Chapter 3

Dean said, "Dude, I just saw Hendrickson! We've got to get out of here."

Sam listened for sound coming from the stall next to him, but didn't hear anything. "I know," he said into his phone.

Hendrickson flushed and then left the bathroom. "Did you see him?" Dean asked.

"Not exactly. Meet me back here and we'll duck out."

Sam left the bathroom and Dean walked over, careful to avoid Hendrickson's gaze. They went through the kitchen and out the back door. As they walked, Sam explained what had happened. "And he didn't recognize you?" Dean asked.

Sam shrugged. "I guess he's just so used to arguing with you. Besides, his mother just died. I'm sure we're the last thing on his mind."

They drove to another diner to eat and sat down. There was a paper left in their booth, which Sam picked up and turned to the front page. He raised his eyebrows and Dean asked, "What is it?"

Sam turned the paper around so Dean could see. "They found another body?" Dean asked.

"This morning."

"I guess after we left it must have found someone else to eat."

"Think we should go talk to the coroner again?"

"Yeah."

They got into the Impala and drove to the County Coroner's office, not bothering to change into suits. They went inside and met Dr. Fitzgerald in her office. She looked at the two of them and said, "If you're here about the new body, there's not much I can tell you. I haven't even had time to start the autopsy yet."

Sam said, "Just tell us what you know about the victim."

She stood up and pulled out a file. "His name was Noah Bingston, 27 years old. Appears to have died the same way as the others."

"Have you determined time of death yet?"

"Yes…"

"Let me guess, sometime late last night or early this morning?"

She gave Sam a weird look and said, "No, it was actually late this morning. Around 7:30."

"7:30?" Dean asked and exchanged glances with Sam. "And he was found in the same area of woods?"

"Yeah, and the same bite wound on his neck."

"Uh, thanks doc," Sam said and they left.

When they got back in the car Dean asked, "Since when do vampires venture out in the daytime to kill?"

"I guess technically they could if they were hungry enough. But I've never heard of it happening. It just doesn't make sense."

"There's a lot about this case that doesn't make sense. Where's the nest? And since when is there a pattern to a vampire's victims? So far all these stiffs have been men in their twenties."

"I don't know. But I think we should go out again tonight, see if there's anything we missed in the woods."

"You sure you're up to it? That was a pretty nasty bite."

Sam nodded. "I'm fine. But I think we should be more prepared this time. There's a funeral home a few blocks away from where we're staying."

They drove back to Wildwood and Sam gave Dean directions to the funeral home. Sam looked at the building and all the cars in the parking lot. There was also a hearse pulled up alongside the home. "Looks like there's a service today," Sam remarked.

Dean shrugged and got out of the car. "Doesn't mean we can't still get what we came for."

As they walked through the front door they noticed more than one person look at them disapprovingly. Their attire wasn't exactly funeral appropriate. Dean froze and said in an exasperated tone, "Of course."

He gestured towards a sign and Sam realized what he was talking about. There was a sign set up on an easel that read "Funeral Service for Olive Hendrickson." The boys exchanged an incredulous look, then they heard a voice behind them by the entrance.

"We're very sorry for your loss, Victor. Your mother was a wonderful woman."

Their eyes widened and they dashed further into the funeral home. Dean whispered, "We're here anyway and we can't get out the front. Let's get the blood and wait until the coast is clear."

Sam nodded in agreement and Dean led the way down the hall. They reached a door marked "Embalming" and went inside. A corpse was laid out on a steel table. There were tubes attached to the body and a tank filled with embalming fluid. Next to the body were containers of blood. Dean put the lid on one of them and tucked in into his jacket. Then he motioned for Sam to follow him as they left the room. They hovered outside the foyer, waiting for everyone to go into the viewing room.

They heard Hendrickson say, "Whose car is that?"

Dean cringed, hoping Hendrickson had not spotted his baby. Someone asked, "Which car?"

"That '67 Impala."

"I don't know. It might belong to Uncle George, you know how he and classic cars are. Why?"

"I just…know some people who have a car like that."

"Well, it's not the most common car, but the odds of it being your friend? Come on, I think they're starting the service."

"They're not friends, they're criminals. I should check it out."

The other person sighed. "Don't you think you can set your work aside for a few hours to lay your poor mother to rest? Besides, I doubt those criminals you're worried about would be stupid enough to come to the funeral of a FBI agent's mother."

Dean mentally thanked whoever talked Hendrickson into leaving the entrance. As soon as the foyer was deserted he and Sam made a beeline for the car, jumped in, and Dean drove away as fast as he could.

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At ten that night, Sam and Dean drove to the woods. Dean parked the car and opened the trunk. He and Sam pulled out their crossbows and arrows. They dipped the metal tips of the arrows in the dead man's blood and loaded the crossbows. They each grabbed a machete and headed into the woods.

They had both decided it would be a bad idea for them to split up this time, so they cautiously made their way with the crossbows held out in front of them. They were in sight of the lake when they heard a noise behind them and turned around at the same time. There was a woman standing there with long black hair. She was dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and a leather jacket. Dean quickly scanned the surrounding area, but didn't see any of her friends.

She ran towards them and Dean pulled the trigger on his crossbow. The arrow hit the woman. But, instead of passing out from exposure to the blood, the woman disappeared as soon as the tip of the arrow hit her. The arrow shot through the space where she had been and landed on the forest floor.

Dean and Sam looked at each other and at the same time asked, "What the hell?"