We listened while Bran drove off--in a doubtlessly rented Mustang.
Once he was gone, Samuel said, "You have a few hours.
Why don't you get some more sleep? I think I'll hop the fence to Adam's and see what Da does for Mary Jo." "Why didn't he just call?" I asked.
Samuel reached out and ruffled my hair.
"He was checking up on you." "Well," I said.
"At least he didn't ask me if I was okay.
I think I'd have had to do something to him if he had." "Hey, Mercy," said Samuel with false solicitude, "are you okay?" I punched him, connecting only because he hadn't expected it.
"I am now," I told him, as he dropped to the ground and rolled--as if I'd really had some force behind my fist, which I hadn't.
SPOKANE IS ABOUT 150 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE TRICITIES , and you know you're getting close when you start seeing trees.
My cell phone rang, and I answered without pulling over.
I usually obey the law, but I was late.
"Mercy?" It was Adam, and he wasn't happy with me.
I guessed Samuel had told him about the vampires being responsible for the debacle at Uncle Mike's.
I'd told him he could do it once I was safely out of town.
"Uh-huh." I pulled around an RV as we chugged up a small hill.
It'd pass me on the downhill side, but I had to take my passing pleasures where I could--Vanagons are not speed demons.
One of these days I was going to put a Subaru flat six in it and see what that would do.
"Before you yell at me for not telling you about the vampires, you should know that I am risking a ticket by talking to you while I drive.
Do you really want me to get a ticket for letting you yell at me?" He gave a reluctant laugh, so I supposed he wasn't too upset.
"You're still on the road? I thought you left this morning." "Fixed a shift linkage in a Ford Focus at that rest stop near Connell," I told him.
"Nice lady and her dog were stuck after having a clutch job done by her brother-in-law.
He hadn't tightened down a few bolts, and one of them fell off.
Took me an hour or so before we found someone who had a bolt and nut the right size." And I had the oil stains across my shoulders and the grit in my hair to prove it.
In my Rabbit I kept a towel to put on the ground.
I also kept a selection of useful car bits.
It was going to be a while before my Rabbit was up and running.
"How is Mary Jo?" "She's sleeping for real now." "Bran helped?" "Bran helped." I could hear the smile in his voice.
"You be careful ghost hunting--and don't let Stefan bite you." There was just a little edge to the last.
"Jealous?" I asked.
Yep.