Free Fearless in High Heels by Gemma Halliday Page A

tonight.”
    “Where?” I asked, leaning in.
    “One of those vampire parties at Sebastian’s place.  She’s book from 10:00 PM on.”
     
    *  *  *
     
    “I knew it all came back to vampires!” Marco stage-whispered, grabbing my arm as we left Bowman’s. 
    “Okay,” I conceded.  “Let’s say, just for kicks, that however Alexa came into her windfall is tied to the vampire parties.”
    “I bet it was Fangs,” Dana said.  “He looks loaded.  I bet he was paying them to do something illegal.”
    “He did seem a little cagy about what happens after the parties,” I agree.  “Maybe he was paying the girls to sleep with his guests?”
    “Hooker vampires?  I love it!” Marco said, clapping his hands together.  “Or, even better, maybe he was paying them to suck their blood!”
    I shot him a look.  “Gross.”
    “Hey, the body was drained of blood,” he pointed out.
    “True.  But there was only one pair of bite marks on her neck.  Meaning she was only drained once .  If someone had been,” I cringed, nausea creeping up on me again “drinking her blood on a regular basis, there’d have been older marks.”
    “Well, maybe it was a one-time thing?  He paid her for one blood suck, but it got out of hand, and he sucked too much blood?”
    “Can we not say the words ‘blood’ and ‘suck’ together anymore, please?” I pleaded, willing my stomach to sit still.  “Besides, there’s one problem with your theory.”
    “Only one,” Dana mumbled as we got back in her car.
    “What problem?” Marco asked, ignoring her. 
    “Why kill Alexa at the club?  I mean, if Sebastian really did hire her for some sort of drinking thing, it stands to reason he’d do it in the privacy of his own home.  Why risk doing it at a crowded club?”
    Marco pouted.  “Good point.  Well, whatever Alexa was into, I’m betting both Sebastian and Becca are into it up to their fangs.”
    “So you guys think Becca will show up at Sebastian’s party tonight?” I asked.
    Dana turned to me, her eyes suddenly gleaming with a Cagney and Lacey look I knew all too well.  Though in reality, we were probably closer to Lucy and Ethel.  “Oh, Maddie.  Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” she asked, a grin dimpling her cheeks.
    “That a cheeseburger would really hit the spot right about now?”
    “The party tonight!  It’s our one chance to corner Becca and grill her.”
    “I don’t know…” I hedged.  “Maybe we should just turn all this info over to Ramirez and let the police sort it out.”
    Marco scoffed.  “Like the police could blend in at a vampire party.”
    “They don’t have to blend, they have warrants,” I countered. 
    “No, Marco’s right,” Dana argued.  “We’re much more likely to get info about Becca by going undercover than the police are by busting through the doors, badges drawn.”
    I bit my lip.  She had a point. 
    And she could tell she was wearing me down.  “Please, Maddie,” Dana pleaded, clasping her hands together in front of her.  “Ricky’s Moonlight contract is up for renewal for a third movie next week .  If the club is still closed by then, I just know he’s gonna sign.”
    I let out a sigh.  As much as I hated the idea of walking into a possible blood drinking orgy, I had to admit that this was our best, and possibly only, chance of catching up with Becca. 
    “Fine,” I relented.  “Let’s go rent some fangs.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Ten
     
    Luckily Dana knew the perfect place to get vampire attire – the set of Moonlight II: The Eternal Kiss , the sequel that half the known world was awaiting with baited breath (yours truly included) and which was currently being filmed at Sunset Studios in Hollywood.
    Sunset Studios houses the biggest and best names in both television and film, and is encircled by an impenetrable wall that is so heavily guarded it makes Buckingham Palace look like a joke.  Inside the paparazzi-proofed walls,