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Jack kept staring at hih his hair "Look, I know this sounds nuts I know I can’t go in front of a task force o or what to do Whatever he is, he is a ot to stop hi the old property see to say," Jack told hi by daytiuy, and have it turn into night right e find hi about this intelligently We can’t have vampires in the cemeteries--we know bodies bake Live bodies, dead bodies--they’d bake If the Carters and Dixons were buried in vaults, they must be baked as well--"

"You said that Aaron Carter ordered a chapel or a crypt to be built"

"What would the temperature be in a chapel?" Jack asked

Sean shook his head "I don’t know"

Jack nodded "All right We go to the property at the first sign of daylight We search the ruins, and the chapel And we are gone by nightfall I don’t believe any of this, of course I can’t believe I’o home and make stakes out of all my old baseball bats--"

"Brooood wood Find anything made out of it And remean, then fell silent He was staring out the door to Sean’s office

Sean swung around Maggie had co at her

She looked pale; she smiled wanly "The chapel isn’t in ruins"

"How do you know?" he asked her sharply

"I tried to trace Aaron Carter etic shrug

"Then I went to the courthouse and spent some time at the office of public records A check arrives from an AD Carter, Rue Royale, Paris, twice a year for the upkeep of the building of the old chapel on the Carter/Dixon grounds" She stared at Sean "I’ll be going with you"

"No!" Jack and Sean said simultaneously

"Jack, you don’t understand, I can help you--"

"Maggie, you knohat? We can talk about this toht? Your officers are good at public relations, and they’re careful what they say to the press, but they did use the word ‘disappeared’ What happened at thethat you and Pierre were attacked by a man dressed as a medical assistant who then disappeared? You and Jack both fired shots--but he disappeared That’s what they’re saying on the news, Sean"

"The guy got away, Maggie"

"The guy was Aaron!" she said angrily "The murderer" She stared sharply at Jack "And you know that he just disappeared into thin air!"

Jack shrugged "It wasn’t thin air," he said defensively But Maggie kept staring at hiie, come on People don’t just disappear"

"He disappeared, Jack," she repeated

"How can you know, Maggie? You weren’t there I think, he, uh, well--" He broke off, looking into her eyes His voice faltered "It wasn’t thin air--it was kind of a ie--"

"He is a vampire, Jack You can doubt it, you can question your sanity, but it’s true"

"And you know him?"

"Yes"

"So the blood drops from the pimp on Bourbon Street that led to your door--"

"Were done by Aaron on purpose To igie said

Sean groaned

Jack s, beautiful, gold cross, and you’re--"

"I go to church

"I haven’t accepted the fact that I’o, but Aaron doesn’t You really can hurt hi to be hard to kill, but soe helps

He won’t evaporate or sizzle or melt like a wicked witch from Holy water, but it may slow him down

Garlic will honestly help--"

"Garlic Maybe we should have a big Italian dinner and refrain fro our teeth," Jack o to arlic?" Jack asked, half teasing her, half afraid that his question was entirely rational

"I won’t eat it, I’ll just cook it We’ll all stay at "

"No, Maggie," Sean grated

Maggie shook her head sternly "Yes! And we’ll stay together as of now Aaron wants to kill you, Sean