The Spinoza Trilogy by J.R. Rain Read Free Book Online

up twice as big.
    Indeed, it was a dark tattoo, but the picture was too pixelated to tell for sure what it was. But if I had to guess, I would say that I was looking at something that looked like a claw.
    A dragon’s claw?
    As I stared at the picture, completely and utterly fascinated, I found myself wondering if I was looking at an actual vampire....
     
     
     
    Chapter Seven
     
     
    It was early. Too early for someone who’s his own boss. But if I wanted to make it to San Francisco with plenty of time to spare by the 2:00 p.m. book signing at Borders, well, I had to get moving.
    Roxi had barely stirred when I got up to dress. I kissed her on the cheek and told her I would be back tomorrow. She murmured that she loved me, which was news to me.
    I smiled down at her and told her I loved her, too, but I think she was already asleep.
    Now I was on the road with a Starbucks mocha between my legs and a belly full of scone. What the hell is a scone, anyway? I’ll Google it later.
    The sun was rising to my right, in the east, as I headed steadily up the 5 Freeway. Or, as my friends in San Fran call it, 5 Freeway , minus the article the .
    San Franciscans are weird.
    Cool, but weird.
    So I was heading up the 5 Freeway, listening to the wind whistle across my partially open window, and wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into.
    Maybe I should have listened to Roy.
    Maybe I should have laid off the case. After all, wasn’t Veronica, or Valerie, nearly an adult now? Hell, hadn’t she basically been on her own since witnessing her parents’ murder three years ago.
    Yes, and yes, but one thing shouldn’t be forgotten here: More than likely Veronica was delusional. More than likely she had erroneously pitted the blame on an innocent writer of vampire fiction. And if she had attacked him with a fucking silver stake, well, she was still a threat to the man.
    For his safety, she needed to be stopped.
    For her mental health and her own safety, she needed to be stopped.
    And I was just the guy to do it?
    Apparently so. After all, I didn’t pick the cases, they picked me.
    As the sun came out in full force, I dropped my shades and headed steadily north.
    On the 5 Freeway.
     
    * * *
     
    I called Detective Hammer of the LAPD Missing Persons Division. He picked up on the fourth ring.
    “ So I’m a fourth-ring friend now?” I asked.
    “ Since when were you a first-, second-, or even a third-ring friend?”
    “ Now that’s just mean.”
    “ I happen to be a busy man, Spinoza. You’re lucky I picked up at all. Now what the hell do you want? I’ve got a mother waiting outside my office who hasn’t seen her seven-year-old in five hours.”
    My own stomach plummeted at the thought and my heart went out to her. I made a mental note to check up on her and offer my services.               I said, “I need you to put me in contact with a buddy of yours on the San Francisco PD.”
    “ You think just because I’m with LAPD that I have friends around the country?”
    I waited.
    “Okay, you’re right. I don’t have time to fuck with you. What’s this about?”
    “ Our friend the vampire slayer.”
    “ Talk to me. Fast.”
    I quickly caught him up to speed. When I was finished, Detective Hammer whistled lightly. “Yeah, a real nut job. Here’s a name and number. Detective Sparks. A good man.” He gave me his number and added, “So this guy really writes vampire novels?”
    “Yes, apparently.”
    “ Aren’t most vampire novels about teenage girls running around and, you know, acting retarded?”
    “ I wouldn’t know,” I said. “But you seem to be some sort of expert.”
    He said something derogatory about me and my hygiene, reminded me once again that I was nothing more than a glorified mall cop, and hung up.
     
    * * *
     
    I called Detective Sparks with the SFPD and caught him up to speed. I did my best not to mention the words “vampire slayer” until the very end. And when I finally