“Good night, Sookie,” he said, very quietly, and then he shut up. I appreciated that more than I could say.

When I got into work the next day at eleven, Sam was dusting all the bottles behind the bar.

“Good morning,” he said, staring at me. “You look like hell warmed over.”

“Thanks, Sam. Good to know I’m looking my best.”

Sam turned red. “Sorry, Sookie. You always look good. I was just thinking . . .”

“About the big circles under my eyes?” I pulled down the skin of my cheeks, making a hideous face for his benefit. “I was real late getting in last night.” I had to kill someone and move his car. “I had to go over to Shreveport to see Eric.”

“Business or pleasure?” And he ducked his head, clearly not believing he’d said that, either. “I’m sorry, Sookie. My mom would say I got up on the tactless side of the bed today.”

I gave him a half hug. “Don’t worry. Every day is like that for me. And I have to apologize to you. I’m sorry I’ve been so ignorant about the legal trouble facing shifters and Weres right now.” It was definitely time for me to look at the big picture.

“You had some good reasons to concentrate on yourself the past few weeks,” Sam said. “I don’t know that I could have recovered the way you have. I’m real proud of you.”

I didn’t know what to say. I looked down at the bar, reached for a cloth to polish away a ring. “If you need me to start a petition or call my state representative, you just say the word,” I told him. “No one should make you register anywhere. You’re an American. Born and bred.”

“That’s the way I look at it. It’s not like I’m any different from the way I’ve always been. The only difference is that now people know about it. How did the pack run go?”

I’d almost forgotten about it. “They seemed to have a good time, far as I can tell,” I said cautiously. “I met Annabelle and the new guy, Basim. Why is Alcide beefing up the ranks? Have you heard anything about what’s been happening in the Long Tooth pack?”

“Well, I told you I’d been dating one of them,” he said, looking away at the bottles behind the bar as if he were trying to spot one that was still dusty. If this conversation continued in the same vein, the whole bar would be spanking clean.

“Who would that be?” Since this was the second time he’d mentioned it, I figured it was okay for me to ask.

His fascination with the bottles was transferred to the cash register. “Ah, Jannalynn. Jannalynn Hopper.”