Tricked

under the table.
    Sorry, buddy , I said, properly chastised. I got a bit distracted . I unwrapped his sandwich for him and set it down on the floor on top of the paper. There was no one else in the shop to see me do this, besides Greta.
    › I know. You do that a lot. You keep letting little things like the world around you distract you from the important things. Like filling the yawning abyss of my belleh. ‹
    Greta returned with two double-meat foot-longs and a drink. One of them was a double roast beast, and she pointedly unwrapped it and put it on the floor for Oberon. It was a snide way to let me know she knew he was there, despite the camouflage. No doubt she’d smelled what he was having and ordered another. Our booth was out of sight of the employees, so she didn’t have to hide what she was doing.
    › Whoa! Another sandwich? Awesome! Tell her thanks! This is weird, though. Werewolves aren’t usually this nice. ‹
    » My hound thanks you, « I said. » As do I. «
    » He is very welcome, « Greta said. » I am sure he’s quite hungry, after all, « she added, a faint accusation in her tone. Granuaile narrowed her eyes at Greta but said nothing. I carefully kept my expression neutral.
    › Ah, there’s the werewolf attitude I know so well. Situation normal. ‹
    Greta quickly, efficiently demolished her turkey sub, glaring at us all the while with unconcealed hostility. She was here on the orders of her new alpha, and she would do whatever he asked of her, but he hadn’t asked her to be pleasant, so she wouldn’t be. Since I was outside the Tempe Pack, she could throw all the challenging stares she wanted at us. I could practically feel Granuaile seething next to me, and I hoped she wouldn’t rise to the bait Greta was dangling. I shot her a quelling look, pressed my hand down in the air to suggest she keep a lid on it, and she nodded, message received. I’d have to coach her later on how to handle werewolves.
    Finished sinking our subs, we crumpled the paper wrappings noisily and threw them away. Greta opened up her courier bag and began pulling out documents along with a pen. No friendly chitchat, just business.
    » Fill these out with your banking information and so on. Sign at the bottom, « she said.
    Seeing that she would volunteer nothing, I began to ask her questions as I filled in blanks. » How is Rebecca Dane doing with the bookstore? « I said. I’d given Hal instructions to sell it to her for the random sum of a buck seventy-two.
    » Perfectly well. The same regulars visit the store as before. «
    » How is Leif? «
    » He’s back. «
    I looked up from the documents I was signing. » No kidding? He looks the same? «
    » I wouldn’t say that. But he smells the same. Dead. «
    Something in her tone didn’t sound right. » What’s the matter with him? «
    Greta shrugged. » Can’t say. He’s not a happy vampire. Probably because he has a lot more company these days. He’s not the only vampire in town anymore. «
    » I’ve heard something along those lines. Why doesn’t he take them out like he did before? «
    » Says he can’t do that this time. The politics have changed. «
    » Vampire politics? «
    » He would hardly care about human politics, so yes. He wants to see you, but of course we didn’t know where you were until you called this morning. Shall we tell him where you are when he wakes up tonight? «
    » Um, no, « I said. If the vampire politics had changed, in practical terms that meant Leif was no longer in charge. If he wasn’t in charge, then Leif might have to share anything he knew with whoever was. » Definitely do not tell him where I am. Don’t even tell him my new name. «
    Greta looked surprised. » You don’t want to see him? «
    » I didn’t say that. I’d simply like to meet on neutral ground. Tell him to meet me at Granny’s Closet tomorrow night, around eight-thirtyish. That’s in Flagstaff. «
    » Sure, I know Granny’s Closet, « Greta said. » Great wings there. Cold beer. «
    » Indeed. What can you tell me about how my death is being handled? «
    » By whom? «
    » I want everything you know. «
    She rolled her eyes and sighed. We carefully did not take offense. » Hal has been busy dealing with the FBI. They’ve taken quite an interest in you now that you’re dead. They’re especially keen to know about your life before you showed up in Arizona as Atticus O’Sullivan, since you don’t have a credit history or any other records