Chapter 83

I had returned to Washington, and was taking a much needed day off. Why not? I hadn’t seen enough of the kids lately, and it was Saturday after all.
Damon, Jannie and I went to the Corcoran Gallery of Art that afternoon. The little creeps fiercely resisted the museum at first, but once they were inside the Palace of Gold and Light they were completely entranced. Then they didn’t want to leave. Typical of them.
When we eventually got home at around four, Nana told me I was to call Tim Bradley at the San Francisco Examiner. Give me a break.  This case wouldn’t stop. Now I was supposed to call Jamilla’s buddy¹?  ‘It’s important that you call. That’s the message,’ Nana said. She was baking two cherry pies. Reminding me how good it was to be home.
It was one o’clock in California. I called Tim Bradley at his office.
He picked up right away.’Bradley.’
‘It’s Detective Alex Cross.’
‘Hi. I hoped you’d call. I’m a friend of Jamilla Hughes.’
I knew that much already. I interrupted. ‘Is she okay?’
‘Why do you ask that. Detective? She went to Santa Cruz yesterday.
Did you know about that?’
‘She mentioned she might go. Did somebody go with her?’ I asked. ‘I suggested she take company.’
His answer was curt² and defensive³. ‘No. Like Jamilla always says, she’s a big girl. And she carries a big gun.’
I frowned and shook my head. ‘So what’s going on? Has something happened? Is something the matter?’
‘No, not necessarily. She’s usually careful, precise. I just haven’t heard from her, and she promised to call. Last night. It’s been another four hours since I first called you. I’m a little concerned. It’s probably nothing. But I thought you would know best. . . about this particular case.’
‘Does she do things like this often?’ I asked.  ‘Investigate a case on her day off? Yes. That’s Jam. But she would definitely call me if she promised to.’
I was worried now. I thought of my last two partners. Both Patsy Hampton and Betsey Cavalierre had died, and neither of the victims had had justice. The Mastermind claimed to have killed Betsey. And also detective Maureen Cooke in New Orleans. So what about Inspector⁴ Jamilla Hughes?
‘I’m going to call the local police in Santa Cruz. She gave me a name and a number. I think it was Conover. I have it written down in my notes. I’m going to call him right now.’
‘All right, thank you. Detective. Will you let me know?’ Tim the reporter asked. ‘I’d appreciate it.’
I said that I would, then tried to reach Lieutenant⁵ Harry⁶ Conover at police headquarters in Santa Cruz. He wasn’t working, but I made a fuss, and dropped Kyle Craig’s name. The sergeant⁷ reluctantly gave me Conover’s home number.
Someone picked up at the number, and I heard loud music that I vaguely⁸ recognized as U2. ‘We’re having a party at the pool. C’mon over. Or call back on Monday,’ said a male voice. ‘Bye, bye for now.’ The line went dead.
I redialed and said,’Lieutenant Conover, please. It’s an emergency.  This is Detective Alex Cross. It’s about Inspector Jamilla Hughes of the San Francisco PD/ ‘Awhh shit,’ I heard, then, ‘this is Conover. Who is this again?’ I explained who I was and my involvement in the case in as few words as possible. I had the feeling that Harry Conover was drunk, or close to it. It was his day off, but Jesus - it wasn’t even two in the afternoon his time.
‘She went up in the hills, looking for new-wave vampires⁹,’ he said and laughed derisively¹¹. ‘There are no vampires in Santa Cruz, Detective. Trust me on that. I’m sure she’s just fine. She probably headed back to San Francisco.’
‘There have been at least two dozen vampire¹⁰-style murders so far.’I tried to sober Conover up, at least to get through to him. ‘They hang their victims, and then drain the blood.’
‘I told you what I know. Detective,’he said.’I guess I could call out some patrol cars,’ he added.
‘You do that. And while you do, I’m going to call the FBI. They believe in vampire murders. When was the last time you saw Inspector Hughes?’
He hesitated. ‘Who knows. Let me see, must be close to twenty-four hours.’
I hung up on Conover. I didn’t like him at all.  I sat and thought about everything that had happened since I’d first met Jamilla Hughes. The case made my head spin. Everything about it was over the edge, completely new territory. Having the Mastermind around made it even worse.
I phoned Kyle Craig, and then American Airlines. I called Tim Bradley back and told him I was on my way to California.  Santa Cruz.
The vampire capital.
Jamilla was in trouble out there. I could feel it in my blood.

1 buddy   

n.（美口）密友，伙伴

参考例句：

• Calm down,buddy.What's the trouble?压压气，老兄。有什么麻烦吗？
• Get out of my way,buddy!别挡道了，你这家伙！

2 curt   

adj.简短的，草率的

参考例句：

• He gave me an extremely curt answer.他对我作了极为草率的答复。
• He rapped out a series of curt commands.他大声发出了一连串简短的命令。

3 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

4 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。

5 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。

6 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

7 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

8 vaguely   

adv.含糊地，暖昧地

参考例句：

• He had talked vaguely of going to work abroad.他含糊其词地说了到国外工作的事。
• He looked vaguely before him with unseeing eyes.他迷迷糊糊的望着前面，对一切都视而不见。

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 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。

11 derisively   

adv. 嘲笑地，嘲弄地

参考例句：

• This answer came derisively from several places at the same instant. 好几个人都不约而同地以讥讽的口吻作出回答。
• The others laughed derisively. 其余的人不以为然地笑了起来。