Batgirl: The Vampyre Caper Ch. 09

Renee Montoya smiled and nodded. "Hello Ms. Gordon, we meet again. I think you also know my partner, Detective Harvey Bullock. May we come in?"

"Oh yes, yes of course." Barbara stepped aside and waved them inside.

The eyes of both detectives opened wide, as they saw the shapely figure of Batgirl, sitting on the sofa.

"I think you both know the Dark Damsel," Barbara said, as she closed the door behind them. "I thought you might as well question both of us at the same time."

Batgirl nodded her head in greeting. "Officers."

Montoya cleared her throat. "Ah, yes, very ah, thoughtful of you, Ms. Gordon."

"Please make yourselves comfortable, officers," Barbara added, indicating the two armchairs facing the couch, but on the opposite side of the coffee table. "Can I get you both something to drink?"

Harvey's piggy eyes lit up at the suggestion.

"Tea? Coffee?"

Harvey pulled a face and shuddered. If it hadn't got alcohol in it, it shouldn't be classified as a drink, as far as he was concerned.

Montoya smiled and shook her head, as she sat down in the indicated chair. "No thank you, Ms. Gordon. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to ask you both a few questions regarding the death of the late Dr. Macintyre."

"N-No, please go right ahead," Barbara replied, sitting down on the couch alongside the Caped Cutie. The two females were sitting so close together, that their hips were touching.

"Why haven't either of you come forward before now?" Montoya asked, raising a neatly plucked eyebrow. She noted that Batgirl had just slipped an arm about Barbara's slim waist.

The two girls exchanged swift glances. "Because we've only just learned about the doctor's death," replied Batgirl, turning to face the female detective.

Barbara nodded her agreement.

"Oh?"

"That is correct," Barbara continued. "We've both been away for a short break in a log cabin that I rent out, up in the Pocono Mountains, near Silver Lake. We haven't seen any TV, listened to any radio, or read any newspapers, while we've been away, so we were unaware of all the excitement back home."

"Hmm? Can anyone confirm your story?"

Batgirl glanced over at Barbara, before answering. "Sorry, officer. I don't think we saw a soul, the whole time we were up there," she replied, with a wide-eyed look of innocence. "That's so, isn't it Barbara?" she asked, placing her hand on Barbara's bare thigh, just below the hem of her skirt.

"Huh? Oh, er, yes, apart from each other, that is." Barbara agreed, exchanging knowing smiles with her costumed friend before placing her hand over that of Batgirl.

"What time did you visit Dr. Macintyre, last Thursday evening?" growled Harvey, addressing the redhead.

Barbara blinked her eyes and frowned in concentration, before answering. "I think it must've been around 5:30 pm. That's right. I went straight over to his office after I finished work at the library."

"Can I ask you why?" murmured Renee.

Barbara blushed. "Well, it was supposed to be so I could submit to a complete medical examination."

"And it wasn't?" snapped Harvey, leaning forward, his suspicions instantly aroused.

"N-No, there was absolutely nothing wrong with me. It was actually Batgirl here, who wanted the check-up."

"Is that correct, Batgirl?" Renee asked, turning her attention to the masked avenger.

Batgirl exchanged a quick glance with her companion, before answering. "Yes. I was feeling a bit run down and had been suffering from some bad dreams lately," she explained.

"Why all the subterfuge?"

"I couldn't go to just any doctor. I needed one who would guarantee not to reveal the patent's confidentialities. Barbara suggested that I see her family doctor and she kindly agreed to book an appointment for me, but in her own name."

"What time did YOU arrive at the doctor's surgery, Batgirl?" Montoya asked, giving the masked heroine a steely look.

"It must have been about 5:40 pm. I was running a bit late."

"Did you see the receptionist upon your arrival?"

The Dark Damsel shook her head. "No, she had already left for the evening. There was only Barbara and the doctor there."

"And what time did you leave?" growled Harvey.

"We both left together... about six-fifteen wasn't it, Barbara?" Batgirl replied, squeezing her friend's hand.

Barbara nodded. "Mmm, sounds about right. It was the doctor who suggested, after a thorough medical, that there was nothing wrong with Batgirl... nothing that a short vacation couldn't cure, that is."

Harvey grunted his acceptance.

"Now here's the million dollar question," added Montoya, with a grim expression on her face. "Was Doctor Macintyre still alive and well, when you both left him?"

"Of course he was!" snapped the Dark Damsel. "Do we look like murderers?"

"What does a murderer look like?" retorted Montoya, with a dismissive shrug of her shoulders.

"Do either of you know how the doctor died?" growled Harvey.

"N-No, the newspapers were pretty vague on that point. Could it have been an accident?" asked Barbara, innocently.

"Believe me, lady, this wuz no accident," Harvey grated out, without bothering to elaborate.

"When did you both set off for your cabin at Silver Lake?" Renee enquired.

The two girls traded glances, before the redhead answered. "Early the next morning, about seven. Batgirl stopped over for the night."

The two detectives exchanged knowing looks.

"She slept on the couch," Barbara snapped, coloring slightly.

Montoya abruptly rose to her feet. "Very well, that's all for now, folks. We may need to speak to you both again, later."

Both girls nodded, as Harvey lumbered to his feet.

"Thank you for your co-operation, ladies," added Harvey, before following his partner over to the door.

Barbara let them out and once she had closed the door behind them, leaned back against it, and heaved a huge sigh of relief. "Phew!" she gasped.

"I think that went just fine," Jenny declared, giving her a reassuring smile.

-oOo-

As they rode down in the elevator, Harvey eyed his slim partner, critically. "Did you believe those dames?" he asked, tipping his homburg further back on his head, as he lounged back against the rear of the cage.

Montoya rubbed her jaw, thoughtfully. "I don't think they killed him, if that's what you mean, Harv, but they certainly didn't tell us everything they knew. The sexual chemistry between those two girls, was so thick, I could've cut through the atmosphere with a knife."

"You mean they're a couple of dykes?" Harv gasped, as understanding dawned. "I should've known. What a waste."

Several Weeks Later

Commissioner James Gordon stared at the two Caped Crusaders standing beside his desk, with a perplexed expression on his face. "I still don't get it, Batman?" he exclaimed, with a shake of his head. "The vampire killings came to an end just as quickly and mysteriously as they started. Not that I'm complaining, mind you, they were tying up half the resources of the police force."

"We now believe that the so-called 'vampire killer' was actually some sort of blood sucking animal, Jim, possibly a mutation, perhaps the result of some unlicensed animal experimentation. We also think the creature has subsequently moved on to new killing fields."

"Then, you don't think it was a human vampire... like that Count Dracula guy?"

The Dark Knight shook his head. "No Jim, he was a fictional character. Why, for instance, if it had been human, did the creature leave the cocaine and drug money behind, when it killed those four drug dealers? Robbery, or should I say GREED to be more precise, is a common human characteristic, but it doesn't appear to have been a motive in ANY of the unexplained killings."

The policeman rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. "A good point, Caped Crusader, but how did the creature get away? My officers had this city sealed up tighter than a drum."

A wild animal would instinctively avoid the highways, Commissioner. Also, it would almost certainly have traveled at night, avoiding bright lights and any place where people tend to congregate."

"Damn, so that means it's still out there someplace?"

"It looks like it, Jim, but I doubt it will ever return to a densely populated area like Gotham, again. Don't worry old friend, someone will manage to hunt it down and kill it, but there's always the possibility of a few more deaths in the meantime."

"Yes, unfortunately," Jim muttered, shaking his head, sadly.

Suddenly, the Commissioner's somber expression brightened and he picked up a sheaf of papers from his desk and waved them in the air. "At least my daughter and Batgirl both appear to be in the clear, as regards Doctor Macintyre's unfortunate death, according to this report that was submitted by the investigating team."

"That's good news, Commissioner, but just be thankful that this creature didn't arrive at the doctor's office a few minutes earlier or we may well have ended up with two more victims on our hands."

The Police Commissioner's face paled at this horrible thought. "Yes, thank God!" he declared, vehemently. "By the way, Caped Crusader, have you had any thoughts about what sort of creature it might be?"

The Caped Crusader returned the Commissioner's curious stare. "I have absolutely no evidence to support this assumption, Jim, but I rather thought it might be a WOLF!"

THE END