Charlaine Harris - Crimes by Moonlight

Lastly Mark asked if she had any reason to want Geoff dead. “Of course not! Geoff gave me everything I asked for, no matter how much it cost. I know he had to because of the contract, but he never fussed. And he was good in bed, too.”

Mark turned it over to Alexis, who asked a single, devastating question. Did Reinette know that if Geoff died before the end of the term of their contract, she would get everything she would have had he lived?

She did, meaning that she knew she stood to benefit substantially from Geoff’s death.

Next Mark called Ramon, who explained that the only keys to the room had been in the possession of Geoff, Reinette, and Ramon himself. Even if there had been a way for a servant to gain access, all the humans on the estate had been questioned, and none of them had gone into Geoff’s room. Mark asked about other security measures, but while the perimeter of the estate was thoroughly protected with both high-tech and mystic measures, there was nothing comparable inside the house.

After Ramon stepped down, Alexis said, “Reinette’s guilt is clear. I demand that judgment be made immediately.”

“You are not in a position to demand anything,” Stella said. “I will make my decision when I am ready, not one second before.”

The two vampires locked eyes, but it was Alexis who finally relented.

For once, Mark was grateful for the pissing contest.

Then Stella said, “Mark, do you wish to call further witnesses?”

He flipped through the blank pages of his pad, trying to come up with something. He wasn’t a trial lawyer, and this was like no trial he’d ever seen, anyway. Perhaps he could use that to his advantage. “Your Honor, I would like to make an observation, if you will allow it.”

Stella raised one eyebrow, but nodded.

“Ramon’s testimony suggests that no human could have entered Geoff’s bedroom, but there are far more vampires in residence than humans.”

“Geoff, Ramon, and the girl were the only ones with keys,” Alexis pointed out.

Mark said, “Locks can be picked. All that is required is a set of easily obtainable picks and a person with good hearing, a steady hand, and patience. I think that would apply to any of the vampires here.”

There was a great deal of murmuring until Stella said, “We will have quiet.”

“Since any of the vampires could have picked the lock,” Mark went on, “any of them could have opened the curtains.”

“How?” Alexis wanted to know. “None of us woke until dusk. The only vampire awake before then was you.” She bared her teeth. “Are you confessing?”

Mark didn’t dignify that with a reply. He was still trying to find some way to prove that somebody else had been in that room. Could he be wrong about Reinette? Could she have casually insulted him after killing Geoff? He looked at her again, but still didn’t believe it. The only thing that had been on her mind was jewelry. Jewelry…

“Your Honor,” he said, “Geoff gave Reinette apiece of jewelry each month on their anniversary, and she told me he had brought along this month’s gift wrapped in a velvet bag. I request that a search be made to find that gift.”

Stella looked uncertain, but Alexis threw up her hands and said, “If it will speed this charade, then find the creature’s bauble.”

“I will allow it,” Stella said. “Ramon?”

Ramon, grinning of course, picked two other vampires as witnesses and sped away. In just a few moments, they returned, with Ramon triumphantly holding a black bag. He handed it to Stella, who turned it upside down. Only a sprinkle of dust emerged.

Mark asked, “Ramon, was there anything else in that room that could have been this month’s gift?”

“Nothing,” Ramon said.

“So?” Alexis said. “We have only Reinette’s word that there was anything in that bag in the first place.”

“But we do know that tomorrow was their anniversary,” Mark countered, “and that Geoff was meticulous about providing gifts.”

Alexis scoffed. “Then Reinette took it. She probably has it on her now.”

“I do not,” Reinette said. “You can strip me here if you want!”

Ramon leered. “Anything to please a lady!”

“Ramon!” Stella admonished. “Come here, child.” She wasn’t overly rough with Reinette, but she was thorough. “There is no jewelry on her.”

“She must have hidden it,” Alexis said.

“When?” Mark asked. “She hasn’t been alone since Geoff’s remains were found.”

“She hid it before raising the alarm.”

“Then I request a search of the house to find it.”

Now there were sounds of anger from the gallery.

“That could take days!” Alexis sputtered. “Your Honor, I object most strenuously.”

Stella looked at Mark. He knew she wanted to know if he was stalling, but he didn’t move a muscle-if she could be a stickler for procedure, so could he.

Then she said, “With the jewelry missing, you have adequately established the possibility that a vampire could have gotten into Geoff’s room and taken it, but unless you can provide a viable suspect or suspects, I will have to make my decision.”

Mark wanted to kick something extremely hard, but he didn’t dare show doubt, or Reinette was doomed. Maybe she already was. All he had was an empty bag that could have contained jewelry, and a dead vampire’s arm. Alexis had means and opportunity on her side, and one of the best motives imaginable: greed. Mark had managed to cloud means and opportunity a little, but he had nothing for motive. Unless…

“Mark?” Stella asked.

“Your Honor, I call Vilmos to the stand.”

Mark heard gasps, and even Ramon looked appalled. But Stella said, “Vilmos, will you take the stand?”

Mark had been expecting haughty indignation, but instead Vilmos was chuckling as he sat. “Of course. Who am I to argue with genius?”

Mark took a deep breath. “Vilmos, it is my understanding that you made an offer for Reinette’s services as a concubine.”

“I did. Under the circumstances, I count myself fortunate that I did not succeed.” He chuckled again.

“I also understand that the bids were unusually high.”

“We got caught up in the moment, I fear. No woman is worth that much money.” He twinkled at Stella. “No human woman, that is.”

“In other words, you bid more than you could afford?”

“I would have honored any promises made,” Vilmos said stiffly, no longer affable.

“Presumably Geoff felt the same way.”

“Geoff would not have shamed me by failing to meet his obligations,” Alexis said.

Mark was sure that he had the answer now, but he needed one last thing to prove it. The question was, how far would Stella be willing to play along? “Your Honor, I again request a search of the house.”

Alexis jumped up, furious, while Vilmos laughed out loud, and said, “A genius!” But Mark looked only at Stella. He’d told Reinette that having Stella as judge would give them no advantage, but he was hoping he’d been wrong. It all came down to one question. Did she trust him enough to risk loss of face in front of her fellow vampires?

It didn’t matter to him what anybody else did.

Finally she spoke. “I will allow a one-hour recess for a search. No more. Ramon, you may choose assistance as needed.”

Mark said, “May I make a private suggestion to Ramon?” He whispered his thoughts to Ramon, who looked at him as if he were making the joke for once, but nodded before enlisting a trio of vampires.

Stella left the room, but Mark and Reinette remained as the rest of the vampires and humans speculated wildly. It was all he could do to keep from pacing, but preventing Reinette from going into hysterics kept him distracted.