Chapter 79

When I got back to the Dauphine Hotel it was almost ten-thirty in the morning. I was too tired and too worked up to sleep.  My heart was still racing¹. There was a message for me: Inspector² Hughes had called from San Francisco.
I stretched out on the bed and called Jamilla back. I shut my eyes.
I wanted to hear a friendly voice, especially hers.  ‘I might have something good for you/ she said when I reached her at home.’In my spare time, ha-ha, I’ve been taking a close look at Santa Cruz. Why Santa Cruz, you might ask? There have been several unsolved disappearances³ there. Too many. I plotted them out myself. Alex, something is happening up there. It fits in with the rest of this case.’
‘Santa Cruz was on our original list,’I said. I was trying to focus on what she had just told me. I couldn’t remember exactly where Santa Cruz was located.
Tou sound tired. Are you all right?’ she asked.
‘I just got back to the hotel a few minutes ago. Long night.’
‘Alex, go to sleepi This can wait. Goodnight.’ ‘No, I can’t sleep anyway. Tell me about Santa Cruz. I want to hear it.’
‘All right. I talked to a lieutenant⁴ with the Santa Cruz PD.
Interesting conversation. Annoying, too. They’re aware of the disappearances.
The/ve also noted⁵ house pets and livestock⁶ disappearing
in the past year. Lot of ranches⁷ in the area. Nobody believes in
vampires⁹, of course. But - Santa Cruz has a certain reputation. The kiddies call it the vampire⁸ capital of the US. Occasionally, the kids are right.’
‘I need to see what you have so far/I told her.’I’m going to try and get a little sleep. But I want to read whatever Santa Cruz sends you.  Can you send it to me?’
‘My contact at The Examiner promised to send me the relevant files. Meanwhile, today’s my day off. I might just take a ride.’ I opened my eyes wide. ‘If you go, take somebody along. Your contact at The Examiner. I mean it.’I told her about the murder of the vice¹⁰ detective, Maureen Cooke, here in New Orleans.’Don’t go there alone. We still don’t know what we’re dealing¹¹ with.’ ‘I’ll take somebody along,’ she promised, but I didn’t know if I could believe her.
‘Jamilla, be careful. I don’t have a good feeling about this.’
‘You’re just tired. Get some sleep. I’m a big girl.’ We talked for a few more minutes, but I wasn’t sure if I had gotten through to her. Like most good homicide detectives, she was stubborn.
I shut my eyes again and started to drift away, then I was gone.

1 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

2 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

3 disappearances   

n.消失( disappearance的名词复数 )；丢失；失踪；失踪案

参考例句：

• Most disappearances are the result of the terrorist activity. 大多数的失踪案都是恐怖分子造成的。 来自辞典例句
• The espionage, the betrayals, the arrests, the tortures, the executions, the disappearances will never cease. 间谍活动、叛党卖国、逮捕拷打、处决灭迹，这种事情永远不会完。 来自英汉文学

4 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

7 ranches   

大农场， （兼种果树，养鸡等的）大牧场( ranch的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They hauled feedlot manure from the ranches to fertilize their fields. 他们从牧场的饲养场拖走肥料去肥田。
• Many abandoned ranches are purchased or leased by other poultrymen. 许多被放弃的牧场会由其他家禽监主收买或租用。

8 vampire   

n.吸血鬼

参考例句：

• It wasn't a wife waiting there for him but a blood sucking vampire!家里的不是个老婆，而是个吸人血的妖精！
• Children were afraid to go to sleep at night because of the many legends of vampire.由于听过许多有关吸血鬼的传说，孩子们晚上不敢去睡觉。

9 vampires   

n.吸血鬼( vampire的名词复数 )；吸血蝠；高利贷者；（舞台上的）活板门

参考例句：

• The most effective weapon against the vampires is avampire itself. 对付吸血鬼最有效的武器就是吸血鬼自己。 来自电影对白
• If vampires existed, don`t you think we would`ve found them by now? 如果真有吸血鬼，那我们怎么还没有找到他们呢？ 来自电影对白

10 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

11 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。