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With the promise of a piping-hot Hatsy'sburger and atomic fries, I bribed Becky into driving me to the Emerson building on our way home from school. It was like me to snoop, so I took advantage of my true nature. Of course, Becky was horrified with the whole idea and decided to wait in the car.

"I need your help," I said.Advertisement

"You do so well on your own."

"We can cover more terrain with two people. I want to know what they might have come here for."

"Isn't that spying? Maybe Alexander's father was getting a haircut. Why would that be such a big deal?"

It wouldn't be if they weren't vampires,I wanted to say. "Nothing about them is usual"

Becky put the truck in park.

"Fine, I'll go myself. But leave the truck running in case I need a quick getaway."

"Wait," she said, hopping out of the truck. "I'd better keep my eye on you."

"Works every time," I mumbled.

The Emerson building was like any other upscale office center. The blue and white glass structure was box-shaped. A three-tiered fountain highlighted the center of the building, and itsMasonite floors sparkled as if they'd just been waxed.

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Becky appeared to be intimidated by what she thought was a security guard ready to arrest all teen loiterers.

"It's an info desk," I said. "Chill out"

I made my way to the elevators and scanned the alphabetized list of tenants hanging on the wall.

"Now we have to see which one they went into,"

"I thought you just wanted to know what was in the building."

I ignored Becky's comment. "They visited at night, so that should eliminate some of these."

I dragged Becky into the male-only hair salon.

"We only do men's hair," theoverdyed red-haired receptionist said before I asked her a question.

"I know. Did a couple come in last night?"

"A male couple?"

"No, a man and a woman.They're fromRomania ."

"No."

"Well, thanks for your help," I said."One down, five hundred to go."

We opened the glass doors to a Younger You cosmetic surgery office.

"Do you remember seeing a couple here yesterday?" I asked the receptionist, who could have doubled as a nurse.

"Our client list is confidential"

" Iunderstand you can't tell me who visited your office, but you surely can tell me who didn't. So can you confirm that a man and woman fromRomaniadidn't visit this office yesterday?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes."

"Yes, they did?"

"Yes, they didn't."

Becky was getting fed up. Not with the office workers - but with me.

"How about I wait here?" she asked, pointing to the fountain.

"Just stay with me. I won't appear to be such a crackpot you're by my side," I begged her.

We got in the elevator and made our way floor by floor, office by office. "Did a couple come in here last evening dressed like me?" I'd ask, and each receptionist would gawk at me and respond similarly, "No. I think I'd remember."

The last office was Berkley Realtors.

"I'm tired. Please, let's go home" Becky pleaded.

"But we only have one more togo "

"I'm leaving," Becky said, exhausted.

My feet hurt, too. And who knew, maybe one of these receptionists we spoke with wasn't working yesterday.

"All right," I said, guiding my weary friend into the elevator. "Enough parent hunting for today..."

"Tomorrow," Becky said as the elevator doors closed, "you can take the bus." pqdm.com