“And this is the area where I believe the vampires are running their rackets,” Petrescu said, tapping a blood-red area on the city map.

“Oh c’mon, for cryin’ out loud,” Sergeant Kitredge whined. “You honestly expect us to believe that?”

“Look, I don’t know what they have on the honchos to keep them in denial, but if you follow the blood, it’s clear that this city is thoroughly infiltrated by the vampire mafia. The Cosa Nosfetatu. The ‘Ndraculata. The Hemoglobin Cartel. The Five Fangs. The Unione Corpuscle. The…”

“Cool it with that, will ya?” Kitredge said. “Let’s say, just for the sake of argument, that this means anything other than you going to a place with padded walls and buckled jackets. Why do we care?”

“Extortion is extortion, be it in blood, sweat, or tears,” Petrescu said. “Violence, intimidation, and plenty of dirty money as well. But that’s not the worst of it.”

He indicated another area of the map, near the docks. “This group, here, has been engaged in an underground war with the Cosa Nosferatu for access to their racket. Crime syndicates eventually reach a balance, with each of them taking a territory. But these new folks here upset the balance, and that’s got them scared, I think.”

“What scares a goddamn bloodsucker?” Kitredge said.

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