Ronnie leaves, leaving Anita pondering over what to do next. She narrows her options down to two, go back to bed or get a crack-a-lacking on this case everyone is hounding her about, while her bed is softly calling to her like an eager lover, she decides that while she can live on 4 hours sleep, she won't nearly get as far if a vampire rips her throat out for dragging her feet.
Now one would think after that sort of thought we would get straight into the meat of this mystery right? Clearly you haven't been paying attention.
No, instead we get Anita bitching about how hard it is to carry a gun in summer, she can't wear a jacket over it since she'll melt and putting it in her bag would be kinda pointless... Only, I thought she mentioned in an earlier chapter that she could strut around with her gun in plain view, so... Why does she need to conceal it?
ANYWAYS! Even though no one has been started shooting at her yet, and she's happy about this, the fact that she's already been kidnapped is making her mildly paranoid. She goes on to state that she can bench press 100 pound, google has kinda informed me that this equals to 45kg, it sounded way more impressive in pounds, just saying.
We also learn that she weighs 106 pounds (48kg) I'm not sure why we're being informed of this since we still haven't really been given a clear description of Anita yet so... Yeah, though it does make her lifting 45kg more impressive.
Anita now starts on her clothes porn, she's wearing a over-sized shirt that hits her mid-thigh and 'billows' around her, it has penguins playing volleyball on the front, she goes on to state that she likes penguins and since this shirt was purchased pajamas, she's naturally a little subconscious about wearing it, before figuring that she could easily shoot any fashion police that pop out of the woodwork to fine her.
Blah blah, gun info, then for some reason she feels the need to tell us that she is wearing white and blue socks that match her Nike's, she looks and feels like a awkward 16yr old but there is no sign of the gun so she counts herself dressed and leaves.
Oh dear god... She dressed like that to do to work, I just... Just.. Wow.
She starts jabbering on about Bert her boss, while he doesn't have the talent to raise the dead, he does have the talent to make money out of it, she's casting him as the money hungry businessman, but honestly he just sounds business savvy.
We learn that their reception room is practically a jungle with all the plants sitting around and the day receptionist is Mary, a fifty something old lady, she comes from a decent sized family and Anita sneers about how Mary isn't into the natural look.
Anita asks to see Bert and to grab some things out of her office, we learn that they share offices since they spend most of their time trudging through graveyards. Her co-worker Jamison currently has a client, when Anita asks how long they might be, we learn that it's a mother whose son wants to join the church of eternal life, I'm not sure what animators have to do with religion, but then again I'm not sure what they have to do with solving murders either so... -shrugs-
Anita snarkily asks if Jamison is trying to talk the son in or out of the church, again... Not sure how this is any of their business.
Even though it turns out that the church is actually a vampire run, as Anita goes on to say, it's the first church that can give you eternal life and prove it. No mystery, self-doubt or worry, you're curious about dying? Just ask a vampire member!
We then get the usual shit you generally get in vampire books, what about the vampires soul? Anita goes on about how she's proven vamps can die for good, but apparently no one is curious about what happens to a vamps soul when they die. Could you be a good vamp and go to heaven? Not according to Anita at least.
Seriously, what is with no one being curious about anything in this world? First ghouls now religious debate about the vampire souls, these people must be the most boring conversationalists.
Now we meet Bert, "There's nothing small about Bert. Six-four, broad shoulders, a collage athlete's figure getting a little soft around the middle. His white hair is close-cut over small ears. A boater's tan forces his pale eyes and hair into sharp contrast. His eyes are a nearly colorless grey, like dirty window glass."
I'm just going to leave that there for you to enjoy.
Bert is excited because he just received the check the vamps sent as payment for Anita looking into the vamp murders, Anita goes off on an internal tangent about how it seems obscene that Nicky thinks she could make everything right by throwing money at.
Well, actually she's only doing what was promised in the first place, double your usual rate if you pick up this job.
When Anita learns that the check is for ten thousand dollars, she snarkily states that its not enough, a statement that makes Bert laugh, saying that she's getting greedy in her old age, and that greediness is his job.
Anita goes on to state that no, she meant that's not enough money to cover what Catherine and herself have been through.
Bert is naturally cautious at this, asking what she means. She gives him the revised version, when she gets to the part about Aubrey man-handling her into the wall he pauses her with a "You've got to be kidding"
Anita offers to show him her bruises, she finishes the story.
Apparently Bert is sitting there trying to figure a way out to keep the check, when Anita calls him on this he is shocked, stating that he would never do anything to endanger her. A statement Anita calls bull on, don't you people have laws against your boss throwing you into dangerous situations??
There is something measuring, obscenely knowledgeable, about Bert's smile. As if he knew the darkest thing you had ever done and would gladly keep it a secret--for a price.
Anita then goes on about how not giving a damn about what other people think of you is unAmerican, that they are taught above all else to be liked, popular and nice. Going against this makes you a dangerous person... Really? Is this actually true because wow America I'm sorry but that's just weird.
He then asks how his business can help her, Anita goes on to say that she's brought Ronnie on board and that the less people involved means that less people get hurt.
Bert calls her a Humanitarian, she agrees, stating that he isn't. Bert claims that he didn't know what the vamps wanted, Anita says that's irrelevant and the next time he sends her a vamp without first asking she'll quit.
Bert mocks her by asking where she'll go, Anita claims that she'll just take their client list, since she's the one who gets all the advertising attention that helped get the company it's name. (Hopefully she was better dressed and a lot more professional during all this)
Bert points out that she won't make it without him, she turns the tables by asking if he'll make it without her. They both come to the conclusion that they'd both make it, after a 'tense' couple of seconds as they glare at each other, Bert laughs, Anita joins in and he agrees that he'll run any potential vampire clients asking for her, by her first.
Bert asks if she really would have left, Anita points out that she doesn't do idle threats, after agreeing that he does know, Bert goes on to state that he really didn't know this job would endanger her life, Anita asks if it would have made a difference. Bert says no, but he would have charged more.
Anita naturally doesn't find this very amusing, leaving the room to allow Bert to molest the check, she ponders to herself how the check is blood money (no pun intended) and how it doesn't seem to bother Bert, but it sure as hell bothers her.
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