tended and entertained and have an opportunity to burn off a little of the steam that builds up through the workweek. But if you're asking me if I've seen anything suggesting Temple Bar is the new HQ for some kind of rave movement? Then no, I have not."
Deflated, I sighed. I'd figured the guy who spent most of his time at the bar was going to have the best insight into what Sarah had thought was going on at Temple Bar. But he had a point; he might have had the access, but he also had plenty else to do.
I nodded. "Thanks for the honesty. Get in touch if you think of anything?"
He offered a wink. "Rest assured, Sentinel."
With no more information in hand, I excused Colin and headed back into the bar.
And that was when I got surprise number two.
I knew Lindsey had been born in Iowa. I knew her father was a pork producer. I knew she'd lived in New York and had an allegiance toward the Yankees that I, as a loyal Cubs fan, could only assume was the result of some sort of low-grade vampire insanity.
I did not know she was bartender extraordinaire.
I found Lindsey behind the bar and a crush of vamps fourdeep, dollars in hand, shouting her name like she'd just won them a pennant.
Girl was a phenomenon. She spun a cocktail shaker horizontally in one hand and a bottle of blue alcohol in the other. The crowd let out a "Woot!" when she flipped the bottle over her shoulder and caught it again in the palm of her hand, then dumped the contents of both containers into a martini glass. The bottle and shaker hit the top of the bar, and then the glass was in her hand and headed for the vampire in front of her. She tidily plucked cash from the vamp's extended fingers and pushed it into a jar.
The crowd around her let out a round of applause; Lindsey made a little bow and then began prepping a drink for the next vamp in line.
The vamps at the bar watched her movements with shifting eyes as if they were waiting for a once-in-a-lifetime sip of rare and limited wine.
Personally, I didn't understand the appeal, but I wasn't much of a drinker.
I turned at the tap on my shoulder and found Christine at my side.
"Anything to report?"
She gestured toward the boys. "Our new favorite fraternity brothers are here at least once a week, usually on weekends. Last Friday, they were smoking in the alley when a man approached them, made some overtures about trying out a new vampire experience. As it turns out, while our fraternity brothers were brave enough to venture into a vampire bar, they weren't quite brave enough for anything more than that." She gave me a knowing smile.
"Drinking at a bar with vamps apparently gives them a taste of danger without the calories, so to speak. They didn't get a good look at the man, but - "
I held up a hand to stop her, satisfaction warming my blood. I really did enjoy the moment when the puzzle pieces began to fall into place.
"Let me guess - he was short, older, dark hair?"
Her eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know?"
"My witness was taking a breather outside when she was approached by a man with the same description."
"And he's using Temple Bar as his own personal recruiting ground?"
"That might be the case."
Rowdy applause split the air near the bar. I looked over just in time to see Lindsey finish up another drink and clap her hands together like a Vegas dealer.
"And now, for my next trick," she said, sliding me a glance, "something vampires never get to see. I will make your House social chair do my bidding!"
With the encouragement of the crowd, she beckoned me over. I rolled my eyes, but the crowd apparently appreciated the humor, so I did my part and slid behind the bar.
She immediately began bossing me around, pointing to medium-sized glasses. "Give me seven of those and line 'em up along the bar."
When I did as directed, Lindsey grabbed a clean cocktail shaker and began pouring alcohol into it. After she'd layered five or six kinds of booze, she put the bottles down again and capped the shaker.
"You know what I miss?" she asked the crowd. "Clouds. Sunshine. That weird moment when it rains but the sun's still out. Sunrises.