After cleaning out her attic with Dermot and Claude, Sookie rides with Sam to a Shreveport antiques store to arrange an appraisal. They stop by Hooligans on the way back and find the club full of assorted fae. Sookie questions her great-uncle and cousin about her fae heritage but receives only a promise to talk later; however, neither fairy returns home that night. The following night, Eric takes Sookie to Victor’s new dance club, Vampire’s Kiss, where she finds out that Victor also owns Vic’s Redneck Roadhouse, the bar that is drawing customers from Merlotte’s. She meets Pam’s lover, Miriam, who is dying of leukemia and whom Victor has forbidden Pam to turn. On the ride home, Sookie is shocked again when Eric physically stops Pam from speaking after she brings up a mysterious letter. Sookie spends another night alone. When Dermot and Claude finally show up for their promised talk, Sookie learns more about her great-grandfather Niall and discovers that he had been getting information about her for some time from Eric. She also realizes that her fae blood is accentuated by her contact with Dermot and Claude. The appraisers arrive as scheduled, and Sookie sells them several items, including her grandfather Mitchell’s desk. Before taking it away, one of the appraisers searches the desk and finds a hidden compartment, which contains an old dress-pattern envelope and a small velvet bag. Sookie recognizes Gran’s handwriting on a letter in the envelope and puts the letter and bag away until she has some time alone to examine them. Jack and Lily Leeds, the detectives who were investigating Debbie Pelt’s disappearance, come into the bar that night. The couple tells Sookie that they have been sent by Mr. Cataliades to warn her about Sandra Pelt’s continuing vendetta against her. Four thugs, high on vampire blood, come into the bar while the Leedses are there. After making threats and pulling weapons, the toughs are subdued and arrested, and no one (except Sookie) realizes she was the target. Sookie calls Amelia the next day to ask if the wards around the house are still strong and if she can find Sandra, and Amelia decides to visit. Sookie reads Gran’s letter and learns even more about her fairy grandfather, including the fact that Mr. Cataliades was his trusted friend and was asked to act as the family sponsor, which explains the demon lawyer’s interest in Sookie. The item in the bag is a cluviel dor, a powerful fairy love token that can grant one wish, a wish capable of changing lives.