R. Edinger: Night Kill

The honor guard came to shoulder arms and marched back to their original position. Two deputies removed the flag from the casket and folded it. One of the deputies presented the flag to Andrew, since Talia had no living relatives. Andrew nodded his thanks and held the flag to his chest. He and the others watched as they lowered Talia’s casket into the ground. Andrew suddenly rose, handed the flag to Chloe, and walked off.

Andrew had seen Vlad standing by a tree as he watched the gravesite service. Andrew ducked behind the crowd of mourners and slipped in the surrounding woods. With great stealth, Andrew circled around to the place where Vlad was standing. Vlad, his attention focused on the service, never saw Andrew come up behind him. Andrew did not bother to even speak and punched Vlad in the back. Vlad stumbled to his knees. Andrew spun and hit Vlad with a kick to the back. Vlad fell and his face buried into the snow. He regained his composure and jumped up to see Andrew standing there. Vlad flashed his fangs and rushed Andrew, who twirled in the air and struck Vlad across the head and in the chest with his boots. Vlad tumbled and fell again. He glared at Andrew and spat blood from his mouth. Andrew walked up to Vlad and roughly grabbed him by the collar of his overcoat. He put his face close to Vlad’s and growled, “I am coming for the book and you.” Andrew let go of Vlad’s collar and walked away. Vlad wiped his mouth and narrowed his eyes. “I’ll be ready,” Vlad’s voice echoed through the cold winter’s air. He rose a bit unsteadily to his feet and walked away.

The northern wind fanned out across the land with perilous intent. Its icy breath stirred up and drove the innocent looking velvety flakes of snow into a fevered frenzy. The wind moaned and howled through the branches of the leafless trees. The snow and wind kept building until it finally climaxed and gave birth to the season’s first winter storm.

From the blowing and drifting snow, a single pair of headlights pierced through it all. The road was nearly impassible, but the rider coaxed his trusty steed to continue on. When it could go no futher, the driver pulled his jeep into a wooded glen just off the road.

Andrew jumped out and trudged through the knee-deep snow to the back of his jeep. He thrust open the hatch and took out the first order of business; his shelter tent. Andrew plowed through the snow and when he got to a spot beneath two tall pine trees, he pulled the cord and the tent sprung to life. Andrew kept a tight grip for fear of losing his shelter to the hungry winds. He set his tent down now and quickly secured the lines to the trunks of the sturdy trees. Satisfied, Andrew returned to the jeep for the rest of his gear. He grabbed it all and held it tightly in his arms. Andrew returned to his shelter and while balancing his load with one hand, he unzipped the flap with the other. Andrew tossed in his gear first and then climbed in right after. He re-closed the tent flap.

The interior of the tent was pitch-black. Andrew unzipped the large bag and searched through it. He was glad and pridefully removed the lantern. He pushed the button and the electric blue light flooded the tent. Finally able to see, Andrew put down the lantern and laid out his sleeping bag. He climbed inside and zipped it shut. Soon Andrew was feeling comfortably warm. In order to save the lantern battery, Andrew shut it off.

Andrew lay awake unable to sleep. His thoughts soon drifted off to days earlier. Right after Talia’s funeral, Peter along with the Sheriffs department, showed up at the Ravenclaw property with a search warrant. When they arrived, a caretaker was there to meet them. He informed them that Ravenclaw had already left to join up with friends in Illinois. Though disappointed, the authorities searched the manor and the rest of the property for the book. They could not locate it and gave up the search. Andrew knew they would never find the book there; Ravenclaw was much more intelligent than that. To make matters worse, the Sheriffs department classified the Higgins’s case as unsolved and filed it away. Wyatt was released from jail as promised. Nedra, tired of the bad influences in Bayport, took her boys and just left. She also put their home up for sale. When Nedra paid Andrew for his services, she did not even tell him where they were going. Roxanne returned to her bookstore. She had suggested that Andrew seek professional counseling for his obsession with Vlad Ravenclaw.

Roxanne told him that it was unhealthy. Andrew said he would, but never intended on following through.

Chloe also told him to get help before she returned to her own private investigative business in Madison. She was concerned he would do something extreme. Andrew lied and told her he was planning on joining up with Megan and her parents. Chloe asked where they were. This time Andrew told the truth that they were going to visit family in California. Chloe must have believed him and left.

Nick had gone back to Chicago. He had with him a letter of recommendation from Peter, the Sheriffs department and the Berlin police in Germany. As a result, Nick was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. With everyone gone and back to their normal lives, Andrew was once again alone.

The wind’s icy claws were scratching at the tent in search of it next victim. Andrew laid back and closed his eyes. But sleep did not come yet. Andrew suspected that Ravenclaw had Kara keep possession of the book. Her place was much more secure than Ravenclaw’s. As a result, Andrew suspected that Kara was some how involved in the death of the Higgins’s family. He also believed that Vlad Ravenclaw was involved too. It was all a mute point anyway, at least until he had proof.

Andrew nestled down inside his warm, comfortable sleeping bag. He did his best to ignore the howling winds. Finally, sleep did come to Andrew. He closed his eyes and drifted off into sweet slumber.

The sunlight glistened across the newly laid out blanket of snow. A light winter’s breeze gently flowed across the land. The storm from the night before was gone and in its path was a winter wonderland.

Andrew woke refreshed. He had not gotten such a restful night sleep in months. He sat up and stretched the last remnants of the sandman’s dust from his eyes. Andrew unzipped the sleeping bag and rolled out. He crawled on his knees to the flap and unzipped it. Andrew’s gaze was immediately met with a wall of white. He would have to dig his way out. Andrew dug at the snow, shoveling it out of the way with his gloved hands.

After what seemed like forever, Andrew emerged. The sun-soaked snow blinded him and Andrew immediately closed his eyes. He reached in the breast pocket of his coat and took out a pair of sunglasses. Andrew put them on and re-opened his eyes. When he did, Andrew surveyed his surroundings.

Andrew first appraised the situation with his jeep. It was buried in the snow and going nowhere for a very long time. Andrew turned around and eyed up his tent. It looked more like an igloo now. Andrew ducked back inside and retrieved his binoculars. He walked to the edge of the hill and gazed upon the pristine landscape below. Andrew raised the binoculars to his eyes and focused on the object of his desire.

The stone block castle was impressive, but it probably was more of an eyesore amongst the more modest homes of its neighbors. Andrew scouted the fence line which was constructed of stone and electric wire. It said to intruders very loud and clear to ‘stay out’ or else. Andrew turned his attention to the front gate and the guard house. He saw two security personnel that carried side arms. The gate itself was a very impressive creation of an iron frame and bars. As Andrew continued to watch, a linen company delivery truck stopped at the gate. As one of the guards remained inside in the guard house, his partner approached the truck. He spoke to the driver and checked his clipboard. When he was satisfied, he waved to his partner to open the gate. Once the gate was open, the truck continued on its way.