(89) Trevor Wallace – Dhampir

(Del)

The steaks were sizzling, and Mychael and I had made salad, by the time Pete returned. From the look on his face I knew he'd found something. I just hoped it was enough.

Despite my impatience to know, Pete made us wait until we'd all gotten food and had found seats before telling us what he'd found.

"Trev's actually quite organized," he said, sounding a bit surprised. "He's got files for all his bills including the credit card ones. Once he gets back, Del, tell him to get a shredder though. There's info on them he probably wouldn't want getting out to some identity thief. But in this case, it's a good thing he doesn't have one. He's go two cards, both in his name so we now have the numbers. All we need is for Mychael to work his magic and see if he's used them since he left."

I had to smile when Mychael almost bounced in anticipation as he held out his hand for the copies of the statements Pete had brought back.

"Not till you eaten all your supper," Pete told him with a straight face.

With a roll of his eyes, Mychael went back to eating, muttering "Yes Daddy" under his breath, evoking laughs from the rest of us. He practically inhaled the his meal and then snagged the statements and headed inside.

I was beginning to worry that maybe Trev hadn't used his cards, which would still leave us at a dead end. Then Mychael returned with a puzzled look on his face.

"What's wrong," Vik asked.

"He's used them, or someone has. Honest opinion, I don't think it's him from the purchases that were made—all in the last day and a half. And not in one place or rather one town either." He rubbed his forehead between his fingers and thumb as he looked at what he'd printed out. "The first ones were made in a small town called Lecompte, about half a day's drive north-west of here, for food and gas. Then he, or someone, headed further north to Alexandria then Shreveport and beyond."

"What did they buy, besides what you said," Pete wanted to know.

"Umm, a couple of guns and ammo. There was a stop at a video store. It doesn't say what DVD's he bought, but there were ten of them, and then,"—he checked the list again—"a stop at the Alexandria Wal-Mart for an expensive camera and a few other electronics. In Shreveport it was more electronics." He listed them off.

"Then I know without a doubt it's not him using the cards," I told them. "He hates that kind of junk, or what he calls junk. I know most people don't think like that. Besides, why would he be heading north and not back here?"

"Good question Del. So we can presume that while he was in or around Lecompte, he either lost his wallet or it got stolen, or at least the cards got taken from it, since he's smart enough to report it if he knew they were missing. Or..."

Vik looked at me and I knew he didn't want to say what else was on his mind.

"Or," I said quietly, "he wasn't able to handle the Vampyre he was after and he's dead."

Vik nodded. "I'm sorry Del but that is a possibility."

"Well I won't know until I go there."

The men looked at me and shook their heads. "You're going to stay here. One of us will go instead," Pete said firmly.

"I'm not going to sit here and wait and wonder. If he is alive, and I can't believe he's not, in spite of the evidence, I need to find out what happened. Why he hasn't called."

I could see them trying to decide how to argue with me. I stared at each of them and restated adamantly that I was going to Lecompte.

"Alright Del. I can understand why you need to. Pete," Vik looked at him, "will you go with her? I would but I have something I need to do, and breaking Mychael free from his job right now would be difficult, with all he's dealing with there."

"Not a problem." Pete turned to me. "We'll leave first thing in the morning, and I mean early, like six. Pack up enough for a couple of days just in case, in a backpack. We'll take my bike."

I was almost tempted to salute him as he tossed out his orders, but nodded instead, glancing at Vik.

He smiled and shrugged, muttering, "That's our Pete."

Pete started to say something and then chuckled. "OK, so I'm in planning mode, shoot me. I get bossy when I am. Anyway, please,"—he stressed the word—"do as I asked, Del."

"Not a problem but you keep on giving orders I'm liable to slap you up side the head," I replied, grinning slightly.

"Now that I'd like to see," Mychael said, earning him a laugh from all of us.