted.

"Let's go." Rick pulled a gallon of water from the back of the van and doused the last of the flames. We dispersed the ash, sending most of it into the lake. "We've got company," Rick announced, obviously reading someone's mind that wasn't visible yet.

Then abruptly, a car rounded the corner, shining its bright headlights on us. Thank goodness we had already dispersed most of the ashes. In the night behind the bright headlights, I could see it was a police cruiser.

Annie quickly stuffed her weapon into the back of her pants, as I stashed my Ballistics knife. Tires squealed as the car came to an abrupt stop and two armed police officers stepped from the car.

"Good evening, officers," Rick said cordially. "What seems to be the problem?"

The heavy-set driver-with a badge that said O'Malley pinned to his chest-looked around, his eyebrows pulling together. "What are you doing out here so late?"

"We're just enjoying the lake," Rick replied, gesturing to the beautiful lake behind us. But to the officers, it was pitch black.

O'Malley wasn't fooled. His thin, but well built partner, Smith, stood nervously behind his open car door, letting O'Malley take the lead.

"Well, it's too late to be out here," O'Malley continued. "There's a curfew around here." Then he caught the scent of the burned vamps. To humans, it smelled just like marijuana. "What have you all been up to?"

"Nothing, officer," Annie replied, feigning innocence.

O'Malley placed his hand on his standard police issue Smith & Wesson automatic weapon strapped to his side. "You haven't been smoking dope out here, have you?"

The three of us feigned innocence and shook our heads, adlibbing choruses of, "No!" "Not us!" "Wouldn't touch the stuff!"

"Well, then you wouldn't mind if I searched you?" O'Malley asked Rick, unclipping the weapon by his side.

"Yes," Rick answered casually. "Actually, I would."

Within a second, Rick grabbed O'Malley by the throat as I grabbed Smith at vamp speed. Then, looking deeply into their eyes, we both implanted the suggestion that they hadn't seen us, they hadn't even been there, and they saw nothing strange out by the lake. Then, we strongly suggested that they leave.

"Well," O'Malley said, looking around after Rick released him, not seeing us. "You see? I told you there was nothing out here!"

"Yeah," Smith replied, nervously looking around, unable to see us. Then, he climbed into the passenger seat of the car. "I can't place it, but I just get this feeling ..."

"You and your 'feelings'!" O'Malley exclaimed, getting into the car. "Now when you've been on the beat as long as I have ..." He finished his sentence after slamming the car door.

Rick, Annie, and I watched silently as they pulled out and drove away.

"Quick thinking!" Annie replied, giving Rick a pat on the back.

"I had no choice," Rick replied hesitantly, looking at us over his shoulder. "Let's get out of here before we have more company."

We all nodded, as we piled into the van. Then, Rick backed up to the pile of remaining ash, and gunned the engine, using the exhaust to disperse what was left of the remains of Boy Blue and Big Bird into Cedar Lake.

"Let's get my car," I said, leaning my head back against the headrest as Rick pulled the van onto 26th Street.

Rick nodded, making a few sharp turns and in no time we were back in Manhattan. Well, what do you know? Cheap Suit was still waiting for us as we pulled into the lot.

"Well, the days of miracles aren't over," I said nonchalantly as Rick stopped the car.

"Are you going to be okay?" Rick asked, referring to the drive home after what we'd just endured.

"Yeah," I replied, then looked at Annie, who was excited at the prospect of having Rick to herself. "Besides," I said smiling, "Annie is coming with me." Annie looked suddenly crestfallen as I suppressed a smile. Rick had been through enough for one night.

Then, Annie's mood changed into excitement again. "Hey, Star! Can I drive?"

"You've got to be kidding!" I laughed. "I haven't even driven it yet!"

"Hey, you can't blame me for asking," Annie replied as she got out of the car, giving Rick a parting wink, then shut the door as she headed excitedly past Cheap Suit to the car.

"See you at home," I said to Rick. He nodded, smiling. Rick pulled the van into a corner, waiting for me to get my car.

I met Cheap Suit halfway across the parking lot. "Thanks for waiting. You really didn't have to do that," I said, giving him a dazzling smile.

"No problem!" Cheap Suit replied, wearing a plastered on smile. "I didn't want to lock the gates until you'd picked up your car. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to take it home tonight."

I nodded, then smiled, wondering what he would have thought coming into work tomorrow and I had taken the car out of the gate. Actually, I could have lifted the car over the gate singlehandedly if I wanted, but there would have been too many witnesses. So I would have just broken the chains on the gate, then refastened them after getting my car out. "Thank you. That was very kind of you," I replied, smiling to myself.

"Well," Cheap Suit replied, walking toward the gate. "You ladies have a nice night!"

"You, as well!" I replied, giving him one last smile over my shoulder. He faltered in his step.

"Nice car!" Annie said, already waiting in my new black Camaro.

"Thanks," I replied, sliding into the driver's seat. The seat was as if it had been made for me, wrapping comfortably around my frame.

Cheap Suit waved, holding the gate open, as we drove out with Rick following, even though it was close to 1 a.m. A late night for a working man. But then again, he'd just made his biggest sale of the day, so it was worth it.