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beside him.
    “Given what you’ve told us about them so far, and their reason for moving to Chicago,
     I’m surprised they decided to register at all,” Ethan said.
    Noah nodded. “So was I. Most of us haven’t registered. Many Rogues feel that if registration
     of vampires is the first step, internment is the second. They don’t even align themselves
     with Houses of their own kind; they certainly aren’t going to set themselves up for
     de facto incarceration by humans.”
    I could understand his concerns, even if I couldn’t evade them. My father was a real
     estate mogul, and my picture had been in the paper. I was too well known to avoid
     registration even if I’d wanted to, which was why my laminated registration card was
     safe and snug in my wallet, even as much as it offended me.
    “If they were last seen two nights ago,” Ethan said, “what’s made you nervous tonight?”
    “Rose got a call from Oliver’s phone earlier this evening. She didn’t actually talk
     to Oliver; no one was speaking on the other end. But she thinks she heard something
     in the background.”
    I glanced at her. “What did you hear?”
    Her voice was soft. “I don’t know. I thought he’d called me accidentally—like a misdial.
     Nobody was speaking, but I thought I heard something loud, and then voices, but they
     were muffled. I’m not really sure. . . .”
    She glanced at Noah, and seemed hesitant about offering more, so I gently nudged.
    “Anything else?” I asked.
    “I thought I heard . . . maybe a scuffle? Or a fight? Like furniture moving or people
     falling down? That kind of fleshy sound?”
    Ethan nodded, then returned his gaze to Noah. “Have you advised the police Oliver
     and Eve may be missing?”
    Noah shook his head. “I haven’t, and I don’t plan to. We aren’t fans of the city’s
     police establishment. Their history with vampires leaves something to be desired.”
    Noah linked his hands together, elbows on his knees, and leaned forward. “Look, maybe
     this is something; maybe it’s not. Oliver and Eve have left a vampire community before.
     This could be the same situation. And we aren’t crazy about involving others. Bringing
     you into this is . . . challenging for us. But it’s unusual enough that we think it’s
     worth checking into. I apologize for the timing; we certainly hadn’t planned to bring
     trouble to your door tonight.”
    Ethan shook his head, dismissing the worry. “You’re troubled, and we’re colleagues.
     We’re happy to listen.”
    Nicely subtle bit of politicking there
, I thought.
    Noah nodded. “At the risk of ungraciously putting you on the spot, perhaps you could
     make some inquiries? You have certain connections. Your grandfather, for one,” he
     said to me. “Chuck Merit’s a good man. I’d appreciate any help he could offer.”
    I nodded in agreement. My grandfather was unquestionably a good man. One of the best,
     in my opinion. He’d been the city’s supernatural Ombudsman, at least until Mayor Kowalcyzk
     did away with the position. But my grandfather wasn’t dissuaded from his mission;
     he set up shop in his own house.
    They both went quiet for a moment. Ethan, I suspected, was considering whether we
     had the resources to take on someone else’s problem, especially when it wasn’t entirely
     clear there was a problem at all.
    “I know you have a lot on your plate right now,” Noah added. “But you’re the House
     that listens.”
    Ethan looked at me.
Are you willing to discuss this with your grandfather?
he silently asked.
As Noah notes, I do have a bit on my plate.
    Of course
, I said.
And besides—if we don’t help, who will?
The new mayor wouldn’t much care, and the other Houses avoided politics and controversy
     at all cost.
    There was a flash of pride in Ethan’s eyes. He was glad that I hadn’t shrunk back
     from the problem, that I was willing to face it head-on. I was glad of the same from
     him—that he