I had to give it to Carl. He worked fast. Within an hour of our chat two BSB agents were in my office. A trim woman in her thirties, wearing a woman's suit, held a clipboard. Her partner, a black man around her age in a suit to match hers, paced around. He looked at all my things. She sat at the ready. He closed the door to my office. It blocked out all my inquisitive coworkers.
“I am Agent Balicki,” she said. “And my partner Agent Hill. Carl Garcia called us in regards to an incident that transpired.”
In normal circumstances people would report to the police. However, where Others are concerned things get dicey. People either thought Others were discriminated against by the police or thought the police were too easy on them. It was just easier to go straight to the BSB. Most field agents were Others, though plenty were recruited from the ranks of the military. I had no way of knowing if these two were military or Others. It didn't matter if they'd help me.
“We have a number of questions to ask you,” Hill said. He sat down next to Balicki.
“First off, you are aware Miss Klein filed a complaint against you.” Balicki locked eyes with me. She searched me for any signs of dishonesty. I had heard of witches who were aura readers. They could tell you lied just by reading your aura. I didn’t know what my aura looked like, but if Balicki tried to read it she wouldn’t find any lies.
“Uh, Carl mentioned it, but I don't really know what she said. Just that I was unprofessional and rude.”
“She claimed you threatened her with a rosary and holy water. And that you made some derogatory slurs against vampires. She and her brother did not feel safe in your presence.”
My mouth dropped open. That went beyond rude and unprofessional. That was downright crazy talk. “I would never! I...I...what the crap?”
Balicki gave me a dirty look. My outburst displeased her. I wanted to dump my coffee into her lap. Let her have an outburst so I could give dirty, disapproving looks.
Hill held up his hand. “Please calm down, Miss Dunmore. We looked at your file on the way over here. You have no priors...”
“Carl said the audit coming our way was because of me!” I blurted out.
Another stare from Balicki. It must be easy to be cool and collected when no one tried to break you for information. “We take complaints of that nature very seriously and if you are threatening a client we'll take appropriate measures.” I hate bureaucracy. I needed them to arrest Jessica and throw her in a vampire-proof cell, not investigate lies leveled at me.
“And what about her attack on me?”
“We'll be visiting Sean Benson next. And from there Miss Klein and her brother,” Hill explained. “And don't worry. Any violence from Miss Klein toward you is not being taken lightly.”
I unbuttoned the top few buttons of my shirt. I pointed to the bruise on my chest. “Look what she did!”
This time Balicki's mouth dropped open. She closed it just as quickly. That's right. I had a big, ugly bruise on my chest. Hill leaned forward. “That is one fine mark you got there.”
My fingers shook with rage as I buttoned my shirt back up. “So?”
“The audit will continue as planned. We can't exactly stop it,” Hill said. The expression plastered on his face was one of sympathy. “Like my partner said, some serious accusations have been filed. We still need to investigate. Your old coworker,” he motioned to the empty desk. “She was mauled by a werewolf, correct? One mauling, now a vampire attack? I’d say this place is long overdue. None of the other offices in the area have had these sorts of problems.”
Gah! Poking eyes out and pulling hair wasn't an option. It'd be bad form to assault these two fine field agents. Forms, audits, interrogations. What a bunch of bastards.
“We'll be in touch, Miss Dunmore.” Balicki pulled herself out of my folding chair.
I saw the two of them out. Once they left I closed the door again. I kicked over the chairs they had occupied.