SNAP: The World Unfolds

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

I spoke at length to Jazz and conferenced with the art director and a couple of layout people on the print issue.  Things ran smoothly in my absence and I slipped back into a work mode easily.

Chaz, Carola and the others who’d gone to Hungary were due in the office today.  I was afraid to ask.  Jazz sensed my hesitation. 

“Jean-Louis isn’t coming back with them.  There’s a rumor that he’s on some special assignment for the Baron.  Maybe trying to find a replacement for Pen.  That sounds like Jean-Louis, getting an assignment to find and photograph beautiful women all over Europe.”  She snickered.

“OK, don’t you guys out there have anything better to do than to start rumors and gossip about co-workers?”  My tone must have been way sharp because I could hear Jazz suck in her breath.

“Uh, yes, we have plenty to do.  I just thought you’d want to hear where everybody is.”  I could feel waves of hurt coming through the phone. 

“It sounds as though everything is set for this week.”  I forced a calmer tone. “You’ve done a good job of holding the office together while I was gone.  Thank you.  And thank you for setting me up with the shoppers at Saks and Neiman.  All of the clothes were a hit.  You should have seen some of the others, as well...”  I stopped myself.  I wasn’t sure that Jazz was aware and fully understood the implications of working for vampires.

“It looked like some of the other women shop in Paris.  The clothes were lovely.”  It was a lame ending, but Jazz had heard the thank you’s as sincere and that was what mattered.

Jazz’ voice regained her normal bounce. “How is the New York office, by the way?  I’ve never been there.”

“It’s nice. It’s at the RockefellerCenter complex but it’s not right in the middle.  I only have a view of some other skyscrapers.  When I have to come back, I’ll try and finagle a way to get you here, too, if you’d like.”

“That would be super.  Where are you staying?”

“I’m at the Baron’s apartment off of Park Avenue.  I’ve always been in a hotel before and this is pretty swanky.”

“Oohhh,” Jazz sucked in her breath again, this time with admiration. “That’s cool, Maxie.  Not everybody gets to stay there.  Getting invited to the castle and now staying in the Baron’s New York apartment...you’re coming up in the world.   Does that mean that I’m coming up, too?”

If only she knew what I was coming up to.

 Actually, I wasn’t sure what I was coming up to.  At best, I was falling in love with a vampire, not the easiest path to true love.  At worst, I could be the cause of some arcane war, where everybody involved in the Baron’s empire could lose their jobs if not their lives.  And I would lose Jean-Louis.   Maybe I wanted to come down in the world.

After the remoteness and quiet of the castle, with the exception of the Huszars, New York felt like a panic.  People, people, people.  I had been used to this energy before and even thrived on it.  During my stint in London at Hello! I used to just walk the streets soaking up the swirling masses.  Different looks, different languages, different faces came by me at a rush and gave me an adrenaline high.  This sense of potency came back to me as Harry and I walked a few blocks to lunch.

He’d chosen a smallish restaurant for the quiet and the food.  It wasn’t a be-seen place and we had time to catch up on what was planned for the next print edition, who we’d like to focus on over the next couple of weeks and how we were planning to replace Pen.  It was clear Harry was a regular, and one of the employees who didn’t know about the vampires.  He had close to twenty years in celeb journalism and knew his stuff, so I could see why the Baron had put him in such a trusted place as the New York manager.  We may not feature a lot of New York faces but New York is the world-class city.

Leaving the office, the car was waiting and it was a replay of last night.  The driver escorted me to the apartment, came in and took a seat in the foyer. 

“I need some time,” a hint he could leave.

He nodded.  “I’ll be ready.   I have new orders. I’ll be with you 24/7.  The housekeeper has set up a room for me. I will stay out of your way as much as I can.”

OK, this was too much.  Again, I was feeling like a prisoner, not just being protected.  I wanted to talk to someone about this but Carola was on her way to L.A. and, with the time difference,  Pen, Jean-Louis and the Baron were meeting to work on the “little Huszar adventure.”  It would have to wait until I get back from the clubs.

This demon’s name turned out to be Paolo and we picked up Harry and headed out.  Going out was a cumbersome project.  Paolo would have the valet park while he escorted us into the club, then he’d stay at a spot near the door, keeping a sight-line on me. When we were ready to leave, he’d check the car thoroughly before he let us in. I wondered what Harry though of all this undercover, secret spook stuff, but he seemed to take it in stride. Probably this was the way the Baron and the others got around when they were in town.

By midnight, I was tucked up in the comfortable bed in the Baron’s apartment, with Elana in her suite and Paolo next door. I’d picked up the phone to call somebody at the castle and give them a piece of my mind but I didn’t get it dialed before it rang.