Definitely Dead

Upholstered in leather and padded to the nth degree, the limo boasted lots of leg room, bottles of water and synthetic blood, and a little basket of snacks. Mr. Cataliades was real fond of Cheetos.
    I closed my eyes and thought for a while. Bill’s brain, naturally, was a null to me, and Mr. Cataliades’s brain was very nearly so. His brain emitted a low-level buzz that was almost soothing, while the same emanation, from Diantha’s brain, vibrated at a higher pitch. I’d been on the edge of a thought when I’d been talking with Sam, and I wanted to pursue it while I could still catch hold of its tail. Once I’d worked it through, I decided to share it.
    “Mr. Cataliades,” I said, and the big man opened his eyes. Bill was already looking at me. Something was going on in Bill’s head, something weird. “You know that Wednesday, the night your girl was supposed to appear on my doorstep, I heard something in the woods.”
    The lawyer nodded. Bill nodded.
    “So we assume that was the night she was killed.”
    Again with the double nods.
    “But why? Whoever did it had to know that sooner or later you would contact me, or come to see me, to find out what had happened. Even if the killer didn’t know the message Gladiola was bringing, they’d figure that she’d be missed sooner rather than later.”
    “That’s reasonable,” Mr. Cataliades said.
    “But on Friday night, I was attacked in a parking lot in Shreveport.”
    I got my money’s worth out of that statement, I can tell you. If I’d hooked both the men up to electroshock machines and given them a jolt, the reaction couldn’t have been more dynamic.
    “Why didn’t you tell me?” Bill demanded. His eyes were glowing with anger, and his fangs were out.
    “Why should I? We don’t date any more. We don’t see each other regularly.”
    “So this is your punishment for my dating someone else, keeping something so serious from me?”
    Even in my wildest fantasies (which had included such scenes as Bill breaking up with Selah in Merlotte’s, and his subsequent public confession to me that Selah had never measured up to my charms), I’d never envisioned such a reaction. Though it was very dark in the car’s interior, I thought I saw Mr. Cataliades roll his eyes. Maybe he thought that was over the top, too.
    “Bill, I never set out to punish you,” I said. At least I didn’t think I had. “We just don’t share details of our lives any more. Actually, I was out on a date when the attack occurred. I believe I’m used to us not being part of the scenery.”
    “Who was your date?”
    “Not that it’s actually your business, but it is pertinent to the rest of the story. I’m dating Quinn.” We’d had one date and planned another. That counted as “dating,” right?
    “Quinn the tiger,” Bill said expressionlessly.
    “Hats off to you, young lady!” Mr. Cataliades said. “You are courageous and discerning.”
    “I’m not really asking for approval,” I said as neutrally as I could manage. “Or disapproval, for that matter.” I waved my hand to show that topic was off the table. “Here’s what I want you to know. The attackers were very young Weres.”
    “Weres,” Mr. Cataliades said. As we sped through the darkness, I couldn’t decipher his expression or his voice. “What kind of Weres?”
    Good question. The lawyer was on the ball. “Bitten Weres,” I said. “And I believe they were on drugs, as well.” That gave them pause.
    “What happened during the attack and afterward?” Bill said, breaking a long silence.
    I described the attack and its aftermath.
    “So Quinn took you to the Hair of the Dog,” Bill said. “He thought that was an appropriate response?”
    I could tell Bill was furious, but as usual, I didn’t know why.
    “It may have worked,” Cataliades said. “Consider. Nothing else has happened to her, so apparently Quinn’s threat took root.”
    I tried not to say “Huh?” but I guess Bill’s vampire eyes could see it on my face.
    “He challenged them,” Bill said, sounding even colder than usual. “He told them you were under his protection, and that they harmed you at their peril. He accused them of being behind the attack, but at the same time reminded them that even if they didn’t know of it, they were responsible for bringing the one who planned it to justice.”
    “I got all that on the spot,” I said patiently. “And I think Quinn was warning them, not challenging them. Big difference.