“Anderson, Julie.” Rena read off from her list. I transferred the information into a spreadsheet. “Witch. Uh, license issued March thirteenth, good for two years. Age eighteen.” We couldn't tag Others until they were eighteen. Though, when it came to vampires it was kind of hard to prove their ages. Rena and I were hard at work cataloging all the reports from the month of March.
When I decided to take up social work I never imagined the amount of paperwork. Reports, notaries, spreadsheets. With each name Rena read I wanted to flip my PC over. Poor girl. She'd be stuck doing this alone if Jessica hadn't hit me square in the chest.
“Ansel, Quinn. Vampire. Eight notaries last month. All legal. Aged twenty-four when bit.”
I put my face down on the keyboard. Letting whatever random keys I touched fill in the spreadsheet.
“Uh, Samantha?”
“Just let me die here!”
“We're not even out of the A's,” Rena chided.
That was fine. This was my entire night. Agent Balicki took it upon herself to cancel my meetings outside the office. Once Rena left I'd make contact with my clients. I needed to get out among the people, er Others, even if it was only by phone.
I straightened up and erased what my forehead had typed. “Next please.”
“Maybe it's break time.”
“Go on, I need to make a call.”
Rena watched me carefully. The entire office knew what I faced. I blamed Patrice’s eavesdropping and big mouth. No use pretending otherwise. I could stand them knowing, but I couldn't stand the pity. I'd even heard Patrice in the bathroom telling May this is how it always starts.
I picked up my phone and dialed out quickly.
A sing-song woman's voice answered after the third ring. “Hello?”
“Hi Johanna, it's Samantha from the BSB office.” I figured with Jessica missing, maybe Johanna had an idea where to find her.
“Oh! Samantha, I got your message. Sorry, my brother just died, I've been helping his widow.” She sounded casual. Vampires didn't have emotions per se. I guess I shouldn't expect her to be all tearful about her brother's death, but I thought some emotion would be nice.
Johanna had been a moderately successful model in the 1950s. She had the proportions of Bettie Page and the blond hair of Marilyn Monroe. She had been turned into a vampire after slipping into obscurity in 1953. In 1983 she turned a Wall Street mogul into a vampire and married him. He worked with Patrice as his case worker. “What's this about an incident?”
“I wanted to talk to you about a new turned named Jessica. She said you turned her last week. She has a brother.”
“Goodness, Samantha dear, I've only ever turned one person and that's my Ricardo. I don't know any vampires named Jessica.”
“I must have misheard the message she left me,” I said lamely. “I didn't mean to bother you for nothing. Uh, sorry about your brother.” I offered my condolences, but the part that produced sympathy and empathy in her was gone.
“He was ninety, dear. I'll see you next week for our appointment. I'll have my consent forms all ready to go. Bye!” Click.
Okay, add the fact that Jessica knew my clients to my list of grievances. I'd call Angie next. She knew her, no matter how she tried to deny it. I pulled up Angie's phone number. There was no ringing, just a robotic voice letting me know the number was out of service. Great. I had talked to Angie on this number the other night, now it was disconnected. Fucking great.
I cradled my head in my hands. “Hey, I'm about to go home.” I looked up and Sean leaned in my door way.
“I thought you left already.”
“I had some messages to sort through first.”
Outside the sun slowly drooped in the sky. The full moon would be up soon and he'd be a man-beast, hunting with his pack. They'd protect him and he them. I was left alone.
“I just talked to Johanna.”
“And?” His brow creased as he tried to figure out exactly what that meant.
“Well, Jessica said that's who turned her, but Johanna's never heard the name before.”
“Who the hell is this SOB?” An excellent question. Who was this Jessica person? Why was she singling me out like this? My phone rang and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
“This is the office of Samantha Dunmore,” the number was withheld. I didn't have to ask who it was.
“Why would you sic agents on me? I come to you asking for a favor and that's how I get treated? I've got rights, bitch.”
“I just talked to Johanna. Who are you? She didn't turn you.”
Sean moved from his post at the door frame. In two easy steps he stood before my desk. He planted his hands, clenched into fists, on it.
“Aw, why are you so suspicious?”
“You need to leave me alone. I saw your little note on my car.”
“That was a very lovely house your parents have. You should invite me in next time. I'll buy movie tickets and send your parents out.”
I muted the phone and handed the receiver to Sean. He listened for a minute before pressing the mute button again. “If you want to do anything of those things to me I'll grab a rawhide and show you a good time...oh? That's lovely. If you have any further suggestions for my personal improvement you can call.” He handed the phone back. I gently hung it up.
Curiosity overrode my fear. “What did she say?”
“Are you familiar with The Lady's Guide to a Vampire Lover?” The book had come out about a year ago. It was supposed to be an erotic guide for women who took vampire lovers. I had never read it. The picture on the cover scared me away.
“I've heard of it.”
“If you really want to know what she said, pick up a copy. I'm pretty sure she described chapters five through eight.” My eyes widened. I could only imagine. “Yeah. I talked to Carl again. Balicki or Hill or both will walk you to your car tonight. Stay out of trouble.” He chucked me under the chin and left.