Dead in the Family

vaguely over the pounding in my ears that there was a sudden and violent commotion going on to my left. I reached behind me to pull the knife, but we were suddenly down in the tall, wet grass at the edge of the shoulder, and I kicked my leg up and over, and pushed, trying to get on top. I kind of overdid it, because we began rolling down into the drainage ditch. That was a pity, because it was filling with water. Bruno couldn’t drown, but I sure could. Wrenching my shoulder with the force of my effort, I yanked the knife out of my skirt when I rotated to the top, and as we rolled yet again I saw dark spots in front of my eyes. I knew this was my last chance. I stabbed Bruno up under his ribs.
    And I killed him.

Chapter 4
    Pam yanked Bruno’s body off me and rolled him all the way down into the water coursing through the ditch. She helped me up.
    “Where were you?” I croaked.
    “Disposing of Corinna,” literal-minded Pam said. She pointed to the body lying by the white car. Fortunately, the corpse was on the side of the car concealed from the view of the rare passerby. In the poor light it was hard to be sure, but I believed Corinna was already beginning to flake away. I’d never seen a dead vampire in the rain before.
    “I thought Bruno was such a great fighter. How come you didn’t take him on?”
    “I gave you the knife,” Pam said, giving a good imitation of surprise. “He didn’t have a knife.”
    “Right.” I coughed and, boy, did that hurt my throat. “So what do we do now?”
    “We’re getting out of here,” Pam said. “We’re going to hope that no one noticed my car. I think only three cars passed since we pulled over. With the rain and poor visibility, if the drivers were human, we have a very good chance that none of them will remember seeing us.”
    By then we were back in Pam’s car. “Wouldn’t it be better if we moved the Lexus?” I said, wheezing out the words.
    “What a good idea,” Pam said, patting me on the head. “Do you think you can drive it?”
    “Where to?”
    Pam thought for a moment, which was good, because I needed the recovery time. I was soaked through and shivering, and I felt awful.
    “Won’t Victor know what’s happened?” I asked. I couldn’t seem to stop asking questions.
    “Maybe. He wasn’t brave enough to do this himself, so he has to take the consequences. He’s lost his two best people, and he has nothing to show for it.” Pam was enjoying the hell out of that.
    “I think we get out of here right now. Before some more of his people come to check, or whatever.” I sure wasn’t up for fighting again.
    “It’s you who keeps asking questions. I think Eric will be here soon; I’d better call him to tell him to stay away,” Pam said. She looked faintly worried.
    “Why?” I would have loved to have Eric appear to take charge of this situation, frankly.
    “If someone is watching his house, and he leaps into his car and drives in this direction to come rescue you, it’ll be a pretty clear indication that we’re responsible for what happened to Bruno and Corinna,” Pam said, clearly exasperated. “Use your brain, Sookie!”
    “My brain is all soggy,” I said, and if I sounded a little testy, I don’t think that’s any big, amazing thing. But Pam was already hitting a speed-dial number on her cell. I could hear Eric yelling when he answered the phone.
    Pam said, “Shut up and I’ll explain. Of course, she lives.” There was silence.
    Pam summed up the situation in a few pithy phrases, and she concluded with, “Go somewhere it’s reasonable to be going in a hurry. Back to the bar in answer to some crisis. To the all-night dry cleaners to pick up your suits. To the store to pick up some TrueBlood. Don’t lead them here.”
    After a squawk or two, Eric apparently saw the sense in what Pam was saying. I couldn’t hear his voice clearly, though he was still talking to her.
    “Her throat will be bruised,” Pam said impatiently. “Yes, she killed Bruno herself. All right, I’ll tell her.” Pam turned to me. “He’s proud of you,” she said with some disgust.
    “Pam gave me the knife,” I croaked. I knew he could hear me.
    “But it was Sookie’s idea to move the car,” Pam said, with the air of someone who’s going to be fair if it kills her. “I’m trying to think of where to put it. The truck stops will have security cameras. I think we’ll leave it on the shoulder well past the Bon Temps exit.”
    That’s what