I assume there's a reason you asked?" "Chad and I are going though a box of old records," I told him.
"Chad?" His voice was carefully neutral.
"Amber's ten-year-old son.
I have in my own two hands a 1957 record by the Mello-Kings.
I think it might be the newest one in here--nope.
Chad just found a Beatles album ...
uhm, cover.
It looks like the record is missing.
So the Mello-Kings are probably the newest thing here." "I see.
No luck hunting ghosts?" "Some." I looked ruefully at the closed door that was keeping us prisoner.
"What about you? How're negotiations with the Mistress?" "Warren and Darryl are to meet with a pair of her vampires tonight." "Which ones?" "Bernard and Wulfe." "Tell them to be careful," I told him.
"Wulfe is something more than just a vampire." I'd only met Bernard once, and he hadn't impressed me--or maybe I was just remembering Stefan's reaction to him.
"Go teach your granny to suck eggs," said Adam calmly.
"Don't worry.
Have you seen Stefan?" I touched my fingers to my neck.
How to answer that.
"I don't know, he might have bitten me last night," somehow didn't seem the right thing to say.
"He has been making himself scarce so far.
Maybe tonight he'll stop in to talk." I heard the door open downstairs.
"I need to go now, Amber's back." "All right.
I'll call you tonight." And he hung up.
Someone ran up the stairs and into the bedroom.
"Your mother's home," I told Chad, and began replacing the records.
They were heavy.
I couldn't imagine what the whole trunk might weigh.
Maybe they packed the trunk when it was already in the attic--or had eight strapping werewolves to carry it.
"It's locked," I told Amber, as she rattled the door.
"I think there's some kind of a catch on your side." She was breathing hard as she pulled the stairs down.
Her attention was all for Chad, and she didn't bother with speech as her hands danced.
"We're fine," I interrupted her.