God's Lonely Man

The Less I Know, The Better

Carmilla has to check the urge from letting her jaw drop open.

"Hi, monkey," he greets warmly. "What brings you here today? You live in the other direction from campus."

Laura swallows hard. "Well..."

The man peers over and spots Carmilla in the passenger seat. He raises an eyebrow. "Who's this?"

The girls exchange glances.

"You wouldn't happen to be Carmilla Karnstein, would you?" he asks, the previous warmth in his voice gone.

Carmilla takes a moment to steel herself. "Yes, that's me."

"Step out of the car, please," he orders.

Laura stiffens. "Dad, what––"

"Now."

Carmilla sighs and unbuckles her seatbelt as Laura's father goes around the car.

"We found your vehicle over there," he says, gesturing with his thumb. "Right where two bodies were buried in a shallow grave and washed out during the storm this morning." He clenches his jaw. "One of which was a deputy. Have anything to say about that?"

By now, Laura's out of the car and practically jumps between them. "Dad, I don't know what you're insinuating, but––"

"––How did you even meet this girl, Laur?" her father demands.

"Coffee shop," Laura answers.

"Book store," Carmilla answers at the same time.

Laura gives her a warning look to stop talking. "Both," Laura speaks up. "It's one of those fancy new combos."

He directs the inquisition away from Carmilla and towards Laura.

"You didn't answer me before. What are you doing in this area?"

Having used this time to come up with a quick story, Laura doesn't hesitate. "Carmilla's car got stuck in the mud out here last night before the storm–– she's new in the area–– so I'm giving her a ride to get the car," she answers smoothly.

Seemingly satisfied with the response, he looks back at Carmilla. "And how did you get the car stuck?" he asks.

Carmilla tries to think of a reply, but something about this man is unnerving her more than most cops do. Her usual knack for lying seems to be on the fritz.

"Dad," Laura cuts in. "Do you really think Carmilla killed one of your deputies?"

He doesn't bother looking at her and continues to stare Carmilla down. "Where were you between 10pm and 3am?"

Don't do it, Hollis, don't do it, Hollis, don't do it, Hollis––

"She was with me," Laura blurts out. Carmilla's eyes widen.

Her father turns his attention back to her. "She was?"

"Mmhmm, yup," Laura says, nodding emphatically.

Good going.

"She's a pretty good artist and I thought showing her that gorgeous hill nearby would be a good inspiration, so we both drove here yesterday. But I gave her a ride back to my place to hang out afterwards and by the time I drove her back here her car was stuck so I just dropped her off last night so we could wait for the storm to wash the mud away. She was with me from 10pm to 3am."

"You expect me to believe that you met this girl in a book store-slash-coffee shop and then took her to see a hill to inspire her art on the same night one of my deputies was murdered and dumped into a hole?" her father asks through gritted teeth.