Chapter 54: Vampire or Human?

Beth was sitting in the kitchen waiting for Mick to arrive, he had called her saying he was on his way home and he needed her. After checking on Kayla Beth had grabbed a thermos and filled it with blood to give to him when he came in. Unsure what had happened but worried about him. She knew he had felt guilty over the recent murders, always nights when he was with the family, especially the last murder he hadn't even called to ask if Carl had an officer to keep watch they had been too busy making love. Truth be told she felt bad too but not like Mick.

She sighed. This was part of the reason she loved him, his ability to care and feel so deeply but it was also a fault. He always felt guilty over things most normal people could see weren't their fault and they had no control over. Once this case was over she had planned on asking Mick to take some time off of work, maybe take Kayla on a vacation but if all went well tomorrow, today she corrected mentally their meeting with the preschool was today in a few hours.

Broke from her thoughts hearing the garage door open and close, Beth had the door to the garage open in half a second. Mick came in and Beth could see the distraught expression on his face and pulled him tightly to her letting him burry his face in her neck as she soothed him rubbing his back softly. "What happened Mick?"

"I failed. I let this guy get away with it. I let him go on killing."

"What are you talking about?" Beth pulled back cupping his face in her hands.

"The killer, it's that Paul Fitzpatrick the man giving people rides home."

Beth looked shocked, "The Bible nut?"

"Yes. I thought he was just a bit strange trying to save people but I was wrong. God how could I have been so wrong?"

Beth reached back to the table and handed him the thermos of blood, "Drink this." He did as she said and drank it down, it did nothing for his nerves.

Pulling him to the couch Beth sat pressed beside him, "Tell me what happened."

Mick took her through what happened, from his checking the building and then the blood he smelt on Paul and the way he had changed, almost like he was a different person through Coop helping him track the vehicle until he found the body. New tears filled his eyes when he told her of finding the body and her being dead.

"What did you do when you found her?"

"I called 911 but I used your disposable cell in the glove box. Beth…I don't know what to do. I want to hunt this man down, I want to rip his throat out for what he's done but…the families of all those he hurt will never get any closure that way."

Beth pulled him tight to her kissing his head as he fought with his demons, wanting to hunt someone down and take their life was not something Mick did on a regular basis. There are very few times Mick ever felt no guilt about killing someone and those times usually involved someone trying to hurt an innocent.

"Mick, baby, I know you and I know you feel guilty about what happened but I want you to hear me," she pulled back to look him in the eyes, "You are not responsible."

"But I—"

"No, you did your job. You followed him around, you checked him out. He is…he tricked you it happens you're not superman. You have spent countless nights away from your family working on this because you care, taking time off to have family time is not something you can blame yourself for, I won't allow it Mick."

Mick nodded softly partially accepting her argument, he knew she was right. He had spent time away from her in their freezer, sleeping in during the day missing time with Kayla he didn't regret spending time with them. He wouldn't be able to say anything more to her until he found out how this man had gotten around him, how had he played him.

"What do you think Beth? Do you think I should let the police handle it?"

Touched he wanted her opinion Beth simply stroked his face, "I can't decide that Mick. It's up to you. I'm still new to this but it is a human committing a human crime, and like you said the families deserve closure but if you kill him I won't lose a seconds sleep over it."

Mick nodded, "You're right, he is a human committing human crimes."

"You can call Carl and say you saw the girl leave with him."

Mick pulled out his phone, "I didn't I was checking the building not worrying about him because I thought he was harmless. But some young studs outside the club were filming girls and caught her on film."

Beth kissed him softly, "I'll call a little later and reschedule the meeting."

Mick shook his head, "No you're right. I might have been completely wrong about this man but he has only been targeting people coming out of clubs at night, that's the only thing that conforms to a pattern. Before coming home I stopped by the club it was closing up but I made sure that if the bouncer saw the car again to call me immediately, I also called David and asked if he could send one of Josef's men to watch the guys apartment just to be safe."

"Are you sure?" Beth wasn't sure he would be in the right mind set to take Kayla to a preschool and talk with teachers about her enrollment.

"A ray of sunshine on a cloudy day," Mick kissed her lips.

Beth nodded and stood up, "Why don't you go get a shower and I'll be right up."

Mick kissed the top of her head and did as she said wanting to wash the scents of fresh blood he couldn't save off of him. Sure he hadn't touched the blood but it still lingered on him like a stain that needed to be washed away. Before going to the shower he stopped in Kayla's room not wanting to go in but just to see her from the doorway safe and sound.

To Be Continued…

Evilous