Death Becomes Her - Chapter 4 (PG) Posted: 1/19/18

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darkstarrising
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Death Becomes Her - Chapter 4 (PG) Posted: 1/19/18

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Hi all!! :wave:

Here is the fourth chapter of this Moonlight /H50 crossover story, with another five or so to follow.

As always, I don’t own these characters, but dearly love to play with them, nor do I profit in any way from this story.

In memory of our own dear Librarian 7, aka Lucky :rose:

I hope you enjoy!!

Chapter 4

Iolani Palace – late night

Jerry spent a restless night, torn between his need to find answers to the questions that kept popping up and his desire not to piss off McGarrett in any way.

So what if McGarrett led a secret life? Maybe he was working undercover for the Navy when that picture was taken. Maybe it was top secret. Maybe I should let it go…

Nah.


A few more hours of research led Jerry to find that the man in the picture was a LA private detective named Mick St. John. On one level, that information eased Jerry’s concern.

OK, so it’s not McGarrett. That’s a relief. I heard him say some guy named Mick was coming. That has to be the same guy that’s in the picture. But man, that PI could pass for McGarrett’s twin. Maybe they’re related.

While Jerry knew a bit about McGarrett’s family history, he had to do some digging on St. John.

So…St. John has a PI license issued in 2006 and renewed in 2012. He’s lived in LA since…since when? Hey, there’s another reference to a PI named Mick St. John in a book published in 2007. Let’s see what that book says.

After downloading Julia Stevens’ book, ‘A Wronged Man’, Jerry was more confused than ever. Her portrayal of the PI was less than flattering. In her opinion, St. John was a bully who had beaten a guy named Lee Jay Spaulding to a pulp and concocted evidence that unjustly sent the man to prison for murder some 25 years earlier. When he got to the book’s image of the PI, Jerry couldn’t believe it.

Holy crap…. This PI looks just like the guy in the other picture. His father? Again with the strong genes? No way is that a coincidence that both Kostan and St. John have doppelgangers. And what do you know? Like Kostan, no images of St. John prior to 1990. So what the hell is going on?

In the wee hours of the morning, Jerry set up another search, looking for any additional information he could find on either St. John or Kostan. Rather than go home, he just lay his head down on his desk and fell asleep. When he woke a few hours later, he was a bit disoriented wondering why he was still in his office. After the cobwebs cleared, he checked his computer to see what other information his search had yielded.

When he logged in, the system seemed sluggish, but maybe it was just him. Instead of finding some additional information, he found nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

It was if his computer had been reset to where it was before he’d started looking for information on Simone Walker. Anything and everything related to her, Kostan and St. John was gone. After he recovered from his shock, Jerry started another search on Josef Kostan. What he got was nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Jerry was no stranger to remote computer access, and it was evident that someone had control over his. Clearly, someone was re-enforcing the message McGarrett had sent him earlier.

‘The less you know about what’s going to happen, the better.’

Jerry closed his laptop, determined more now than ever to find out just what the hell was going on.

*******************************************************************************

Late Night – Kimiko’s compound

After leaving Josef at the airport, Mick and Beth were driven to Kimiko’s compound in dire need of some freezer time. The conversation with Josef had left both of them unsettled, at a loss for how to help their friend. They understood Josef’s need for resolution; hanging on to desperate hope of Simone’s recovery wasn’t fair to either Josef or Simone. If Simone was truly lost, Josef would have to come to grips with that painful reality once again and let her go, something none of them were looking forward to.

Once at Kimiko’s compound, Mick and Beth were greeted by Akemi, Kimiko’s shisha or second in command. Kimiko was Josef’s counterpart in more ways than one; she was the centuries-old leader of the islands blood demons, as vampires were known, as well as a shrewd businesswoman. Wary of becoming corrupt and losing her hold on power, Kimiko had chosen Akemi as her shisha, to keep her on a virtuous path, as least as virtuous as a vampire could be. Akemi was quiet, intelligent and completely guileless, unlike her traitorous predecessor, Tadashi, who’d literally lost his head due to his treachery.

Akemi led Mick and Beth into a suite of rooms not far from her own. “My mistress bids you welcome and regrets that she is not here to do so herself. Kimiko will return in a few days but has instructed me to assist you in any way that I can in your time of sorrow.” Akemi bowed to her guests, acknowledging their loss. “If it is not impertinent, may I inquire as to the progress in finding Ms. Walker’s killer?”

Mick shook his head. “Right now, all we know is that Simone’s death wasn’t an accident. Someone wanted her dead. What we don’t know is why.”

“Forgive me. My selfish curiosity has prevented me from seeing to your needs.” Akemi pointed to the left. “A chamber for your rest has been made ready. As for sustenance, I recall that you prefer not to accept blood directly from the living. Their gifts have been gathered and stored here, for your use. If there is anything else you require, you need only to ask.”

Beth smiled, bowing in return to Akemi. “Thank you, Akemi. I don’t know when I’ve ever been so drained.” Seeing her host’s confusion, Beth clarified. “What I mean is that I’m very tired, physically and emotionally. Simone’s death has hit Mick and myself hard.”

Akemi sighed. “I have found that for some, the pain of loss eases with time. For others, it never fades. May you find peace with your loss.”

With that, Akemi bowed again then left Mick and Beth to rest and recover.

Prior to arriving at the compound, they’d agreed to minimize sharing information about the investigation into Simone’s murder. It wasn’t that they didn’t trust Akemi, but as shisha, Akemi was bound to share her knowledge with Kimiko. Past experience with the head of the islands’ blood demons had shown Kimiko to be as conniving and ruthless as Josef, perhaps more so. Simone’s death could be viewed as weakening Josef, giving Kimiko a chance to take advantage of him somehow. If Kimiko knew just how distraught Josef was given Simone’s unknown status, she wouldn’t hesitate to seize any opportunity to gain while he was distracted.

Beth poured each of them a glass of blood, the gifts from human donors Akemi had referred to. Taking a drink, she looked puzzled. “Is it me, or does this taste ‘off’ somehow?”

Mick grinned. “It’s fine. It’s just that you’re not used to drinking island blood.”

“Blood is blood, isn’t it?”

“Basically, yes. You’ve tasted differences between blood types, right?”

“Yes, but this is different somehow, actually quite pleasant, just …different.”

“Remember the saying ‘You are what you eat’? In this case, you’re tasting the effect of the island diet on peoples’ blood. Healthier one.”

“What, no cheeseburgers and fries?”

“O, I’m sure there’s some of that, just less.”

Beth finished her drink, then sat down next to her mate. “I think I could sleep for a week, I’m so tired. Finding out Simone had died was bad enough. Finding out she’d been murdered was worse. And now…” Beth didn’t finish the sentence, mindful of her surroundings. “Is this going to be what it’s like every time I lose someone?”

Mick gave the barest of eyebrow shrugs. “Yeah, sometimes. Akemi’s right, though. Some pain fades with time, some doesn’t.”

“How have you stood the pain for so long?”

“Immortality gives you a choice; block the pain of loss or accept it, even if it breaks your heart. I think you know my choice.”

“You chose to feel pain because it makes you feel more human.” Beth gently kissed her mate. “I’m glad you did.”

*******************************************************************************

Iolani Palace – the next morning

Early the next day, McGarrett gathered his people around the central computer console, filling them in on his conversations with the vampiric trio from LA. “Based on what Kostan told us, our victim was killed by a human, not a vamp. He also claims he doesn’t know of anyone who had it in for Walker. Still, grudge, home invasion gone bad, premeditated murder or something else - nothing’s off the table yet.”

Danny interjected. “Including that maybe Kostan was lying through his fangs and there’s some mad vamp on the loose killing people he doesn’t want us to know about.”

Grover raised an eyebrow. “Lying through his fangs? Really?”

“What I’m trying to say is that I don’t trust Kostan as far as I can throw him, which, by the way, is something I’d never dream of doing.”

Chin continued the thought. “OK, for the sake of argument, let’s say Kostan is lying. Two questions: why, and if he is, what can we do about it?”

“Why? Hellifiknow. Maybe he wants to settle the score himself or maybe Walker’s death could come back on him somehow.” Danny shrugged. “As for what we can do about it, probably nothing, if we want to stay alive.”

Steve’s eyes narrowed, yet he said nothing.

“OK, Steve, either spit it out or stop squeezing your eyes like that. You’re giving me a headache.”

“Maybe Danny’s on to something, about Walker’s death coming back on Kostan somehow. Even if we find proof that that’s the case, he’s right. There’s nothing we can do about it.” Steve sighed in exasperation. “We’re missing something here.”

Chin offered an idea. “You said Mick and Beth went back to the house to see if we missed something, because they knew Simone and we didn’t. Let’s take it a step further.” Chin brought up the image of Simone dancing with Josef. “When we first started investigating Walker’s death, we didn’t know who she really was and her …affiliation…with Kostan and his kind. We assumed she was murdered during a home invasion or because of her job, either here on the mainland. The former is still a possibility, but we’ve pretty much ruled out the latter.”

“What are you getting at, Chin?”

“We started our investigation with incomplete, even false information. We were looking for someone who wanted to kill Walker, thinking she was just an attorney with the Public Defender’s office. We didn’t know that she was someone special to a very powerful vampire.”

Grover swore under his breath. “Are you suggesting that this poor lady was killed to get at Kostan?”

“Possibly, but what I’m really suggesting is that we didn’t ask all the right questions when we started our investigation. We know more about our victim now. Maybe we should go back and ask some better questions.”

The cloud lifted from Steve’s face. “That’s a great idea, Chin. Go back to the public defender’s office and see what you can shake loose. Lou, I want you to canvass the neighbors again.”

“So we go back with some ‘follow-up’ questions, without letting on that we know who Walker really was and watch for reaction. See if anyone blinks, so to speak.”

“Right. Follow your instincts. Drop what additional info you think might get a reaction from those who knew Walker. When you talk to people, see if any of them remember a particular gold necklace Walker wore. Beth thinks that there was a jewel of some kind missing from the one Walker was wearing when she was killed.”

Lou countered. “Must be one helluva jewel to kill somebody over. But I get you drift. If we start asking questions about a jewel and someone gets a bit, shall we say, nervous, that may lead us to the killer.”

Steve leaned against the console. “In the meantime, Danny will…”

Danny finished the sentence. “Take his partner home, shove some pills down his throat and put him to bed.”

“Danny, I’m fine..”

“No, you’re not and you’re going to get worse if you don’t stop trying to be so god-damned invincible all the time. Unlike Mick, you’re only human.”

Before Steve could protest further, Chin agreed. “Danny’s right, Steve. Go home and get some rest. Right now, we’ve got things covered, but we may need you later on.”

Lou said nothing, but it was clear he agreed with the others.

Steve sighed. “OK, I’ll go…but, and I mean this, call me with any developments. And…just watch your backs. Remember, we don’t know who we’re dealing with. Maybe human, maybe vamp. Both are dangerous.”

********************************************************************

Kimiko’s Compound - morning

After a few hours of rest, Beth ventured out into the compound’s gardens. The last time she was here, the body of an unfortunate fledgling gone mad was burned, releasing her spirit to the peace she so richly deserved. Now it was Beth who was in search of peace, if not answers.

It wasn’t long before Akemi found her guest sitting on a stone bench, gazing off into the distance. “Ah, I see your spirit is still troubled. What may I do to help you?”

A sad smile crossed Beth’s face. “I wish I knew. It’s just that I’m not used to losing people I love, not like this.”

Surprised, Akemi sat next to her guest. “Have you never lost anyone to violence?”

“I have, actually. A man I loved was murdered, shot in front of my eyes. Josh was killed because he dared to stand up to a vicious drug dealer.” Beth paused, trying to voice her feelings. “It was horrific. I remember the pain, the anger, no, not anger, rage, rage like I’d never felt before. I even lashed out at Mick. Later, all I could feel was overwhelming grief, then numbness. I didn’t want to feel anything anymore.”

“And now? What is so different that your spirit is troubled?”

“It’s been nearly 10 years since Josh died. I’ve come to terms with his death, knowing he died for a reason. With Simone’s death so recent, so…pointless…it feels different. It’s like I don’t know what to feel.”

“Perhaps when the culprit is found and the reason for your friend’s death is made clear, you will know what to feel.”

“I hope you’re right.” Beth smiled, remembering that Akemi had her own share of sorrow. “I meant to ask you earlier about your son, Kioshi. How is he?”

“He has returned to Oahu from Kauai. He practices human medicine once again, treating the faceless ones of the islands for free.” Akemi gave Beth a knowing smile. “But that is not what you meant.”

“No. Mick said the two of you were estranged, but that you had reconnected a couple of years ago.”

“This is true, but one meeting was only the foundation for those that followed and those that are yet to come. My son was angry over how I had turned him without his consent, rather than lose him to death. Over the decades, that anger festered in his heart, but eventually he began to understand there are benefits to the longevity of our kind.”

“Has he forgiven you, then?”

“His heart has softened and he welcomes our visits, but I fear more time will pass before I have earned his forgiveness.”

Beth shook her head. “I don’t understand. You saved him. Why can’t he forgive you for what you did out of love?”

“Who can say? When Kioshi was a little boy, he was head-strong, not always heeding the wishes of his parents. I fear that is a trait he still maintains.”

Beth paused for a moment, wondering whether she could trust Akemi with another issue. “Akemi, I want to ask you something, but you’ve got to promise not to tell Kimiko.”

“Will my silence harm my mistress?”

“No.”

“Then you have my word. Besides, I recall you assisted me to avoid a most…unpleasant…task. What do you wish to know?”

Beth went on to describe how some humans, when turned, never become vampires, instead remaining in a type of limbo between life and death. “Have you ever encountered this?”

“No, but I have heard of it. Our legends say that the human spirit is torn between staying upon the earth as a blood demon and going with Milu, the god of the spirit world, who offers them peace.”

“Why are they torn? Do the legends tell you that?”

“Yes. Some spirits wish to stay upon the earth out of a strong emotion, like love or fear. Yet they long for the peace that Milu offers, especially if their lives were troubled.” Akemi paused, anticipating Beth’s next question. “The legends also say that it is best to help the spirit embrace Milu’s gift, for to do otherwise is to leave them in torment.”

Beth’s eyes grew wide. “Torment?”

“Caught between two worlds, the spirit is alone, deprived of the company of both the living and the dead. To spend eternity alone … I cannot think of a greater torment.” Akemi rose then laid her hand on Beth’s shoulder. “I am sorry. For you and your friend.”

As silently as she had come, Akemi left Beth to her thoughts.

********************************************************************************

ME’s Office - afternoon


Noelani sat at her desk, reviewing the preliminary lab results from Simone Walker’s blood tests. Scanning the results on the screen, it was clear that there were no traces of drugs, legal or otherwise, in Simone’s bloodstream. There was a very slight level of alcohol present, consistent with the wine the victim was drinking at the time of her death.

The young ME sighed; she should be relieved that there was nothing suspicious in the victim’s blood analysis, but in reality, she was disappointed. Why? That was a question that she couldn’t answer. In all honesty, a clean analysis should have alleviated any concern she had over releasing the victim’s body prior to doing a complete autopsy. There was just something about the victim though that seemed odd somehow.

There was a notation on the test results that indicated the white cell count was high, typically indicative of some infection or disease, something that wasn’t apparent during her examination of the victim. The notation also indicated that some of the red blood cells seemed to have been damaged, perhaps an early indication of some sort of cancer that had not yet developed.

Noelani snorted.

More likely the sample got contaminated at the lab. I’ve never seen a healthier looking body. Good thing I drew more blood. I’ll take a look myself.

A short time later, Noelani pulled away from the microscope, rubbing her eyes. Apparently, the lab hadn’t screwed up, but what she was seeing in the blood sample didn’t make much sense. The red blood cells were distorted, as if they were getting ready to explode, but that appearance didn’t indicate any pre-cancerous condition she was aware of.

Noelani brought up her notes from the crime scene and her preliminary examination of the body. She poured over the photos at the crime scene, noting the placement of the body. The victim had clearly tried to pull the ligature away, but when she died, her arms fell to her side. The photos of the victim’s neck were taken with both the ligature in place and removed. There was slight bruising and scratches…

Noelani stared at that image, knowing there was something there that she wasn’t seeing. Then she brought up images of the victim’s neck that were taken during the postmortem examination in the morgue and compared them.

The scratches were fainter…how can that be? Once a person dies, the body doesn’t heal to any degree and most certainly not at the rate the later image indicated. Could it be the lighting? No. I took all these images myself. Besides, there are no other differences on the victim’s face or neck in the different sets of images. So what’s going on?

The ME didn’t have any explanation, but she knew of someone who might. Someone who wanted the body released against Noelani’s better judgment.

McGarrett.

Asking one of her aids to cover for her, Noelani decided it was time to go to the Palace and get some answers.

*******************************************************************************

McGarrett’s residence - afternoon

The only way Danny could get McGarrett to go home was if Lou and Chin agreed to fill him on their findings later. It was late in the afternoon when 5-0 gathered at the McGarrett residence.

Chin went first. “I talked to Walker’s boss, Greg Mariner, and about a dozen of her co-workers. None of them could remember seeing any kind of necklace with a jewel on it. They said that Walker’s work attire was very professional, stylish but nothing flashy.”

Checking his notes, Chin continued. “All of them seemed to think jewel theft was a possible motive for murder, but no one had any recollection of seeing Walker with expensive jewelry. In fact, they said that other than earrings, the only piece of jewelry they remembered seeing Walker wear was a ruby ring. With some additional fishing about possible relationships or anything Walker might have said about her former life on the mainland, I came up empty, with the same message I got before – Walker was dedicated to her work, friendly, but private.”

Grover, on the other hand, had a bit more luck. “One of the neighbors I talked with, Malia Kala, said she remembered seeing our victim with a necklace, but there wasn’t any expensive jewel on it. She had accepted a package addressed to Walker and delivered it when she was sure Walker was home. Ms. Kala said that when Walker came to the door, she was dressed much as when we found her, green gown and all. She was wearing a gold necklace, but there was a some kind of crystal pendant dangling from it. Tear-drop shape, about two inches long, red in color, something she thought unusual, but pretty. She said that when she complimented her neighbor on the necklace, Walker quickly put her hand over the pendant before thanking Kala.”

Danny sighed. “Well, I guess there goes ‘precious jewel theft’ as a possible motive.”

“Not so fast, my man. Fortunate for me, I talked with Kala early on, so I knew about the pendant. I struck out with most of the other neighbors, except for our one-woman neighborhood watch lady.”

Steve was confused. “Who?”

“Samantha Miller. Walker’s nosy next door neighbor. I did some easy questions first, you know, getting her to relax, and Mrs. Miller was more than happy to talk about how it was a shame that someone could come into their happy little neighborhood and kill that poor woman. Her husband, Ted, was there this time, but he kept pretty quiet while he wife jabbered on about possible motives for Walker’s death. When I brought up the necklace with a jewel on it, the wife said she’d never seen it, but was sure that was the reason for the break-in. The husband, well, let’s just say he ‘blinked’, proverbially speaking. Turned a couple shades whiter, too, even though he said he never saw such a necklace, either.”

“Where are you going with this, Lou?”

“I did a little digging on Ted Miller and found out that he’s good friends with Walker’s boss, Greg Mariner. Belongs to the same country club, too.”

Danny held up his hand. “Wait a minute. The head of the public defender’s office belongs to a country club? Clearly, we’re in the wrong line of work, guys.”

Steve agreed. “Danny’s on to something. We know Kostan probably supported Walker. But what about Mariner? Where is his money coming from? Lou, I want you to look deeper into both men, see if there’s anything to support one of them wanting Walker dead. Chin…” Steve stopped as he saw his friend’s face. “What’s wrong, Chin?”

“Maybe something, maybe nothing.” Turning to Lou, he asked. “You said the pendant was a red colored crystal, not some expensive jewel, right?”

“Yeah, so?”

“What if the pendant wasn’t stolen? What if it broke during the struggle?”

“OK, I see where you’re going with this. If the pendant got caught under the scarf when Walker was being strangled, that would explain some of those deep scratches on that poor lady’s neck. I don’t see…”

Steve interrupted. “What deep scratches? The ones I saw at the ME’s were barely visible.” As the pieces fell into place, Steve turned back to Chin. “You’re thinking the reason the pendant was red was…?

Chin sighed. “Because there was blood in it. Vampire blood. Steve, if that’s the case and that blood got into Walker’s system before she died…”

“Then Walker not only died, she’s now a vampire.”

Danny swore. “Great. One more blood-sucker to worry about. At least it explains why Kostan wanted to get her off the island so fast.” After a moment, Danny swore again. “Shit!! That’s what Mick found on the scarf…when he sniffed it or whatever the hell he does.”

Steve already had his phone out. “Mick. We’ve got some questions you might help us with. OK, see you at my place in 20.”

Grover headed for the door. “If it’s all the same to you guys, I got work to do, you know, checking into Mariner and Miller. You coming, Chin?”

“No, I think I’ll stick around. I’ve got a few questions of my own for Mick.”

*********************************************************************************

Iolani Palace - afternoon


When Noelani arrived at the Palace, Jerry was the only one in 5-0’s offices.

“Hey, Jerry. Is Commander McGarrett around?”

“No, he’s not feeling well and Detective. Williams took him home. Is there something I can help you with?”

Noelani hesitated, not wishing to overstep her bounds, especially if she was making something out of nothing. Still, Jerry was as good a sounding board as any.

After describing her concerns that her eyes were playing tricks on her, Noelani brought up two images of Simone’s post-mortem images. “I know you are experienced with software that compare features. Do you think you could run some analysis to see if there really is any difference in the scratches? I think there is, but it may be the lighting or something else.”

What the ‘something else’ was, Noelani wasn’t sure, but Jerry saw no harm in doing as requested. “Sure, I can do some analysis, but it’ll have to wait. I’m running a diagnostic on my system and it’ll take a few more hours to complete.”

“That’s fine. It’s probably nothing, but another set of eyes never hurts.”

Jerry looked at the images on the plasma. “You’re right. The scratches at the crime scene do look more pronounced than the ones taken later. It’s like they faded, but that’s not possible, is it?”

“No, at least not that I’m aware of. For a cut or scratch to heal, blood has to be bringing oxygen through the body to the affected area. When a person dies, the heart stops beating, so no oxygen is being pumped through the body.”

“So…what do you think is going on?”

“Honestly? I have no idea, but I was hoping to talk to Commander McGarrett about it. Maybe he could talk with the St. Johns or Mr. Kostan to see if they knew of any medical condition Ms. Walker may have had. Even so, I can’t think of any earthly explanation for this.”

“You’ve seen the St. Johns? Does Mick really look a lot like McGarrett?”

“Yes, and honestly, I found it a little creepy. Mrs. St. John is nice enough, although a little pushy. Mr. Kostan, though, he’s something else.”

“How so?”

“I’ve seen all kinds of reactions when people come to identify the body of a loved one. Some are weeping hysterically, some are in denial, while others are quietly grieving. Mr. Kostan, he was like a statue, rigid, no expression, except when I drew the sheet from Ms. Walker’s face. He was shocked, but then his stoic mask fell back into place. When I moved to replace the sheet, my hand grazed his, and he was cold, as cold as the body he was viewing.”

Jerry did his best to sound nonchalant. “Really?”

Noelani was embarrassed at what could be construed as gossiping. “It’s probably nothing. When people are upset, their metabolism can either slow or speed up. If it slows, the body temperature drops. A combination of being in a cold room and grief could lower a person’s body temperature.” Noelani dismissed the images. “Anyway, I’ll talk with Commander McGarrett when he’s feeling better. Thanks for your help, Jerry.”

“No problem. I’ll tell McGarrett you were here.”

After Noelani left, Jerry retrieved the images of Simone’s face. If he hadn’t thought something was weird before, he certainly did so now.

*****************************************************************************************************

McGarrett’s house – late afternoon


When Mick and Beth arrived at McGarrett’s house, it didn’t take heightened senses to know the members of 5-0 were pissed.

Steve dove right in. “You found Kostan’s blood on the murder weapon, didn’t you? Were you planning on telling us that at some point?”

Mick went on the defensive. “Yeah, and probably not. Josef’s blood on that scarf didn’t have anything to do with Simone’s death.”

“But it does have to do with her becoming a vampire, right?”

Mick and Beth exchanged a look, then Beth tried to calm the situation. Left to their devices, two alpha males butting heads could only make matters worse. “In theory, yes.”

Chin pounced. “In theory? What does that mean?”

“After we left here last night, we went back to the airport. Josef’s departure had been delayed and we wanted to see if his blood had gotten into Simone’s system. We honestly didn’t think Simone was anything but dead when we saw her at the morgue. There wasn’t any indication that she had been turned.”

“So, has she been turned?”

Mick picked up the explanation. “Maybe.” Mick held up his hand, a silent plea for patience. “Listen, being turned doesn’t always work the way it’s supposed to.”

Danny challenged. “OK, so enlighten us. How is it supposed to work?”

“When a person in near death, he’s given vampire blood. When he dies, he becomes a vampire. Newly turned vamps are nearly crazed with a hunger, one that can only be satisfied with human blood. There’s almost nothing they can do to resist the urge to feed. Once they do, the transition from human to vampire is complete.”

“I take it you didn’t resist…”

Steve sought to rein his partner in. “Danny…”

Mick’s eyes flashed silver. “No, I didn’t and I’ll have to live with that for eternity.”

Chin sought to satisfy his own curiosity. “OK, so how long does it take for someone who’s turned to become a vampire once he’s dead? Minutes, hours, days?”

“Usually, the transition begins in a few minutes, sometimes a little longer. Beth’s right about Simone, though. When we saw her in the morgue, there wasn’t any indication then that she was in transition.”

“You said ‘then’. What changed?”

“Finding Josef’s blood on the scarf. When we found Josef’s scent on Simone’s body at the morgue, I thought it was because he had just touched her. Looking back, I think he found his scent on her before he even touched her and panicked.”

Danny’s eyebrows shot up. “Panicked? Other than having his lady-love sit up and scare Noelani to death, why would Kostan the all-powerful panic?”

Beth picked up the explanation. “I know you have preconceived notions that people are turned as an act of evil. That’s not always the case. In fact, it’s rarely the case. Most turnings are done with some form of affection, even love.” Beth exchanged a look with her mate, who silently agreed. “You have to understand that a person’s turning is a very personal, private matter. Asking about a vampire’s turning is considered extremely rude. In this case, though…we really don’t have a choice.”

Mick countered. “We do, actually, but we’ll explain only on the condition that it never leaves this room.”

When the three humans gave their consent, Mick continued. “I said that the transition usually take a few minutes to complete. Some transitions are delayed. Hours, even a day or so. Sometimes, they never complete.”

Chin was puzzled. “I don’t follow. What happens if the transition isn’t completed? Isn’t the person just dead?”

“No. They’re lost somewhere between life and death. We call it limbo.”

“And you know of someone…”

“Yeah.”

Hearing Mick’s tone, Chin wisely chose not to pursue that question further. “So, is that what you think happened to Walker? She’s in this… limbo?”

Mick ran his fingers through his hair. “Honestly? We’re not sure what’s going on. That’s why we had to get to Josef, fast, to see if there was any chance Simone’s transition was delayed.”

Danny didn’t follow. “Why the rush?”

“Josef was going to cremate Simone’s body when he got back to LA. If there was any chance she was in transition…”

Danny choked at the horrific image that came to mind. “Got it. So, what is going on?”

“When someone’s in limbo, the body doesn’t change. Hair doesn’t grow, the person doesn’t age, nothing changes. In Simone’s case…”

Chin finished. “The scratches on her neck faded.”

Mick was impressed. “You noticed, huh?”

“Not right away, but yes. So now what?”

“We wait. If Simone rises, maybe she can help us find her killer.” Mick paused, his expression somber as he gazed at McGarrett, who’d drifted off to sleep on the sofa. “Beth and I will contact Josef once he gets to LA. If anything’s changed, we’ll pass it on.”

Seeing the concerned looks on Danny and Chin, Mick lowered his voice. “You should know; McGarrett doesn’t have much time left. I’m sorry. We both are.”
darkstarrising
Love – the universal language, the story of Moonlight
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Lucy
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Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 4 (PG) Posted: 1/19/18

Post by Lucy »

I couldn't read and not stop to thank you!

You have got a real freight train of mystery rolling.
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allegrita
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Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 4 (PG) Posted: 1/19/18

Post by allegrita »

Ooh, the plot thickens!! I wonder what will happen with Simone. And I am very worried about Steve. :comfort2:
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Moonlightsonata
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Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 4 (PG) Posted: 1/19/18

Post by Moonlightsonata »

I just wanted to let you know that I am continuing to really enjoy this story and all the suspense and mystery contained there in. I really appreciate your keeping the Moonlight magic alive. Thank you so much.
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darkstarrising
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Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 4 (PG) Posted: 1/19/18

Post by darkstarrising »

Thanks, ladies :ghug:

Things aren't looking too good for Steve right now, but there's always hope. As for Simone, her situation is a little different from Sarah Whitley's, but is it different enough?

Next chapter up in a few minutes!
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