whole thing is unbelievable. You kill somebody right in front of me, then a month later you ask if it would bother me if you went to a baseball game with me, Kern and Henry."
"I never had any intention of exposing you to any of that."
"No you didn't," she replied, her voice forgiving. "No, it's really very kind of you to ask, very considerate. Christ, that's a lot more consideration than I got from my last five boyfriends. Combined! Al, you're a real gentleman. A gentleman who happens to drink human blood and kill people every once in awhile."
"I only kill when all other options have been exhausted." My voice was barely audible.
Nicole nodded. "Can't say I blame you much for whacking Frank. After what he did to that kid, I probably would've done the same. Just a few questions."
"You may proceed."
"What'd you do with Frank's body?"
"He is buried in a deep grave, ten miles outside of town. No one will ever find him."
"Of course. Why'd you leave the boy's body where it could be found?"
"Regardless of how horrible his fate, the boy's family deserved to know their boy was dead. The futile hope held by these parents of missing children sickens me. If their child is dead, they deserve to know."
She nodded. "Fair enough. Of course, you realize that whoever killed that woman a week after they found the boy probably did it because he figured the cops would pin it on whoever killed the boy."
My shoulders shrugged as I turned away from the accusation. My voice sounded too dry when I replied, "Regrettable, but there is only so much hand-wringing I can do and still manage to survive in this world."
"Nice philosophy." Her voice sounded accusing, then her tone shifted. "Those two women, you didn't kill them, did you?"
"No."
"You don't kill when you feed."
I laughed lightly. "That isHollywood . No, I do not kill when I feed because it is not necessary. What amounts to little more than a trickle satisfies me. And my bite does not produce vampirism. That too is also Hollywood."
Our mutual silence hung awkwardly in the air. "Okay," she said finally, clapping her hands together, hanging the nozzle and replacing the gas cap. "It's not great baseball, but it's right here inour town. Look forward to seeing you."
Astonishment. "I have only just heard my first baseball game tonight. I know nothing of this game's nuances."
"That's okay." She smiled and slapped my shoulder. "I'll be glad to tell you all about it."
****
Monday came, and with excitement, I braved the last rays of sun to meet Nicole and the others at the Crystal Corner Bar, onMadison 's so-called fashionable near-east side. Upon plunging into dark depths of the saloon, I was grateful to remove my sunglasses, fighting against the overstimulated aural assault of the jukebox blaring that infernal rock and roll, punctuated by the crack of pool balls, the click-clatter of pinball machines, the twack of darts striking their targets, the numerous conversations blending into one, the countless heartbeats - even though the bar was not crowded, the scent of sweat, skin, perfume and all those distilled and fermented beverages made my nose crinkle.
Yet the gentle florescent light, warmed by the unnatural glow of ionized inert gases, proved a comfort, making all in the saloon appear the pallor of chalk - excellent camouflage.
The tall, slender fellow with the cowboy hat smiled at me from behind the long, oval bar, his well-muscled arms crossed in front of his chest as he surveyed the room, seeming happy that all was orderly.
Kern stood out from the back of the bar, his height and long, thinning hair making him quite distinctive. My trainer quickly spied me and waved vigorously. Nicole and Henry flanked him, both swathed in black leather skins. Underneath her jacket, Nicole wore a thick sweater, a long scarf hanging loosely around her neck.
"A couple four-ways splits at the air, a couple five-bangers at the Badger Bus," Kern said as I approached. Apparently, they were, as the Americans say, talking shop. Have they nothing else to discuss? "Christ, what a bounty," he said. "Yeah, like I was saying, I remember one time getting a six-way out of the Badger."
"A six-way?" Nicole wondered. "Isn't that illegal? The most we can take is five, or four, if the cab's got front bucket seats, right?"
"Capitol Cab'll load up seven or eight," Henry said.
"I didn't mean to take that many." Kern downed the rest of his bottle of beer, the bright red