"What did you hear?" I asked, perking up after a long, mind-numbing school day.
"Well, that dude that was lurking at the drive-in when we saw Kissing Coffins was her brother."
"Yes…," I began, hinting for more info.
"Matt says they've been asking around for Trevor. I think the dude wants to play on the soccer team, but he doesn't even go to our school."
"That's it?" I asked, disappointed. "I wouldn't worry about it. No one will take Matt's position away. Not even a vampire," I mumbled.
"What did you say?" she asked as she pulled the pickup in front of Armstrong Travel.
I stepped out of the truck.
"Are you sure you and Alexander aren't going to elope in Romania?" Becky teased.
"No, but if we do, I'll get four tickets."
I was happy to walk into Armstrong Travel in full goth garb—Herman Munster-
size black boots, purple tights, and a black torn T-shirt dress— instead of their Corporate Cathy dress code of tailored skirts and blouses.
I smiled at Ruby, who was seated at her desk, handing pamphlets to two customers. Ruby's friendly expression strained as I stood like an ill-mannered eyesore in the very conservative business.
"I'll be right with you," Ruby said, hinting at an out-of-the-way chair behind a rack of luggage tags.
"I'm just browsing," I said, and began glancing at a map of Hawaii.
Finally the young couple with Mexico brochures in their hands rose. They looked at me oddly, then cowered past, as if at any moment my bat body tattoo was going to jump off my arm and bite their heads off.
"I'll call you to confirm," Ruby said with a wave as the couple scurried out the door.
"Raven, it's great to see you," she greeted sincerely. "What brings you by?"
"Is Janice in?" I asked, secretly hoping she wasn't.
"No, she's at the post office. Is there something I can help you with?"
"Well…has anyone in town booked a vacation in the last few days?"
"People book vacations every day. This is a travel agency, you know," she said with a smile.
"I mean—" "Why would you want to know?"
Well, there are these two teen vampires who are hiding out in town, waiting for the right moment to bite Trevor Mitchell. I believe they are living in a vacant garage, probably belonging to a vacationer, I wanted to say. I imagined Ruby's pleasant face turning to shock, then horror, then her plugging away at her keyboard for a list of addresses. "You go, Raven Madison. Save Dullsville. Save the world."
"Uh…for a school report," I said instead. "I'm doing statistics on spring vacations."
"I'm sorry, hon, but I can't give out that information. You ought to know that; you worked here."
"But that's precisely the reason I thought you'd tell me."
"I'd love to help, but I just can't give out names, addresses, and itineraries," she said with a laugh. "In the wrong hands that information could be used for home invasions."
"Or at least garages," I said.
Ruby appeared confused just as the phone rang.
"Armstrong Travel, Ruby speaking. Can I help you make a reservation?" she said in an ultra-perky voice.
I fiddled with the white pens on her desk.
"Of course, let me see," she said, and began plugging away at her computer keyboard.
The phone rang again, this time lighting up line two of Ruby's white phone.
"Can I put you on hold?" Ruby asked. "Oh…you are calling from where?"
As the red light flashed and the phone continued to ring, I spun Ruby's lucite organizer and wondered how I could hack into their computer without the FBI finding out.
Ruby covered the receiver with her hand. "Do you mind answering that?" she asked, pointing to Janice's phone.
Who did she think I was? I didn't work here anymore, and I most certainly wasn't on the clock.
I went to Janice's desk, pressed line two, and picked up the phone. "Armstrong Travel, where Spain is hot and the men are hotter. Can I book you a trip there?"
"Do you have any specials on cruises?" a woman's voice asked.
"Janice?" I said. "Janice, is that you?"
Ruby glanced over at me.
"No, my name isn't Janice," the caller answered. "It's Liz. I'm interested in a vacation cruise to Alaska."
"Keys?" I asked loud enough for Ruby to hear. "You need car keys?"
"No," Liz corrected. "I said 'cruise.'" Ruby looked over.
"You're at the post office? Your cell is breaking up. You need Ruby to pick you up?"
"I thought you said this was Armstrong Travel," Liz said.
"Let me talk," Ruby said to me. "Excuse me," she said politely to her caller, "I need to put you on hold."
"I'm sorry, I must have the wrong number," the inquiring Liz said, and hung up.
Ruby switched lines just as line two's red light went dead. "Janice? Janice?"