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“I’ll let you know if they’re turned in,” Red said opening the door and then he and Tom left. “Tell me what you’re thinking,” Red asked as they headed for the car.

  “I’m thinking Pandora discovered that Pierre was a werewolf after the last full moon. For some reason she came in his shop right before he was about to close up and head out to the woods. She bought some fabric, but that’s not really what she was there for. I think she placed some kind of spell on him.”

  “I agree with that,” Red said as he went around the car to the driver’s side door. They climbed inside and Red started the engine. “Pandora wanted something from him while he was a werewolf. I guess that’s why she broke Stone out of jail. Only Stone or Rollo could possibly wrestle control of a werewolf.”

  “Maybe she wanted some of his hair or one of his teeth to use in a potion,” Tom said.

  “Maybe,” Red said. “I know you’re tired right now, but how about we drive down Horseshoe Road and just have a look around. Pierre was coming from that direction when he entered Goblin Park.”

  “All right.”

  Red headed for the west side of the valley, crossing over the Black River on Dracula’s Bridge and then driving out of the city. Just a little ways past the bridge, pumpkins farms appeared, where many of the jack o’ lanterns sold around the city were grown. Past them were some corn fields that supplied the Vamp’s Mill. And then they came to Horseshoe Road. Red turned north driving alongside a forest so thick Tom could hardly see fifty feet into it. They passed the road that led to Pendle Hill, drove another couple of miles and looking down a gravel road, Red spotted a farmer herding his dairy cows back toward his farm.

  “Seems a little unusual,” he said stopping the car. Red backed the car up until he could turn down the gravel road. “This is probably his farm here,” he said jabbing his thumb toward a farmhouse just off the road, “but I wonder what he’s doing with his cows out on the road?”

  Red drove up to the first cow and stopped. He opened the car door and got out as a couple of cows walked past him.

  “Hello,” Red said, showing the farmer his badge. “Moving them to another pasture?” he asked waving a hand at the herd.

  “No,” the farmer said. “Some of them escaped last night,” he said as he reached the spot where Red had parked in the middle of the road. “Some werewolf was prowling around my place last night and tore a hole in my fence and they got out. I was afraid to go out and round them back up until the sun came up.”

  “Is that right?” Red said looking toward the wire fence surrounding a cow pasture and seeing where a couple of wood posts had been pulled out of the ground.

  “Did it attack any of your cows?” Tom asked and the man shot him a curious look.

  “Werewolves don’t bother with dairy cows,” he explained shaking his head. “Sheep and chicken they’ll eat like my wife does popcorn, but they don’t care for dairy cows. If they did I couldn’t make a living out here. That’s why I round my chickens up and keep them in the barn come a full moon,” the farmer explained. “That’s what it must have been after. I guess I should have expected trouble the way the bats were acting last night.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “They was landing on my cows and biting them. Seems anytime someone or something enters their cave out there,” he said pointing toward the cliff wall a couple of miles away, “that riles them up something fierce. I’ll bet the werewolf prowling around here last night must have been out there bothering the bats earlier.”

  “Really?” Red said.

  “Yeah, nothing riles a bat colony up like a werewolf swatting at them,” he said. “Would you officers be interested in a cup of coffee?”

  “Next time for sure,” Red said climbing in the car. “I think we’ll drive over and have a look around the cave.”

  Red turned the car around and got back on Horseshoe Road headed north. Just a quarter mile up the road was a sign indicating the turn-off for the Mouth-of-Hell cave.

  Red turned down the gravel road, drove a mile until the road ended not far from the cliff wall. There was a small parking lot there and from it a boardwalk that led to the entrance of the cave. Red pulled into the parking lot and parked and they got out and started down the path.

  At the end of the boardwalk were some benches for people to sit and watch the bats flying out of the cave every evening just after dusk. No one should have been out there the evening before, because the area was closed to the public any night there was a full moon. Tom spotted something lying on one of the benches and pointed at it. They walked over and found, folded neatly on the bench, a suit jacket, a pair of shoes with socks stuffed inside and lying on the ground nearby, was a torn shirt and pair of pants, also ripped.

  As Tom picked up the coat, he felt the weight of something in the pocket. He reached in and pulled out a pocket watch on a chain and showed it to Red. Red took it from him and opened it. Inside was a photograph of a Pierre’s wife. Tom felt around in the other pocket and found Pierre’s wedding ring.

  “He’ll be happy to have these back,” Red said taking the ring also and putting both items in his pocket. “Whatever reason Pandora had for kidnapping Pierre, it must have something to do with this cave,” he said looking there.

  They walked up to the cave, which looked dark and damp inside, and not inviting at all for someone to explore.

  “You ever been inside there?” Tom asked.

  Red pointed to a sign nearby warning visitors not to go inside. “People have gotten permission to go inside, I never cared to, but I hear tell its gets pretty hairy in there. Lots of holes to fall in. Supposedly there are a lot of passageways leading off all directions,’ Red said pulling out of his pocket the small flashlight he carried with him. He shined it around inside the cave.

  “Look,” Tom said pointing at the ground just in front of them and Red shined his light there. Lying on the ground was a rope and Tom went and picked it up. He started pulling on it, but it was soon pulled taunt as the other end must have been tied to something inside. “Someone must have gone spelunking inside here recently,” he determined seeing the rope did not seem to have much wear and grime on it, especially if it had been inside a damp cave where thousands of bats made guano every day. “Wonder what a witch would want from inside there?”

  “Gone what?” Red asked.

  “Spelunking,” Tom repeated. “You know cave exploring.”

  “Is that an American word?” Red asked. “I never heard it before.”

  “Maybe it came to be called that after you left,” he said.

  “Maybe,” Red said taking the rope from Tom’s hand and pulling on it. “I don’t know if we’d learn anything following this rope to the other end, but I’ll have some firemen follow it and see where it leads to.”

  They drove back to town then.

  Chapter 7

  Pawn Takes Queen

  Tom slept until noon, then got up, got dressed, ate breakfast and started walking toward the TCPD building. Some construction workers were coming in and out of the hole in the north wall of the building, working to shore up the building. As Tom stood there watching them a moment, he noticed, one block up Mulberry Street, a fire engine with lights flashing and he started toward there.

  In the middle of the block, right where the alley came out, there was a constable holding back a crowd of onlookers. Tom made his way through them and asked the constable what had happened.

  “A wall collapsed,” the officer said pointing down the alley behind him and Tom looked and saw a huge pile of bricks, like a small pyramid, halfway down the alleyway. It looked like a bomb had gone off in the building next to the alley and thousands of bricks had landed there. There were half-dozen firemen with shovels scooping up the bricks. Red was there too, watching the firemen’s progress. Tom hurried toward him standing just next to the pile of bricks, which was probably ten feet tall still even after much of it had been removed.

  “Have you out in a couple of minutes,” Red yelled
at the stack of bricks just as Tom arrived.

  “Are their people under there?”

  “Just Rollo,” Red said and Tom noticed that they were standing outside the back door of the Rock Bottom and two of Rollo’s employees - A bridge troll and a goblin, where helping remove bricks. “He shouted out that he was fine, but even this much weight is too much for him to lift off.”

  Red and Tom watched for the next few minutes while the firemen worked to dig Rollo out, and finally, when the load was reduced some, the pile of bricks shifted as Rollo rose up and climbed out. It was quite a sight to see, him standing up and hundreds of bricks tumbling down. The crowd at both ends of the alley clapped as he came stumbling out. His hat was smashed, his suit torn to shreds, his hand pressed to his rib cage because of some soreness there, his face scratched and chipped, but overall Rollo didn’t seem too worse for wear.

  “What happened?” Red asked.

  “I’ll tell you what happened,” Rollo said clearly upset. “It was Stone and Titan; they jumped me here in the alley. I gave them hell too, but finally they both got a hold of me and shoved me hard enough into the side of the building here that the whole wall collapsed on top of me.”

  “Stone did this?”

  “Yeah, last thing I heard him say was; we were even now.”

  “Well I’ll add it to his list of offenses,” Red said, pulling his notebook out.

  “I sure could use a beer,” Rollo said.

  “You don’t want to go see a doctor?” Tom asked.

  “Doctors can’t do much for us golems,” he said dusting himself off. “A stone mason might patch me up some, but there’s nothing a doctor could for me that a beer couldn’t do better and cheaper,” he said. “Let’s go in my place here and have one. Besides I got something to tell you guys.”

  Red and Tom followed Rollo inside the Rock Bottom and lined up at the counter as the bridge troll poured them each a beer.

  “Thanks,” Rollo said and then he proceeded to down half his mug. He wiped his chin and turned toward Red and Tom. “Both Stone and Titan looked like they’d been run through a meat grinder.”

  “You got some licks in aye?” Red said holding up his beer toward Rollo.

  “No,” Rollo said shaking his head. “I mean they had scratches all over their face and hands already, before they blindsided me. I don’t know what they were up to before they came looking for me, but it must have been something nasty.”

  Red looked at Tom and then back at Rollo. “We might have an idea where they got those.”

  “Where?’

  “A werewolf might have done it to them.”

  “Really?” Rollo said. “Well that’s exactly what it looked like.”

  “Say,” Red said. “You don’t know what interest some witch might have going inside the Mouth-of-Hell cave do you?”

  “Maybe,” Rollo said ordering himself another beer, but Red and Tom waved off the offer of a second one, since they were on duty. “Use to be, after they outlawed many of the herbs them witches use in their potions, some witches hid some contraband items inside there. Not too far in, as its get pretty dangerous inside there, but finally the Administration sent some firemen in there with orders to burn the place out and destroy anything hid in there. And then some gates were installed at the entrance so nobody could go inside there anymore.”

  “What happened to the gates?” Red asked.

  “Oh they finally tore them down about forty years ago.”

  Red looked at his watch then. “I need to be going. Chief Rogers wants to go over our security plans for the ball tonight.”

  “Why didn’t they come here on one of them zeppelins?” Rollo asked. “I would have like to seen one of them.”

  “I guess because the king didn’t come along. I guess the invite to Transylvania was a last minute thing and he’s staying in Londonium for some meetings.”

  “Too bad,” Rollo said picking his mug up.

  Red picked his hat up off the counter. “I’m glad you showed up,” he told Tom. “Why don’t you come to this meeting with me?”

  “If you want.”

  “Let’s get going,” he said. “Thanks for the beer Rollo.”

  Red and Tom headed for the TCPD building to meet with Chief Rogers. Just outside the Chief of Police’s office at the end of the hallway, sat a vampire and Tom shot him a look as he walked into the chief’s office. Several people were already there, Commander Gates who was in charge of the regular constables, Captain Clarke of the Fire Brigade and sitting with his back to the door as Tom entered the room was another man.

  “Inspector Meriwether…” Chief Rogers said as Red stepped into his office, “You are of course familiar with Count Vasili,” he said gesturing toward the man.

  “Just by reputation,” Red said as Count Vasili stood and turned around.

  He was not a man though, but a vampire and while all vampires are rather good-looking, this one put all others to shame. There was not a flaw to him, not a feature that could have been improved. His hair was dark, thick, shiny and perfectly combed. His eyes were so dark; it seemed you were looking down a hole that had no bottom. His teeth were as white as snow and glinted like metal. His suit and overcoat with scarf were immaculate and fit his tall, trim build perfectly.

  “I am pleased to meet you Inspector Meriwether,” he said extending a hand toward Red. His accent, not British or anything Tom recognized, was never-the-less charming and the way he spoke betrayed confidence and good manners. For all these reasons, and more, Tom did not like him.

  “Thank you,” Red said.

  “You must excuse my appearance,” Count Vasili said gesturing toward his clothing with a sweep of his hand. “It is of course early in the day for a vampire.”

  Tom did not know what possibly could be forgiven, his clothing, without any imperfection or even a single wrinkle hung perfectly.

  “Count Vasili is to be the princess’s date tonight,” Chief Rogers explained. “He met her while he was visiting Londonium and invited her to visit Transylvania and Draculia and attend the ball tonight.”

  Count Vasili was the only vampire Tom had heard of that was allowed to travel around Britannia.

  A tall, fit man entered the room then. He must have stood six foot six, and might have been the toughest looking man Tom ever saw. Not just because of his muscles, his uniform or the military-like way he carried himself, but because of his many scars.

  “I am Colonel Popov,” he announced in a Russian accent, clicking his heels together. “I believe you are expecting me.”

  “Yes. Welcome,” Chief Rogers said. “Have a seat,” he said waving Colonel Popov toward a chair.

  “I will stand.”

  “All right, Chief Rogers said uncomfortably. “Colonel Popov is head of security for the prince and princess,” he informed the rest of them. “Let me introduce you to…”

  “That is not necessary,” Colonel Popov interrupted. “My security personnel supplied me with full backgrounds on each of you including photographs. Please let us get started.”

  “We already have a contingent of constables stationed at the Triumph Hotel,” Chief Rogers said.

  “Fine,” Colonel Popov said. “But only my men will be stationed outside the rooms of the prince and princess. I will allow your men to be stationed by the stairs and by the elevator.”

  “We’ll also have some detectives in the ballroom tonight, dressed in tuxedos,” Chief Rogers said. “And I’m afraid I’ve been withholding something from all of you. Shut the door,” he said gesturing at Tom and Tom reached over and closed the door. “We may want to cancel the prince and princess’ appearance at the ball tonight, but I will let you, Colonel Popov, decide that.”

  “What is it?” the colonel demanded.

  Chief Rogers opened his desk drawer and pulled out a letter. “We received a death threat on the prince’s life a few hours ago. This is the first chance I’ve had to tell you about it,” he said holding the letter out toward Colonel
Popov.

  Colonel Popov snatched it out of Chief Rogers hand so abruptly; Chief Rogers suffered a paper cut. Colonel Popov read it while Chief Rogers sucked on his bleeding finger and Tom was certain Count Vasili was looking at the blood there.

  “I will talk to the prince about the matter,” Colonel Popov said handing the note back. “In light of this, in addition to the incidents here in Transylvania City the past couple of days. I’m referring to the jail escape, the incident at Goblin Park and now the assault and destruction of property that happened just an hour ago not more than two blocks from the police building,” he said, “I will recommend the prince and princess not attend the ball, and that they immediately return to Londonium as soon as arrangements can be made, but it will be their decision.”

  While Colonel Popov was listing the failures of the TCPD the last few days, Chief Rogers glared at Red and Commander Gates.

  “Well if you could let us know what they decide,” Chief Rogers asked.

  “Of course,” Colonel Popov said. “Is there anything else you need of me?”

  “Just one more thing,” Chief Rogers said. “I wanted Commander Gates and Chief Inspector Meriwether to know that your men have been given permission to carry weapons while they’re here in Transylvania City.”

  “I didn’t know that,” Red said concernedly. “I hope they’ll not be wandering around town then.”

  “They will be confined to the hotel,” Colonel Popov said. “It should not be a problem.”

  “It would be nice if we had a way to recognize them,” Red said.

  Colonel Popov seemed to think about this a moment. “I will require them to all wear white handkerchiefs in their breast pockets. You will be able to recognize them from the red star on their handkerchiefs, but please do not let anyone know this that does not need to.”

  “I think I can keep it a secret,” Red said.

  “In fact could you have your men, the ones attending the ball anyway,” Colonel Popov said. “Wear something too, so we’ll recognize them?”