Page 35 of Dark Obsession

“Right. There were men’s cowboy boots at the foot of the mattress, so I’m assuming it was a man.”

“Yeah, okay.” Cody lifted one shoulder and turned his head, feeling the tug of the scars across his chest and feeling his neck pop. “Anything else?”

“Um, one more thing.” Demmy opened his phone again and held it out toward him. Cody leaned in, squinting at the photo of what looked like marks on a wood door. “I found these marks carved into the door when I left.”

Cody looked closer. When he realized what he was seeing, his heart practically jumped into his throat and he felt a slight wave of dizziness. “What the fuck?” Cody sat back. “Were they there when you went inside?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you think the vamp did it to mark his territory?”

“I don’t know.”

“So, someone may have carved two fangs into the door after you went all Inspector Gadget and poked around inside on your own.”

There was more red in his cheeks now, and Demmy’s lips were a thin line. Cody could practically smell the argument brewing in the air, like ozone before a storm.

“Yes, someone could have used a knife or something to carve those marks in the door while I was inside.” He looked at the photo again, pinching to zoom in. “The wood underneath looks almost white, so they’re fresh cuts.”

“That’s great. That’s really great.”

Demmy looked up, his expression flat and his glare challenging. “I know I shouldn’t have gone inside by myself.”

“Fuck right you shouldn’t have.”

“But now we know for sure a vamp had been roosting there, and someone staked him.”

“And most likely used something sharp to add a little note to the door while you were inside. Alone.”

“I know I should have called you…”

“Absolutely. I would have come over in minutes and gone inside with you.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry doesn’t mean shit when some zombie or vampire or another goddamn Renfield tears open your throat.”

“Jesus, Cody…”

Cody stood. He pointed down at Demmy. “When we agreed to make these kinds of cases part of our lives, I had one request. Do you remember?”

Demmy squirmed slightly in the chair and couldn’t meet his eyes. “Yes, I remember.”

“What was that request?”

“We don’t take stupid chances, and we communicate about what we’re doing.”

“Exactly. And was that what you did today?”

“Cody, I⁠—”

“Was it what you did today?” Cody heard the ice in his voice and felt it banging around in his gut like icebergs.

Demmy’s expression shifted. His face smoothed out as he locked eyes with Cody, staring him down. “No, it wasn’t. And, you know what’s worse? I didn’t even have stuff from the tackle box with me.”

“What the fuck?” Cody turned in place, hands on his head. “What were you thinking?”

Demmy was on his feet now. His smooth expression had shifted to full-blown anger. “I was thinking if I waited for you, or if I even went to the truck to get the stuff, I would have lost my nerve.”