Even Vampires Get the Blues Read Online Free PDF Page A

motheris an elf, and yet insist that there are no such things as faeries.”
    â€œI refuse to talk to you when you get in that mood,” Clare said, and picked up an empty milk jug she’d brought to serve as a vase. “I won’t let you ruin the excitement of the day with all that nonsense.”
    â€œExcitement?” I looked around the small office as Clare left to fill the vase with water. The painter had toddled off, leaving the faint odor of acrylic paints behind her. Through the open door I could see a dark, dingy hallway that led to a couple of flats and a shared bathroom.
    â€œThat’s not quite the word that comes to mind,” I said loud enough that Clare could hear me down the hall. “But never fear! A little elbow grease and some creative decorating courtesy of that thrift store you saw on the way in should do much to wipe out the years of neglect. I just wish Mila would come and get her boxes of sex toys.”
    Clare’s muffled voice drifted into the room as I crawled under the desk to plug in the computer equipment. “You shouldn’t have told her she could keep her stock here.”
    â€œI had a hard enough time persuading her to rent this office to me—ow!” I rubbed the back of my head where I cracked it on the underside of the desk. “Evidently her sex store is doing a tremendous amount of business and she needs all the storage space she can get. Besides, she knocked a hundred pounds off the rent just for us putting up with a few extra boxes.”
    Clare’s answer was drowned out by the sound of running water. I scooted backward under the desk,dragging with me the phone cord to plug in the new set of phones I’d purchased. “Regardless of the naughty toys, I don’t know how exciting this job is going to be to someone who spends time in Milan and Paris and Berlin being paid thousands of pounds to stand around and pout in her panties.”
    â€œIt’s not nearly as exciting as you might think,” Clare said, coming back into the room. “That’s why I decided to go on hiatus for a year. My modeling batteries need to be recharged, and this job should do wonders for that.”
    â€œEh . . . OK.” I plugged the cord into the appropriate wall socket, and jumped violently when the phone above me rang loudly, causing me to whack my head on the desk a second time.
    â€œPhone,” Clare said helpfully.
    â€œOh, thank you. I might have thought it was my umbrella ringing, otherwise.” I hunkered down under the desk rubbing my abused head.
    â€œI’ll get it,” Clare said, hurrying over to her desk. “Your umbrella is ringing. Honestly, Sam! Your imagination! Good morning, Eye Scry, discreet private enquiries, this is Clare. How can I help?”
    I crawled out from under my desk, wondering as I brushed off the dusty knees of my pants who was calling us. I’d only set up the phone lines the day before, and had given the number out to just one person other than Clare. It was probably just the phone company checking to see if the line worked. I turned on my laptop and sat down at my desk while Clare made little murmurs of encouragement to whoever was on the phone.
    â€œI see. Well, I don’t believe that will be a problem,Mr. Race. My partner has a particular talent with finding lost objects. Oh, you did?” Clare looked at me, her eyes round. “Then perhaps it would be best if you talked to her yourself. Can you hold? Thank you.”
    â€œLost items?” I asked. “That’s not a client, is it?”
    â€œYes, it is. It’s a Mr. Owen Race. He’s a medieval specialist of some sort, and he wants us to find some sort of an antique book for him. But Sam—he says that Brother Jacob recommended you to him. I thought you were kicked out of the Order of Diviners?”
    â€œI was, but Jake said he’d keep an ear out for me for anyone who might be able to