Only the dim light of the range hood was on in the kitchen, which distorted the shadow of Vicki. She was wearing an apron stained with tomato sauce and was cutting potatoes with her head lowered. The blade of the knife fell on the cutting board and made a monotonous "dong-dong" sound. The air was filled with the aroma of roast beef and mashed potatoes.
Adam opened the door and walked in with tired steps, threw his briefcase heavily on the dining table, and tugged on the tie that made him breathless. His tie was crooked, there was a little coffee stain on the collar of his shirt, and his eyes were full of lingering fatigue.
Vicki looked back at him and said in a gentle tone: Hey.
Adam didn't even raise his head, his tone was full of impatience: What's wrong?
Vicki: Ted The pressure is too tight, right? You are asked to work overtime every day.
Adam threw his coat on the chair next to him, and the coat fell to the ground: Do you think I want to go home so late? I am almost exhausted.
Vicki put down the kitchen knife, wiped his hands and walked over to give him a hug. Adam: Okay. I'm sorry.
Adam took a deep breath, softened his tone, and put his arms around her waist: No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm too tired today.
Vicki smiled and leaned into his arms: Oh, by the way, I met Jill·Martin today. Gary will be 40 years old on Saturday.
Adam answered nonchalantly: Oh, really?
Vicki: She invited us to the party.
Adam raised his head, his eyes instantly turned cold: What did you tell her?
Vicki took a step back in confusion: I said we would go.
Adam: Are you kidding me?
Vicki: What's wrong? Haven't you always liked Gary? You were roommates when you were in college.
Adam: Like it doesn't mean I want to waste Saturday night with him. I just want to have a good sleep at home.
Vicki: I thought you wanted to go.
Adam's eyes became colder and colder, like ice: I don't believe you.
Vicki was so frightened that he took another step back, bumped his back against the cooking table and said cautiously: No... it's okay. I... I'll call Jill and tell him that we can't go.
Vicki raised his head and looked at Adam, his voice trembling: What happened to you tonight? It feels like you just want to have a fight.
Adam didn't answer. He turned around slowly and his eyes fell on the heavy cast iron meat mallet on the stove. It was a gift Vicki gave him last Christmas, and he had always liked it. He strode over expressionlessly, and held the cold handle of the meat mallet with his fingers.
Vicki opened his eyes wide in horror and opened his mouth before he could scream.
"Boom--"
A dull crash echoed in the silent kitchen.
Outside the window is the endless Texas desert. The moonlight shines on the withered yellow grass like mercury. The distant hills outline vague outlines in the night. Occasionally, a few coyote howls come from the darkness, with a kind of primitive desolation.
Bai Haorui had just finished taking a shower, wiping his wet hair with a towel and walked out of the bathroom. He was shirtless, and the old scars crisscrossing his body were particularly conspicuous in the moonlight. His skin seemed to have a faint purple-gold luster. He walked to the window, opened it, and the evening breeze with a sandy smell came in, blowing the broken hair on his forehead.
He was about to sit down cross-legged to adjust his breath and recuperate when his cell phone on the bedside table suddenly rang.
Bai Haorui picked up the phone and saw the words "Bobby" dancing on the screen. He picked up the phone immediately.
Bai Haorui: Hello, Bobby.
Bobby The voice on the other end of the phone was filled with suppressed anger, and the sound of beer cans being opened could be heard: Haorui, where are you now?
Bai Haorui: Just left Ohio, on the road to the south. What's wrong?
Bobby gritted his teeth: I need you to come over and do me a favor. Texas, Amarillo. The group of vampires I told you about appeared.
Bai Haorui frowned: Is this the circus family you have been chasing for two years?
Bobby: That's them! A few nights ago, they arrested three girls in the suburbs of Amarillo, all of whom came from other places to work. I have been squatting here for three days, staring at their tents, waiting for you to come over. This time I will burn them all to death, leaving no one alive, to avenge Tom them.
Bai Haorui: Okay. I'll leave now and arrive in about eight hours.
Bobby: Be careful on the road. Call me when you get there and I'll pick you up at the highway entrance. By the way, don't drive too fast. The policemen at Texas are crazy. They like to find trouble when they see foreign license plates. Also, when passing by Fort Worth, remember to go to Joe's Barbecue and bring two of its signature set meals, add more chili sauce, the spicier the better. That old guy's barbecue is the best I have ever eaten in my life.
Bai Haorui raised the corners of his mouth and smiled: Okay, I got it.
After hanging up the phone, Bai Haorui's smile disappeared. He walked to the mirror and looked at himself in the mirror. Every time Bobby mentioned this group of vampires, there was hatred in his tone. He remembered clearly what Bobby said, last time Bobby led three hunters to surround them, but they were ambushed by Marcus. Only Bobby escaped. Marcus Thorne, an old vampire who has lived for more than two hundred and thirty years.
But this time, I'm here.
Bai Haorui muttered silently in his heart. He quickly packed his luggage, put on his back the mahogany sword that had been with him for many years, and sent a text message to Sam and Dean respectively, telling them that he was going to Texas to help Bobby handle something, and to contact them anytime if anything happened.
He walked out of the motel, and the night wind blew up the corners of his clothes. Bai Haorui glanced around the parking lot, and saw a black Ford F-150 pickup truck parked there quietly, like a dormant beast. He walked over and pulled open the door to get in. He tore off the car casing under the steering wheel like tearing paper and pulled out the leads to connect. The engine made a low roar, and the headlights cut through the darkness, illuminating the road extending into the distance ahead.
The pickup truck slowly drove out of the parking lot, turned onto Interstate 40, and sped towards the heart of Texas.
The curtains were tightly drawn, and the room was dimly lit. Only the TV screen emitted a faint blue light. Dean was lying on the bed, with his back to the door, squinting and staring at the mottled stains on the wall. He had woken up long ago, and his ears had been standing high since Sam entered the bathroom.
The bathroom door opened, and Sam walked out in pajamas, holding a mobile phone in his hand, with the screen still on. He had been on the phone with Ruby just now, and his voice was very low. Dean only heard a few fragmentary words: "Lilith", "clue", and "be careful".
Sam hung up the phone, put the phone in his pocket, picked up the toiletry bag and gently poked Dean's back.
Sam: Hey, wake up, little guy.
Dean turned around slowly, rubbed his eyes, and pretended to have just woken up: You got up very early. What are you doing?
Sam shrugged and avoided his eyes: I didn't do anything. I was just in the toilet.
Dean raised his eyebrows with a hint of sarcasm in his tone: Really? In the toilet?
Sam smiled: Yes. Do you want me to draw a picture for you?
Dean rolled his eyes helplessly, lifted the quilt and got out of bed: No, thank you.
Sam sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up the notebook on the bedside table: I found a case - Iowa Town of Bedford. A man smashed his wife's head with a meat hammer.
Dean walked to the window, opened a crack in the curtains, and the dazzling sunlight shone in: Oh, it's so dry.
Sam: And guess what - this is the third local man to kill his wife in two months. Neither of them had any previous violent convictions, and all the neighbors said that their marriage was very happy and that they were a model couple in the town.
Dean mocked: It sounds like "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet".
Sam shook his head: more like "The Shining".
Dean turned around, picked up the jeans thrown on the chair and put them on: Okay, then we'd better go take a look. Pack your things and leave in ten minutes.
The sun has risen very high, and the sky is as blue as a sapphire that has been washed countless times, without a trace of cloud. The sun shines down without any obstruction, baking the road surface and making it slightly hot, and the air in the distance is distorted by the heat wave.
Bai Haorui was driving a pickup truck on Interstate 40. On both sides of the road were endless deserts, with yellow grass extending to the horizon. Occasionally, you could see a few solitary cacti, standing there like green giants. In the distance were rolling brown mountains, with exposed rocks and a metallic luster in the sun.
Willie Nelson's country music was playing on the car radio, and the hoarse singing voice echoed in the car. Bai Haorui put one hand on the steering wheel and held a beef burger in the other hand, eating and driving. He opened the car window, and hot air with the smell of sand and hay came in, making his hair fly.
At noon, the pickup truck drove into the urban area of Fort Worth. Following Bobby's instructions, Bai Haorui found the small shop named "Joe's Barbecue" on the roadside. It was a shabby-looking shop with faded red paint on the exterior wall and a crooked wooden sign hanging at the door that read "Joe's Barbeque - Oak Smoked, Secret Recipe."
The store was filled with locals wearing cowboy boots and cowboy hats. The air was filled with the strong smell of barbecue and smoke, mixed with the smell of beer and sweat, and was full of the flavor of life. Bai Haorui found an empty seat and sat down, and a strong man with a beard and a round belly came over. He was the boss Joe.
Joe looked at Bai Haorui and grinned, showing his yellow teeth: Hey, young man, this is your first time? What do you want?
Bai Haorui: Two portions of the signature Texas barbecue set meal, with extra hot sauce and two cups of ice tea, packed away.
Qiao's eyes lit up and he patted his chest: Okay! It's obvious that you know your stuff. Our barbecue is the best in Fort Worth! Let me tell you, we use local free-range Ang Gus cattle, only beef brisket and beef ribs. We simply marinate them with salt and black pepper for twelve hours, and then put them on the oak fire slowly. It is smoked for twelve hours, without any electric oven, relying entirely on the flavor of wood smoke. The smoked meat can be torn apart with a fork. It is charred on the outside and tender on the inside, and the gravy is locked inside. It is also paired with our secret hot sauce, which is made from jalapenos, tomatoes, onions and garlic. It is so spicy that your tongue will fall off, ensuring that the more you eat, the more you want to eat!
Bai Haorui laughed: If that's the case, I'll have to order two more.
Ten minutes later, Joe came over carrying four heavy bags.
Qiao handed the packing bag to Bai Haorui: Take it! I guarantee you will want to eat it again! If it doesn't taste good, come to me and I will refund your money!
Bai Haorui smiled and paid: Haha, it looks like you have one more regular customer here.
Joe: Boy, I like you! Come here often when you have time.
Bai Haorui: Okay, see you later!
Bai Haorui returned to the car with the packing bag and continued on his way. He opened a box of barbecue, took a piece of beef brisket with a fork and put it into his mouth. The juicy meat, which was charred on the outside and tender on the inside, exploded in his mouth instantly, with a rich oak smoke flavor and the aroma of the beef itself, coupled with the spiciness of the secret hot sauce, the taste was amazingly rich.
Bai Haorui chewed it slowly and thought to himself: No wonder Bobby can't forget it. The taste is really good. After finishing dealing with these vampires, take some back to Dean and Sam to try. Dean foodies will definitely like it.
A cold glass partition divided the room into two halves. Adam sat across from him with empty eyes and handcuffs on his wrists. His hair was messy and unshaven, and he looked like he hadn't slept in several days. Dean and Sam were wearing FBI uniforms and sat across from him with serious expressions.
Adam's tone was numb, like a robot: Why does the police department keep sending people here? I told you I don't want a lawyer. They are preparing a firing squad. I plead guilty.
Dean leaned forward and spoke sincerely: Okay, look, you don't want us to get you a lawyer - no problem. To be honest, that might be a good idea. We just want to find out what happened. That's all. Mr. Benson...
Adam lowered his head and looked at his handcuffed hands and took a deep breath: What happened was... I killed my wife.
Sam said in a soft voice: Can I know why? Just because she made the party plans without asking you?
Sam: How did you feel when it happened? Dizzy? Losing control? It felt like something possessed you and made you do this?
Adam raised his head, his eyes were extremely clear: I know exactly what I am doing.
Sam: Then why do you do this?
Adam tugged at the corner of his mouth and tears suddenly flowed down without warning: I don't know. I love her. We live a happy life. We have been together for fifteen years, and have been together since college. I originally thought that we would grow old together and watch our children grow up...
Dean took out a credit card statement from the folder and pushed it across the glass.
Dean: Nine thousand dollars. This bill is not cheap.
Adam looked up at Dean with puzzled eyes: Where did you get it?
Dean said calmly: It's not important. We just have it. You see, some purchases - those you don't want your wife to know - will be recorded under suspicious names, such as "M&C Entertainment Company". Oh, for example, the card you swiped at the strip club. We just... want to know the truth, Mr. Benson.
Adam's voice trembled, and she clasped her hands tightly: Her name was...Jasmine.
Dean: She's a stripper?
Adam excitedly: Man, her name is Jasmine. I didn't mean it. I don't like going to strip clubs. My friend had a bachelor party and forced me to go. Then... she showed up. Jasmine. She walked straight Walked straight towards me. And then... I don't know, she was just... so perfect. Exactly how I wanted her to be. She knew all my worries, knew how tired I was from work, knew how much I hated Ted. When I'm with her, I feel like a king.
Dean sneered: Ha, as long as you give enough money, anyone can become what you want.
Adam shook his head desperately: It's not about money! It's not even about sex. It's... I don't know. I can't explain clearly. When I was with her, I felt like the whole world disappeared, leaving only the two of us.
Sam: Then your wife found out?
Adam continued to shake his head: No, she doesn't know at all.
Sam: Then why did you kill her?
Adam's eyes became empty again, as if covered with a layer of fog: For Jasmine. She said that we will be together forever, as long as... as long as Vicki... is dead. She said that Vicki is one of us As long as she dies, we can go to a place where no one knows us and start a new life. Afterwards, Jasmine and I made an appointment to meet, but she never showed up again. I don't know where she lives, what her last name is, or even her real name. I'm such an idiot.
Dean: Then why didn't you tell the police?
Adam sounded desperate and regretful: What's the use of telling them? It wasn't the stripper who did it. It was me. I killed my wife with my own hands. I know what punishment I deserve. Even if the judge doesn't sentence me to death, I will kill myself.
After walking out of the visiting room, Dean and Sam walked along the corridor of the prison.
Sam frowned: Do you think what he said is true?
Dean nodded: It doesn't look like he's lying. If a man really wanted to kill his wife, he wouldn't break himself down like this. And the Jasmine he said was too perfect, too perfect to be true.
Sam: I'm going to check on the other two murderers to see if they have similar experiences.
Dean: Okay. I'll go to the police station to check their credit card statements and call records. We'll meet at the motel in an hour.
Bobby drove his dilapidated Chevrolet pickup truck and parked on the roadside at the Interstate 40 Amarillo exit. He leaned against the car door, holding a can of beer in his hand and wearing a worn-out cowboy hat. The wrinkles on his face were particularly obvious in the sun.
Seeing Bai Haorui's Ford pickup truck approaching, Bobby waved his hand, flattened the beer can in his hand, and threw it into the trash can next to him.
Bai Haorui stopped the car and walked down with the packed barbecue and ice tea. Bobby immediately came up to him, took the barbecue, couldn't wait to open the box and smelled it, his eyes instantly lit up.
Bobby took a big bite of the barbecue and said vaguely: It's great! I'm starving to death. You are more reliable than those two brats. Every time they ask them to bring something, they either forget it or bring it wrong. Last time I asked them to bring Joe's barbecue, but they brought me a McDonald's burger, saying "it's almost all meat."
Bai Haorui smiled and leaned against the pickup truck: Eat slowly, no one will compete with you. Tell me about the situation. Where are those vampires now?
Bobby pointed to an open space in the distance, where a huge colorful tent stood: Did you see that big tent? It is their circus. It is called "Thorn Brothers Grand Circus" and has been performed twice. According to my observation, after their performance every night, one or two young girls will disappear. They are homeless tramps or working girls from other places, and no one cares about their life or death.
Bai Haorui: Don't the police care?
Bobby sneered: Care? The police will only care about those who are rich and powerful. When these girls die, it is like dying an ant, no one will care. They did the same thing at San Antonio two years ago. My friend Tom and I took his son I went to investigate, and the result... I paused, my eyes became dim, and the barbecue in my hand lost its taste: their bodies were found in the desert three days later, with all the blood sucked dry, and there were two tooth marks on their necks. The Marcus guy also carved a cross on Tom's chest.
Bai Haorui patted Bobby on the shoulder: Don't worry, they can't run away this time. I will make them pay for what they have done.
Bobby nodded, took a deep breath, and took another bite of the barbecue: Marcus That guy is very cunning. The entire circus is his people, from the ticket collectors to the performers, they are all vampires. There are also many innocent audience members and staff mixed in. We can't force our way in, otherwise it will cause a lot of civilian casualties. We must first find out their details, find their lair, and then take action after the performance is over at night and the audience has left.
Bai Haorui: Okay. Then let's go to a show in the afternoon and survey the terrain to see where their troops are distributed and where their lairs are.
Dr. Cara·Roberts's office is clean and tidy, with her medical degree certificate and some landscape photos hanging on the wall. She is wearing a white coat and is writing medical records in front of the computer. When she heard a knock on the door, she raised her head and saw Sam standing at the door.
Cara looked up at him, noticed his bloodshot eyes, and smiled: Did you have a crazy time last night?
Sam smiled awkwardly: I had a lot of fun. I felt a little uncomfortable in the morning.
Cara: How can I help you?
Sam: Yes, yes. I am Agent Stiles from Federal Bureau of Investigation. Are you Dr. Cara·Roberts?
Cara reached out: As far as I know, yes.
Sam shook hands with her: You cooperate with the police station, right?
Cara: Yes, I help them in the emergency room when I'm not busy. In a small town, you have to do everything.
Sam: I have a few questions to ask you about a case - actually several cases. Can I sit down?
Cara made a "please" gesture: Of course.
Sam sat down: Great. Well, Adam·Benson, Jim·Wiley and Steve·Snyder?
Cara put down his pen: Oh, yes. Those men who killed their wives.
Sam: You handle these cases, right? Do autopsies on the deceased and physical examinations on the suspects.
Cara shrugged: buy one, get one free.
Sam: Did you find anything?
Cara: Nothing special. The cause of death of the deceased women was very clear - blunt force trauma. There were no abnormal substances, no alcohol, and no drugs in their bodies.
Sam: What about those husbands?
Cara suddenly stretched out his hand: Can you let me see your badge again?
Sam was stunned for a moment, then took out the badge and handed it to her
Cara took it over, looked at it carefully, and gave it back to him: There is one thing that is very strange - well, there is an abnormality in their blood test results. And I remember very clearly that this problem was found in the blood samples of three men.
Sam: What's abnormal?
Cara: Oxytocin. And their content is ridiculously high, dozens of times that of normal people.
Sam tilted his head in confusion: Uh, oxytocin?
Cara leaned back in the chair and crossed his hands on his chest: Uh-huh. This is a hormone secreted during childbirth, breastfeeding and sexual intercourse. People call it "love hormone". Do you know the feeling of falling in love - that kind of weak legs, rapid heartbeat, and the urge to tattoo the other person's name on your chest? That's oxytocin at work. Of course, this feeling will eventually disappear, and then you will have to face the dull period that all relationships have, and the painful tattoo removal process.