“Kim’s missing,” Eve said. “I tried to find her before the rehearsal; we were supposed to get together—anyway, she didn’t show. I was really worried. I was almost late, and I couldn’t find her. She’s not answering her phone, either.”

“Kim,” Oliver said. “Valerie owns her contract. Her unreliability is very much Valerie’s problem.” He didn’t sound overly bothered about it. Claire guessed Kim hadn’t made friends there, either.

“We need you to call the police. Tell them to look for her.”

“No.”

“No?”

“Kim has a Protector, who is responsible for her,” he repeated. “I will not order town resources to be spent chasing down someone who is, in all likelihood, a victim of her own folly in one way or another.”

“Wait a minute. According to the Morganville rules, she’s got rights,” Claire said. “Whether she’s got a vampire Protector or not, she’s still a resident. You can’t just abandon her!”

“In fact, I can,” Oliver said. “I am neither required to help nor harm. Kim Magness is no concern of mine, or any other vampire except Valerie, whom I will inform in due course. If you wish to call Chief Moses and explain the situation, you are free to do so. She and the mayor have jurisdiction over the humans. But I sincerely doubt that a human well known to be unstable, who’s been missing only a few hours, will be a top priority.” He dismissed the whole thing, and walked away, back up the steps. By the time he’d reached the stage, he was back in his meek, mild persona.

That was just weird.

“Son of a bitch,” Eve hissed through clenched teeth.

“Come on, we don’t need him,” Michael said. “Where first?”

Eve took a deep breath. “I guess her apartment.” She cast an almost apologetic look at Claire. “I’m sorry. I know you guys don’t exactly, ah, click, but—”

“I’ll help,” Claire said. Not because she cared so much about Kim, but because she cared about Eve. Eve gave her a quick hug. “Want me to call Shane?”

“Would you?” Eve was making puppy-dog eyes now, really pitiful. “Any help we can get—I’m really worried, Claire. This isn’t like Kim. It really isn’t.”

Claire nodded, took out her phone, and dialed Shane’s number. He didn’t seem to need a lot of encouragement to yell to his boss that he had to go, family emergency. Claire told him they’d swing by to pick him up.

By the time the call was over, they were heading down into the darkened parking garage again. “I can’t believe I did that,” Eve said. “I just totally blew my shot at the play, forever. He’s going to replace me. I’ll never get a part in anything, ever again. My life is over.”

“Blame Kim,” Claire said. “You’re a good friend.”