The Holy Death

Chapter 37

"Those were truly excellent Huevos Rancheros, Canute," Don Calderon said. "Muy delicioso!"

"Thank you, Don Calderon," Canute replied as he took the silver platter from Calderon. "I was not expecting extra guests, but was quite glad when I found I had more than enough eggs and tortillas."

As Canute left the room, Calderon looked about the table. "Sadly, although the meal was excellent, the conversation has been lacking."

"Well, gee," Scott said, "maybe it's because coming up with a topic for light conversation with a notorious killer and drug dealer is kind of difficult."

"Scott Campbell! May I call you Scott? You do have a sense of humor about you, don't you? I knew I liked you when I first met you!"

"You must not like me too much if you're going to kill my brother."

"Now, that has not been decided yet, has it? I have agreed to cooperate with the Santa Muerte's, shall we say, eccentricity. So, your duel will continue."

"So I may save Doug after all."

"You may, indeed. Of course, that means you will also save Jack, who, I understand, is as popular a person at this table as I am. Perhaps less so."

"Yeah," Jack said, "so you better win this one, Scotty."

"Jack," Scott said, "Shut up. Remember, I still have the remote for those shock collars?"

"Remote?" Calderon asked. "Shock collars?"

Jack lifted his forearm to show Calderon the wrist collar. "Yeah, you didn't think I was wearing a Fitbit or one of the nerdiest-looking watches ever, now did you?"

"No, indeed, I did not. Interesting. In any case, I now have possession over this remote."

Calderon waved to one of his bodyguards, a tall, bald man in a dark suit. The bodyguard went over to Scott and stuck his hand out. Scott slapped the remote control in the guard's hand. The guard then brought the remote over to Don Calderon, who took the remote and put it in his jacket pocket.

"So," Calderon said, "that being done, I would like to get to know the people I have not already met, especially the ladies."

"The Hispanic woman is a cop," Jack said.

"How did I know that Jack would throw me under the bus?" Grace asked.

"A cop?" Calderon responded. "Now, I do not necessarily have anything against police officers. Sometime I find them quite useful."

"Well, that's good to know."

"And this lovely red-haired woman is?"

"My fiancée," Scott said.

"Scott," Dawn said, "I can speak for myself. My name is Dawn Rhinebeck, soon to be Campbell."

"Ah!" Calderon said, "so, you two are to be married soon! Congratulations! How romantic. So, are you, too, a vampire?"

"No, I'm not."

"Ah. Then it's weird."

"Well, thankfully, I don't care for your opinion."

"And a temper, at that! I should have expected that. Do forgive me."

"I'd rather not."