*
The next day dawned gray and drizzly. It was almost cold enough, it seemed like it might snow. The clouds just couldn’t make up their minds, so a thick, slushy rain slapped against the windshield as I drove aimlessly around Bartlett. I needed some kind of plan to find a new home. Since I’d already mentioned an aunt, there needed to be at least one female involved, and frankly, keeping it to one person would make things simpler and less messy. I was unsure I could control that many minds at once. Besides, if I joined a regular family, there would be too many questions asked by friends and neighbors.
A single female, preferably older, to pass as a sister to one of my parents, would be even better. My first stop was the grocery store. I grabbed a cart and surfed through the aisles, filling it up with food I had no intention of buying. While I could eat food, I had no desire for it at all, so there was no sense in eating in front of others unless it was necessary to keep my secret. Like a total creeper, I scanned all the ladies that were doing their weekly shopping. Unfortunately, most of them were too old. Seriously geriatric. She couldn’t be my grandma. Damn, this was going to be way harder than I thought.
I drove through some of the neighborhoods on my map, looking for any opportunity to stop and talk to someone. Maybe find out if there was a lonely, middle-aged lady in the neighborhood, but no one was out in this weather. I didn’t blame them.
After making a loop around the town about four times, I found myself back in front of the library. I pulled the Mustang into a spot and got out. It was somewhere I could do a little research. See if anything showed up about Harold and his wife yet.
As I walked in the door, the librarian from the day before noticed me and waved. Aside from a few elderly ladies (weren’t they all just at the store?) and a couple of moms with their little kids, the library was dead. I headed back to the computers again, plopping down on one of the seats.
“Have any trouble finding what you’re looking for?” asked a voice behind me.
I turned to meet the librarian’s friendly face.
“Nope, I found what I was looking for yesterday. Today, I’m just, I don’t know. Today I’m just lost.” I shook my head. There was no way I could explain that I needed to find some middle-aged lady to pose as my aunt and give me a place to stay because I was a vampire and couldn’t go to my own house because my parents thought I was dead. Yeah, right.
I glanced down at her ring finger and noticed it was bare. Wait a minute…maybe I could use this mind-thing to find out some information.
“Well if I can be of any help, just let me know.” She started to head back to the front of the library.
“Wait! I think you might be able to help me.”
She sat in the chair next to me. “Okay, great.”
I turned and looked in her eyes, recognizing the distant look that meant she was listening.
“What’s your name?
“Sue Rendall.”
“Are you married?”
“No.”
“Do you have any kids?”
“No.”
“Do you live in Bartlett?”
“Yes.”
So far, so good.
“Do you have any siblings?”
“Yes.”
“Where do they live?”
“California and Virginia.”
I was getting so close. I tried not to get too excited.
“Do they have any kids?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, so here’s the plan. I’m going to move into your house. I’m your niece and need to come stay with you for a while because I’m not getting along with my parents. We’ll tell the schools and anybody but your family that.”
“You’re my niece, staying with me for awhile.” Her voice was monotone.
“When I stop talking, you’re going to recognize me as your niece, Vicky Hernandez. I’m seventeen and I’m from out west. I would like to go to school at Bartlett High School.”
I stopped talking. Her eyes cleared and she looked at me closely. My hands shook in my lap. I wondered if any of that had stuck.
“Vicky? Is that you? What are you doing here at my work?” she asked, looking confused.
“Aunt Sue! Don’t you remember? I’m moving in today. You told me to stop by the library and pick up a key.” I laughed, patting her on the shoulder.
“That’s right, I totally forgot.” She shook her head and chuckled. “Let’s head over to my office and see where I put my keys.”
We headed back to the circulation desk and I followed her into an office behind it. Stacks of books lay on her desk, along with file folders. There were a few pictures of what I assumed were family and friends. I’d have to have her give me a detailed list when she got home.
“Here’s the key. I don’t have an extra here, so make sure you’re at home later to let me in.” She separated a key from her car keys.
“Um, can you give me directions from here?” I asked, grabbing a note pad off her desk.
“Sue?” I heard a voice say from the doorway. “Well, who is this?”
I turned to find another woman, slightly older than Sue and with graying hair, standing expectantly in the doorway.
“This is my niece, Vicky Hernandez,” Sue answered naturally.
“But I thought your niece’s name was Katelyn?” She looked confused.
Aw, crap. Here we go. I had a feeling I was going to have to do this a lot. I looked up at her, holding her gaze.
“My, you have lovely eyes,” she said before the haze came on.
“Thanks. I am Sue’s niece, Vicky. I’m sure she’s told you about me before.” I smiled sweetly for Sue’s benefit.
“Sue’s niece, Vicky,” she murmured and I quit the eye contact. “That’s right, Vicky, I remember Sue talking about you. What brings you to Bartlett?”
“Oh, you know, just wanted to try a new school. I needed a change of scenery.” I grabbed the key and the directions Sue had written down. “It was nice to see you, I’m sure I’ll see you around. Bye Aunt Sue, I’ll see you at home I guess.”
With a quick wave I ran to the door. This was insane. Was I really just going to move in with some strange librarian I had just met? I rubbed my temples as I got into the Mustang. This was getting out of hand. I needed to keep all these stories straight.
Sue and her friend now think I’m a troubled teen. Drake thinks my parents are dead. And these were only the first three people I’d met in this town. Gah. I slammed my hands against the steering wheel. If I ever found who did this to me, I’d be kicking ass for SO many reasons it wasn’t even funny. I just hoped this mind control business didn’t wear off. All I needed was Sue to come home and call the cops on me for trespassing.
I had a few stops to make before heading to my new home. I sped back to the hotel to clear out my things and collect my coolers full of bloody snacks. I was surprised at how low my supplies were running. After checking out with the concierge and thanking him for such a pleasant stay, I popped over to the clinic a few doors down from Lou’s. I figured Drake wouldn’t see me this time of day, he should still be in school. The clinic itself was empty, like the first night I’d scoped it out, so I was able to make quick work of filling up my coolers.
My bloody little secret needed a hiding place. I couldn’t just stick all these in Sue’s fridge without her asking some serious questions. I caught the giant orange sign of a Home Depot in my sight as I put all my goodies back into the Mustang. Hopefully I could find something there.