Sookie 10 Dead in the Family (9 page)

“No, not exactly.” Pam looked thoughtful. “I would hate to see him unhappy. And you, too,” she added, as an afterthought. “But if he’s worried about you, he won’t react the same as he would—as he should. ”

“If I weren’t in the picture.”

Pam didn’t say anything for a while. Then she said, “I think the only reason Victor hasn’t abducted you to hold you over Eric is because Eric married you. Victor’s still trying to cover his ass by doing everything by the book. He isn’t ready to rebel against Felipe openly. He’ll still try to show justification for whatever he does. He’s walking on thin ice with Felipe right now because he almost let you get killed.”

“Maybe Felipe will do the job for us,” I said.

Pam looked thoughtful. “That would be ideal,” she said. “But we’ll have to wait for it. Felipe’s not going to do anything rash when it comes to killing a lieutenant of his. That would make his other lieutenants uneasy and uncertain.”

I shook my head. “That’s too bad. I don’t think it would bother Felipe very much at all to kill Victor.”

“And it would bother you, Sookie?”

“Yes. It would bother me.” Though not as much as it ought to.

“So if you could do it in a rush of rage when Victor was attacking you, that would be far preferable to planning a way to kill him when he couldn’t fight back effectively?”

Okay, put like that my attitude didn’t make much sense. I could see that if you were willing to kill someone, planning to kill someone, wishing someone would die, quibbling about the circumstances was ridiculous.

“It shouldn’t make a difference,” I said quietly. “But it does. Victor has to go, though.”

“You’ve changed,” Pam said, after a little silence. She didn’t sound surprised or horrified or disgusted. For that matter, she didn’t sound happy. It was more as though she’d realized I’d altered my hairstyle.

“Yes,” I said. We watched the rain pour down some more.

Suddenly, Pam said, “Look!” There was a sleek white car parked on the shoulder of the interstate. I didn’t understand why Pam was so agitated until I noticed that the man leaning against the car had his arms crossed over his chest in an attitude of total nonchalance, despite the rain.

As we drew abreast of the car, a Lexus, the figure waved a languid hand at us. We were being flagged down.

“Shit,” Pam said. “That’s Bruno Brazell. We have to stop.” She pulled over to the shoulder and stopped in front of the car. “And Corinna,” she said, sounding bitter. I glanced in the side mirror to see that a woman had gotten out of the Lexus.

“They’re here to kill us,” Pam said quietly. “I can’t kill them both. You have to help.”

“They’re going to try to kill us?” I was really, really scared.

“That’s the only reason I can think of that Victor would send two people on a one-person errand,” she said. She sounded calm. Pam was obviously thinking much faster than I was. “Showtime! If the peace can be kept, we need to keep it, at least for now. Here.” She pressed something into my hand. “Take it out of the sheath. It’s a silver dagger.”

I remembered Bill’s gray skin and the slow way he moved after silver poisoning. I shuddered, but I was angry with myself for my squeamishness. I slid the dagger from the leather sheath.

“We have to get out, huh?” I said. I tried to smile. “Okay, showtime.”

“Sookie, be brave and ruthless,” Pam said, and she opened her door and disappeared from sight. I sent a last waft of love toward Eric by way of good-bye while I was sticking the dagger through my skirt’s waistband at the back. I got out of the car into the pelting darkness, holding my hands out to show they were empty.

I was drenched in seconds. I shoved my hair behind my ears so it wouldn’t hang in my eyes. Though the Lexus’s headlights were on, it was very dark. The only other light came from oncoming headlights from both sides of the interstate, and the brightly lit truck stop a mile away. Otherwise, we were nowhere, an anonymous stretch of divided interstate with woods on either side. The vampires could see a lot better than I could. But I knew where everyone was because I cast out that other sense of mine and felt for their brains. Vampires register as holes to me, almost black spots in the atmosphere. It’s negative tracking.

No one spoke, and the only noise was the pelting of the rain drumming on the cars. I couldn’t hear an oncoming vehicle. “Hi, Bruno,” I called, and I sounded perky in a crazy way. “Who’s your buddy?”

I walked over to him. Across the median, a car whizzed by going west. If the driver caught a glimpse of us, it probably looked as though two Good Samaritans had stopped to help some people with car trouble. Humans see what they want to see. what they expect to see.

Now that I was closer to Bruno, I could tell that his short brown hair was plastered to his head. I’d seen Bruno only once before, and he was wearing the same serious expression on his face that he’d worn the night he’d been standing in my front yard ready to move in and burn down my house with me in it. Bruno was a serious kind of guy in the same way I’m a perky kind of woman. It was a fallback position.

“Hello, Miss Stackhouse,” Bruno said. He wasn’t any taller than me, but he was a burly man. The vampire Pam had called Corinna loomed up on Bruno’s right. Corinna was—had been—African-American, and the water was dripping off the tips of her intricately braided hair. The beads worked into the braids clicked together, a sound I could just pick up under the drumming of the rain. She was thin and tall, and she’d added to her height with three-inch heels. Though she was wearing a dress that had probably been very expensive, her whole ensemble had suffered by the drenching it had taken. She looked like a very elegant drowned rat.

Since I was almost out of my head with alarm anyway, I started laughing.

“You got a flat tire or something, Bruno?” I asked. “I can’t imagine what else you’d be doing out here in the middle of nowhere in the pouring rain.”

“I was waiting for you, bitch.”

I wasn’t sure where Pam was, and I couldn’t spare the brainpower to search for her. “Language, Bruno! I don’t think you know me well enough to call me that. I guess you-all have someone watching Eric’s house.”

“We do. When we saw you two leaving together, it seemed like a good time to take care of a few things.”

Corinna hadn’t spoken still, but she was looking around her warily, and I realized she didn’t know where Pam had gone. I grinned. “For the life of me, I don’t know why you’re doing all this. It seems like Victor should be glad to have someone as smart as Eric working for him. Why can’t he appreciate that?”
And leave us alone.

Bruno took a step closer to me. The light was too poor for me to make out his eye color, but I could tell he was still looking serious. I thought it was strange when Bruno took the time to answer me, but anything that bought us more time was good. “Eric is a great vampire. But Eric will never bow to Victor, not really. And he’s accumulating his own power at a pace that makes Victor anxious. He’s got you, for one thing. Your great-grandfather may have sealed himself away, but who’s to say he won’t come back? And Eric can use your stupid ability whenever he chooses. Victor doesn’t want Eric to have that advantage.” And then Bruno had his hands around my neck. He’d moved so quickly I couldn’t possibly react, and I knew vaguely over the pounding in my ears that there was a sudden and violent commotion going on to my left. I reached behind me to pull the knife, but we were suddenly down in the tall, wet grass at the edge of the shoulder, and I kicked my leg up and over, and pushed, trying to get on top. I kind of overdid it, because we began rolling down into the drainage ditch. That was a pity, because it was filling with water. Bruno couldn’t drown, but I sure could. Wrenching my shoulder with the force of my effort, I yanked the knife out of my skirt when I rotated to the top, and as we rolled yet again I saw dark spots in front of my eyes. I knew this was my last chance. I stabbed Bruno up under his ribs.

And I killed him.

Pam yanked Bruno’s body off me and rolled him all the way down into the water coursing through the ditch. She helped me up.

“Where were you?” I croaked.

“Disposing of Corinna,” literal-minded Pam said. She pointed to the body lying by the white car. Fortunately, the corpse was on the side of the car concealed from the view of the rare passerby. In the poor light it was hard to be sure, but I believed Corinna was already beginning to flake away. I’d never seen a dead vampire in the rain before.

“I thought Bruno was such a great fighter. How come
you
didn’t take him on?”

“I gave you the knife,” Pam said, giving a good imitation of surprise. “He didn’t have a knife.”

“Right.” I coughed and, boy, did that hurt my throat. “So what do we do now?”

“We’re getting out of here,” Pam said. “We’re going to hope that no one noticed my car. I think only three cars passed since we pulled over. With the rain and poor visibility, if the drivers were human, we have a very good chance that none of them will remember seeing us.”

By then we were back in Pam’s car. “Wouldn’t it be better if we moved the Lexus?” I said, wheezing out the words.

“What a good idea,” Pam said, patting me on the head. “Do you think you can drive it?”

“Where to?”

Pam thought for a moment, which was good, because I needed the recovery time. I was soaked through and shivering, and I felt awful.

“Won’t Victor know what’s happened?” I asked. I couldn’t seem to stop asking questions.

“Maybe. He wasn’t brave enough to do this himself, so he has to take the consequences. He’s lost his two best people, and he has nothing to show for it.” Pam was enjoying the hell out of that.

“I think we get out of here right now. Before some more of his people come to check, or whatever.” I sure wasn’t up for fighting again.

“It’s you who keeps asking questions. I think Eric will be here soon; I’d better call him to tell him to stay away,” Pam said. She looked faintly worried.

“Why?” I would have loved to have Eric appear to take charge of this situation, frankly.

“If someone is watching his house, and he leaps into his car and drives in this direction to come rescue you, it’ll be a pretty clear indication that we’re responsible for what happened to Bruno and Corinna,” Pam said, clearly exasperated. “Use your brain, Sookie!”

“My brain is all soggy,” I said, and if I sounded a little testy, I don’t think that’s any big, amazing thing. But Pam was already hitting a speed-dial number on her cell. I could hear Eric yelling when he answered the phone.

Pam said, “Shut up and I’ll explain. Of course, she lives.” There was silence.

Pam summed up the situation in a few pithy phrases, and she concluded with, “Go somewhere it’s reasonable to be going in a hurry. Back to the bar in answer to some crisis. To the all-night dry cleaners to pick up your suits. To the store to pick up some TrueBlood. Don’t lead them here.”

After a squawk or two, Eric apparently saw the sense in what Pam was saying. I couldn’t hear his voice clearly, though he was still talking to her.

“Her throat will be bruised,” Pam said impatiently. “Yes, she killed Bruno herself. All right, I’ll tell her.” Pam turned to me. “He’s proud of you,” she said with some disgust.

“Pam gave me the knife,” I croaked. I knew he could hear me.

“But it was Sookie’s idea to move the car,” Pam said, with the air of someone who’s going to be fair if it kills her. “I’m trying to think of where to put it. The truck stops will have security cameras. I think we’ll leave it on the shoulder well past the Bon Temps exit.”

That’s what we did. Pam had some towels in her trunk, and I put them down on the seat of Bruno’s car. Pam poked around in his ashes to retrieve the Lexus key, and after looking over the instrument panel, I figured I could drive it. I followed Pam for forty minutes, staring longingly at the Bon Temps sign as we sped past it. I pulled over to the shoulder right after Pam did. Following Pam’s instructions, I left the key in the car, wiped off the steering wheel with the towels (which were damp from their contact with me), and then scuttled to Pam’s car and climbed in. It was still raining, by the way.

Then we had to return to my house. By then I was aching in every joint and a little sick to my stomach. Finally, finally, we pulled up to my back door. To my amazement, Pam leaned over to give me a hug. “You did very well,” she said. “You did what had to be done.” For once, she didn’t look as if she were secretly laughing at me.

“I hope this all turns out to be worth it,” I said, sounding as gloomy and exhausted as I felt.

“We’re still alive, so it was worth it,” Pam said.

I couldn’t argue with that, though something within me wanted to. I climbed out of her car and trudged across the dripping backyard. The rain had finally stopped.

Claude opened the back door as I reached it. He had opened his mouth to say something, but when he took in my condition, he closed it again. He shut the door behind me, and I heard him lock it.

“I’m going to shower,” I said, “and then I’m going to bed. Good night, Claude.”

“Good night, Sookie,” he said, very quietly, and then he shut up. I appreciated that more than I could say.

When I got into work the next day at eleven, Sam was dusting all the
bottles behind the bar.

“Good morning,” he said, staring at me. “You look like hell warmed over.”

“Thanks, Sam. Good to know I’m looking my best.”

Sam turned red. “Sorry, Sookie. You always look good. I was just thinking. ”

“About the big circles under my eyes?” I pulled down the skin of my cheeks, making a hideous face for his benefit. “I was real late getting in last night.”
I had to kill someone and move his car.
“I had to go over to Shreveport to see Eric.”

“Business or pleasure?” And he ducked his head, clearly not believing he’d said that, either. “I’m sorry, Sookie. My mom would say I got up on the tactless side of the bed today.”

I gave him a half hug. “Don’t worry. Every day is like that for me. And I have to apologize to you. I’m sorry I’ve been so ignorant about the legal trouble facing shifters and Weres right now.” It was definitely time for me to look at the big picture.

“You had some good reasons to concentrate on yourself the past few weeks,” Sam said. “I don’t know that I could have recovered the way you have. I’m real proud of you.”

I didn’t know what to say. I looked down at the bar, reached for a cloth to polish away a ring. “If you need me to start a petition or call my state representative, you just say the word,” I told him. “No one should make you register anywhere. You’re an American. Born and bred.”

“That’s the way I look at it. It’s not like I’m any different from the way I’ve always been. The only difference is that now people know about it. How did the pack run go?”

I’d almost forgotten about it. “They seemed to have a good time, far as I can tell,” I said cautiously. “I met Annabelle and the new guy, Basim. Why is Alcide beefing up the ranks? Have you heard anything about what’s been happening in the Long Tooth pack?”

“Well, I told you I’d been dating one of them,” he said, looking away at the bottles behind the bar as if he were trying to spot one that was still dusty. If this conversation continued in the same vein, the whole bar would be spanking clean.

“Who would that be?” Since this was the second time he’d mentioned it, I figured it was okay for me to ask.

His fascination with the bottles was transferred to the cash register. “Ah, Jannalynn. Jannalynn Hopper.”

“Oh,” I said, in a neutral way. I was trying to give myself a little time to make my face bland and receptive.

“She was there the night we fought the pack that was trying to take over. She, ah. took care of the wounded enemies.”

That was an extreme euphemism. She’d cracked their skulls with her clenched fists. Trying to prove that it wasn’t National Tactless Day at
my
house, I said, “Oh, yes. The, ah, very slim girl. The young one.”

“She’s not as young as she looks,” Sam said, bypassing the obvious fact that her age was not the first issue one could have with Jannalynn.

“Okeydokey. How old is she?”

“Twenty. One.”

“Oh, well, she’s quite a girl,” I said solemnly. I forced a smile to my lips. “Seriously, Sam, I’m not judging your choice.” Not much. “Jannalynn’s really, really. She’s dynamic.”

“Thanks,” he said, his face clearing. “She gave me a call after we fought in the pack war. She’s into lions.” Sam had changed into a lion that night, the better to fight. He’d made a magnificent king of beasts.

“So, how long have you two been dating?”

“We’ve been talking for a while, but we went out for the first time maybe three weeks ago.”

“Well, that’s great,” I said. I made myself relax and smile more naturally. “You sure you don’t need a note from her mom?”

Sam threw the dust cloth at me. I grabbed it and threw it back.

“Can you two quit playing? I got to talk to Sam,” Tanya said. She’d come in without my hearing her.

She’s never going to be my best friend, but she’s a good worker and she’s willing to come in two evenings a week after she gets off her day job at Norcross. “You want me to leave?” I asked.

“No, that’s okay.”

“Sorry, Tanya. What do you need?” Sam asked, smiling.

“I need you to change my name on my paychecks,” Tanya said.

“You changed your name?” I must have been extra slow that day. But Sam would have said it if I hadn’t; he looked just as blank.

“Yeah, me and Calvin went to a courthouse across the state line in Arkansas and got married,” she said. “I’m Tanya Norris now.”

Sam and I both stared at Tanya in a moment of silent astonishment.

“Congratulations!” I said heartily. “I know you’ll be real happy.” I wasn’t so sure about Calvin being happy, but at least I managed to say something nice.

Sam chimed in, too, with all the right things. Tanya showed us her wedding ring, a broad gold band, and after going into the kitchen to show it to Antoine and D’Eriq, she left as abruptly as she’d arrived to drive back to work at Norcross. She’d mentioned they’d registered at Target and Wal-Mart for the few things they needed, so Sam dashed into his office and picked out a wall clock to give them from all the Merlotte’s employees. He put a jar out by the bar for our contributions, and I dropped in a ten.

By that time, people were coming in for lunch, and I had to get busy. “I never did get around to asking you some questions,” I said to Sam. “Maybe before I leave work?”

“Sure, Sook,” he said, and began filling glasses with iced tea. It was a warm day.

After I’d served drinks and food for about an hour, I was surprised to see Claude coming through the door. Even in rumpled clothes he’d obviously picked up off the floor to pull on, he looked breathtakingly gorgeous. He’d pulled his hair back into a messy ponytail. and it didn’t detract.

It was almost enough to make you hate him, really.

Claude slouched over to me as if he were in Merlotte’s every day. and as if his kind and tactful moment last night had never been. “The water heater’s not working,” he said.

“Hi, Claude. Good to see you,” I said. “Did you sleep well? I’m so glad. I slept well, too. I guess you better do something about the water heater, huh? If you want to shower and wash your clothes. Remember me asking you to help me out by handling some things I can’t? You could call Hank Clearwater. He’s come out to the house before.”

“I can go have a look,” a voice said. I turned to see Terry Bellefleur standing behind me. Terry is a Vietnam War vet, and he’s got some awful scars—both the kind you can see and the kind you can’t. He’d been very young when he’d gone to war. He’d been very old when he returned. His auburn hair was graying, but it was still thick, and long enough to braid. I’d always gotten along real well with Terry, who could do just about anything around the yard or in the house, by way of repairs.

“I would sure appreciate it,” I said. “But I don’t want to take advantage, Terry.” He’d always been kind to me. He’d cleared away the debris of my burned kitchen so the builders could start working on the new one, and I’d had to insist he take a fair wage for it.

“No problem,” he muttered, his eyes on his old work boots. Terry survived on a monthly government check and on several odd jobs. For example, he came into Merlotte’s either very late at night or early in the morning to clean the tables and the bathrooms, and to mop the floors. He always said keeping busy kept him fit, and it was true that Terry was still built.

“I’m Claude Crane, Sookie’s cousin.” Claude held out his hand to Terry.

Terry muttered his own name and took Claude’s hand. His eyes came up to meet Claude’s. Terry’s eyes were unexpectedly beautiful, a rich golden brown and heavily lashed. I’d never noticed before. I realized I’d never thought about Terry as a
man
before.

After the handshake, Terry looked startled. When he was faced with something out of his normal path, usually Terry reacted badly; the only question was of degree. But at the moment, Terry seemed more puzzled than frightened or angry.

“Ah, did you want me to come look at it now?” Terry asked. “I have a couple of hours free.”

“That would be wonderful,” Claude said. “I want my shower, and I want a hot one.” He smiled at Terry.

“Dude, I’m not gay,” Terry said, and the expression on Claude’s face was priceless. I’d never seen Claude nonplussed before.

“Thanks, Terry, I’d sure appreciate it,” I said briskly. “Claude’s got a key, and he’ll let you in. If you have to buy some parts, just give me the receipts. You know I’m good for it.” I might have to transfer some money from my savings to my checking, but I still had what I thought of as my “vampire money” safely stashed at the bank. And Mr. Cataliades would be sending me poor Claudine’s money, too. Something relaxed inside me every time I thought about that bit of money. I’d been balanced on the fine edge of poverty so many times that I was used to it, and the knowledge of that money I’d be able to sock in the bank was a huge relief to me.