RED NIGHT ~ VAMPIRE FILES TRILOGY (Book 1)

17

It's late in the day on Wednesday already. This week is flying by. I'm flipping radio stations in the car, on my way to a meeting with a new client.

Gabe hasn't returned from Europe yet, and I'm getting antsy not knowing what he is. I've been wearing the pendant most of the time. I don't shower with it, and I don't wear it in the gym, but I figure those are reasonably safe times to leave it off. It's large enough that I am constantly aware that I have it on.

Adam stayed on my sofa Tuesday evening, but didn't seem to be in the mood to talk, so I worked on my laptop and read some of my novel before going to bed early. Normally I would have grilled him with questions, but I felt sort of bad about bringing up a topic that obviously still caused him some level of pain. His reprieve is over tonight. Under the circumstances, I can only be nice for so long.

Tuesday turned out to be a busy day for me. I landed a new client named Robert Thornton. He believes his wife is having an affair, and wants me to prove it. I spent several hours researching him, checking his and his wife's backgrounds, credit, and business information. Finding that he's legitimate and has the means to pay my fees, I agreed to meet him tonight at the Phoenix Museum of Art at six.

I usually choose public places to make the initial contact. I'm thrilled to have another job since business has been a little slow the last couple of months. I do have to pay my bills, and work has helped me keep my mind from obsessing on other things. It's the little normal things in life that I'm starting to appreciate.

On the way to my meeting I pick up some dry cleaning, return a book to the library, and have some large glossy prints made for one of my cases. When time permits, I try to order these prints online. The looks I get from the kids who run my prints in the copy store range from admirable from the guys and disgust from the girls.

I also manage to place a call to Russell to check in.

By the time I arrive at the museum it's 5:50 p.m. I'm right on time. There's a little time to view some of the exhibit before my client arrives.

For this meeting, I'm dressed in a pencil skirt, fitted blouse, and a cropped jacket. I'm wearing simple cream-colored heels, and my hair is piled in a fashionable but loose bun on the top of my head. The outfit is pulled together with some black-rimmed smart glasses and a briefcase. I always try to dress in a fashion that gives my clients confidence in my abilities. My look says I'm from their circle, which usually goes a long way toward helping them feel comfortable discussing uncomfortable topics.

I head in the direction of the Mysteries from Europe exhibit when I notice a curator roping off the exhibit.

"Excuse me, but I'm meeting someone at this exhibit. I thought it was open until nine," I say, pushing my glasses up on my nose and looking down at him.

At five-foot-nine, without heels, I'm as tall as most men. Add heels, and I'm usually looking down at them. It took me all of high school and part of college to learn how to walk tall and own my height.

"I apologize, but the exhibit has been reserved for a private viewing. We have several other wonderful exhibits that will be open until nine," he says.

"I still have ten more minutes." I give him a pouty look.

He steps back out of my way, and says, "Please hurry."

I give him a big smile and hustle into the exhibit. I meander through the rooms looking for any works that catch my interest. Museums are like ice cream for me. I could blow an entire day studying the art and history put on display in a single exhibit. It pains me that I can only breeze through this one.

Stopping in front of a painting by an unknown artist, I start to get lost in the details as I tend to do. The painting is called Lady MacKenzie and Her Son. It's a beautiful oil-on-canvas painting of a woman with dark hair wearing a lovely white dress, and a young boy dressed sharply for the day. It has a whimsical feel, and it's dated 1750.