More headshakes, this time more violent. Michael kissed Eves forehead with obvious affection, and ruffled Claires hair. Then this is the best way, he said. Itll shake them up, anyway.
Im sorry, Eve said in a small voice. I didnt thinkIm so used to thinking of the cops as enemies, and besides, they were just trying to kill us. Right?
Things change. We have to adapt.
Michael was pretty much the king of that, Claire thought. Hed gone from a serious musician with his whole focus on making a name for himself, to a part-time ghost trapped in a house, to a part-time ghost trapped in a house forced to take in roommates to make the bills. And now he was trying to save their lives, and he still couldnt escape himself.
Michael was just soresponsible. Claire couldnt even imagine how someone got that way. Maturity, she guessed, but that was a lot like a road through fog to her. She had no idea how she was supposed to get there. Then again, she supposed nobody really did know, and you just stumbled through it.
They waited.
After about five minutes there was a wail of sirens in the distancevery faint, because the room was well soundproofed. That meant the sirens were close. Maybe even by the house already. Claire rose and pressed the button concealed in the lions-head arm of the couch, and the sirens immediately increased in volume as the secret door opened. She hurried down the steps and peered out. No one in the hallway, but from downstairs she heard angry shouting, and then the sound of a door banging open. Motorcycle engines roaring, tires squealing.
Theyre going, she yelled up, and pelted out into the hallway, down the stairs, breathless to find Shane.
Shane was up against the wall, and his father was holding him by the throat. Outside, police sirens suddenly cut off.
Traitor, Shanes dad said. He had a knife in his hand. Youre a traitor. Youre dead to me.
Claire skidded to a stop, found her voice, and said, Sir, youd better get out of here unless you want to end up talking to the vampires.
Shanes father turned his face toward her, and his expression was twisted with fury. You little bitch, he said. Turning my son against me.
No Shane grabbed at his fathers hand, trying to pry it free. Dont Claire backed up. For a second, neither Shane nor his dad moved, and then Shanes father let him go, and raced for the kitchen door. Shane dropped to his knees, choking, and Claire went to him
just as the front door banged open, splintering around the lock, and the police charged in.
Oh man, Shane whispered, that sucks. We just fixed that door.