Transylvania's Most Wanted (15 page)

“Okay,” Stone said smiling then. “Go call
for a paddy wagon full of your boys and I’ll lead you to where
Pandora’s hiding right now.”

“You’re gonna have to do a lot more than
that.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Let’s just say Pandora should have told you
a few more things before you agreed to have her break you out of
prison.”

“Like what?’

“It’s not important,” Red said taking his
notebook out of his pocket. He wrote a telephone number down then,
ripped the sheet out and handed it to Stone.

“What’s this?”

“It’s the number for the Hotel Triumph. Just
leave a message for Colonel Popov with the phone number here and
your name. That’s all you’ll need to do for now.”

“Who’s he?”

“Head of the King’s Guard, but I got a
feeling someone else will get back to you, but that’s where we have
to start.”

“What if I decide I like their deal,
better?” Stone asked, grinning at Red.

“Like twenty below zero do you? What do you
think they’ll do with you once you are back in Mother Rusha. By the
time you get there they’ll have decided you know too much. You’ll
end up encased in a block of ice under a glacier like some wooly
mammoth.”

“You really think so?’

“If I am, they’ll reject your offer to lead
them to Pandora right away, and instead tell you they have
something else planned for her.”

“Like what?”

“That’s what I want to find out,” Red said.
He took a sip of his beer then. “You might want to order another
beer,” Red told Stone. “We’ve got some planning to do and I need to
make sure you’ve got everything down pat before you make your
call.”

“Okay,” Stone said.

“Whatever happens after they get back to
you,” Red said. “Don’t contact me. Fixx will get in touch with
you,” he said pointing at him by the counter.

“That’s Fixx?” Stone said looking at him.
“Boy its dark in here.”

Chapter 26

Mr. Slang slipped into the packed courtroom
and stood along the wall since there were no seats left. He slipped
the press pass, identifying him as Mr. Carroll with the Londonium
Reaper, (the most read paper in Londonium) inside the pocket of his
shirt so no one could read it now. Mr. Carroll spoke to no one and
something about him discouraged others from speaking to him.

It was the largest courtroom in the
building, the ceiling was twenty feet high and there were twenty
rows of benches on either side of an aisle that ran up the middle
of the courtroom toward the judge’s raised desk. Every few seconds
a camera bulb flashed as all the major papers had rushed reporters
and photographers to Transylvania City over night.

Above the judge’s stand was a painting that
took up nearly the entire wall. It showed Moses extending an arm
out toward the Pharaoh of Egypt, sitting on his throne, warning him
he would suffer God’s wrath if he did not let his people go.

Mr. Slang looked around and spotted
Inspector Flynn. He was sitting on one of the benches behind the
prosecutor’s table along with a woman that must be his wife and
then next her was Inspector Meriwether.

“Let’s begin,” Judge Hopkins announced to
the packed courthouse with a bang of his gavel. “This is not a
trial, only a hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence
to grant the U.R.R.K’s request to have Count Vasili extradited to
the U.R.R.K. to face charges of attempted murder. While other
charges may be brought against Count Vasili, today’s hearing is
related only to the charge of the attempted assignation of Prince
Marko of the U.R.R.K. Mr. Campbell, our esteemed District Attorney
will represent the interests of the U.R.R.K. Call your first
witness.”

“I call Colonel Arcady Popov to the stand,”
D.A. Campbell stood and announced then.

Mr. Slang watched as Colonel Popov marched
up the aisle towards the witness stand. He placed his hand on the
bible, was sworn in and then he took a seat in the wood chair just
to the left of the judge. Colonel Popov stared coldly at Count
Vasili, who was dressed in a sharp black suit. Count Vasili looked
impeccable despite having taken two bullets the night before. The
only signs that he had been injured were a slight limp, and a cane,
with silver handle, that rested next to his chair.

“Colonel Popov,” asked D.A. Campbell, “Did
you ask Count Vasili if he had provided a witch by the name of
Pandora a ticket to last night’s ball at the Hotel Triumph?”

“I did.”

“And how did Count Vasili answer?”

“He said that he had not invited Pandora to
the ball.”

“Did anyone else hear you ask Count Vasili
this?”

“Chief Inspector Meriwether and Inspector
Flynn both heard Count Vasili say this.”

“There were several Flying Squad detectives
in attendance at the ball last night, is that correct colonel?”

“Yes.”

“Did you request that your men have some way
of identifying them?”

“I did.”

“And how were your men, stationed just
outside the ballroom doors, able to identify the Flying Squad
detectives.”

“They were to wear black arm bands.”

“I see,” D.A. Campbell said, rapping his
ring on the wood railing of the witness stand. “Did the man, later
identified as the Vampire Krakov, have on one of these arm-bands
when he gained access to the ballroom?”

“He did. That was how he was able to smuggle
a weapon into the ballroom.”

“Because he was not frisked by your
men?”

“That’s correct.”

“Because they believed him to be a Flying
Squad detective?”

“Yes, because of the arm-band.”

“Whose idea was it that the detectives there
last night wear black arm bands?”

“Chief Inspector Meriwether’s.”

“And how did this decision come about?”

“I asked Inspector Meriwether for some means
to identify his men inside the ballroom and that was his
suggestion.”

“I see. And you asked that this information
be kept secret?”

“I did”

“So who else was present when you asked this
favor of Inspector Meriwether?”

“Myself, Inspector Flynn, Chief Rogers,
Captain Gates, Fire Brigade Captain and….”

“And who else?” D.A Campbell interrupted,
for effect.

“Count Vasili,” the colonel said causing the
crowd to begin murmuring.

“Thank you colonel,” D.A Campbell said, “you
may step down. The U.R.R.K. would now like to call Chief Inspector
Redwood Meriwether.”

Mr. Slang watched the esteemed chief
inspector of Transylvania City stand and approach the witness
stand.

“You are the chief inspector of the Flying
Squad of detectives here in Transylvania City, is that right?” D.A.
Campbell asked as soon as he was sworn in.

“That is correct.”

“Did you, while attending the Halloween Ball
last night, hear Colonel Popov ask the defendant if he had provided
a ticket to the ball to a witch know as Pandora?”

“I did.”

“And what was Count Vasili’s answer?”

“He said that he had not provided her a
ticket.”

A gasp went through the crowd then and Mr.
Slang watched as a dozen or so reporters in the benches around him
quickly scribbled on their notepads.

“Did at any time did Count Vasili say to you
that he was responsible for personally inviting every person there
that night?”

“He did, but someone may have brought her
along as their date. Or the ticket could have been stolen.”

“I move to strike that comment,” D.A
Campbell said to the judge.

“Overruled.”

D.A Campbell gathered himself before
continuing, “Has anyone, to your knowledge Chief Inspector, claimed
to have brought Pandora as their date?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“Has anyone claimed to have lost a
ticket?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“Is it possible she snuck in without a
ticket?”

“Not likely,” Red said.

“Is it possible Krakov snuck in without a
ticket?”

“Not likely either.”

“Why is that?”

“At both the top and bottom of the stairs
you had to present your ticket before you could gain access to the
ball. All other access to the second floor was locked and
constables were stationed there to make sure no one could get onto
the floor unless they had a ticket.”

“Later I will have several members of the
King’ Guard testify that they remember Pandora, although they did
not know who she was at the time, presenting herself to them before
entering the ball, as well as did Krakov,” D.A. Campbell announced
to the courtroom and again many notes were scribbled. He waited for
the crowd to settle down some before he resumed questioning
Inspector Meriwether. “How was Krakov able to slip a gun past your
men even if he had a ticket? Was not everyone presenting a ticket
patted down before they could go up to the second floor?”

“Not if the constables at the bottom of the
staircase believed he was with the U.R.R.K. delegation.”

“And why did the constables at the bottom of
the staircase believe he was a member of the King’s Guard?”

“He was wearing a special kind of
handkerchief in the breast pocket of his tuxedo.”

“And was it decided, that the King’s Guard
would wear these special handkerchiefs – was that decision made at
the same time, and with the same people present, as was the
decision that your men would wear black arm-bands?”

“Yes.”

Again Judge Hopkins banged his gavel trying
to silence the crowd.

“Thank you Chief Inspector, one last
question. Did the T.C.P.D., during the autopsy of the Vampire
Krakov, put a potion down his throat that would cause him to speak
the last five words he spoke before dying?”

“We did, yes.”

“And what were those five words?”

The crowd fell silent waiting for Inspector
Meriwether to announce the five words Krakov had spoken. “The
deceased said; ‘I’m working for Count Vasili.’”

“Damn,” Mr. Slang said under his breath as
the crowd erupted.

He thought about getting up and leaving
immediately, but then a thought came to him. Maybe he could turn
this revelation to his advantage. Mr. Slang watched Inspector
Meriwether walk straight out the court room once he was done on the
witness stand. He had a good idea where he was headed as he looked
at the large painting just above the judge’s stand, of Moses
stretching out his arm toward the Pharaoh of Egypt.

“Remember you are under oath,” The District
Attorney told Count Vasili as he stepped into the witness chair
after having placed his hand on a bible and had sworn to tell the
truth. Count Vasili hand was slightly burned, not from heat, but
from cold after having placed his hand on the bible and he was
rubbing it now. He looked at his lawyer, a Mr. Underwood, before
looking at the D.A. “Please state your name.”

“I am Count Vasili of the house of
Karloff.”

“And who was your father?”

“Count Voorhees Karloff.”

“And what position did he hold in the
U.R.R.K.?”

“King’s Counselor.”

“King Nikola is that right?”

“That is correct,” Count Vasili said like he
was disinterested in the whole proceeding.

“He held that position until he was
convicted of High Treason and of the murder of Prince Yuri, is that
correct?”

“Convicted, yes.”

D.A Campbell paused then and looked behind
him at the crowd before turning back to Count Vasili. “How’s the
leg doing?” he asked feigning interest in the count’s injury.

“It’s recovering well, thank you.”

“Glad to hear it,” D.A Campbell said banging
a ring on his finger every few seconds on the table next to him so
that it sounded like water dripping. “I saw in the paper a few days
ago that you were in Londonium. Is that right?”

“Yes,” Count Vasili answered.

“Not many vampires get to travel outside of
Transylvania City. Why are you allowed to?”

“The Karloff family has many business
interests, extending across realms even. I am allowed to travel to
attend to these businesses.”

“That makes sense,” D.A. Campbell said. “I
suppose you can even send cables back to the U.R.R.K.?”

“I can, yes”

“Can?” D.A. Campbell said. “More like have.
In fact you have sent quite a number of them this past year haven’t
you?”

“Yes,” Count Vasili said reluctantly.

“You would like to return there, would you
not?”

“I have made no secret of it. Yes I would
like to return there.”

“You have made a lot of connections with
members of the Administration?”

“I occasionally met with them, yes.”

“There is a bit of turmoil in the U.R.R.K.
presently. There are certain factions that would like to see the
monarchy there removed from power. Is that true?’

“Yes.”

“I suppose if the Administration did decide
to become more involved there. Well then they might have need of
men who could…let’s say, help calm things down there. Would you
agree with that?”

“I don’t know,” Count Vasili said. “I have
no idea why you are asking such questions.”

“I’m not either,” Judge Hopkins interrupted.
“Mr. Campbell why don’t you explain to us the reason for these
questions?”

“I just want to suggest that if say
something happened that did throw the U.R.R.K. into even further
turmoil. Say like the assignation of Prince Marko. Then I believe
the Administration would look to certain prominent citizens of the
U.R.R.K. to help them restore the peace there, like Count Vasili.
They might even allow him to return there.”

The crowd began to murmur and whisper.

“Thank you,” Judge Hopkins said as D.A.
Campbell turned back to Count Vasili.

“Did you provide the witch Pandora with a
ticket to the Halloween Ball?”

Count Vasili looked over the packed
courtroom. No one dare stir or speak as the entire room waited for
him to deny he had provided Pandora a ticket.