Published at 15th of November 2020 02:35:21 AM
Chapter 73
When Zach and Benjamin returned to the Grande Funeral Home, it was already evening . With the change of seasons, the time of sunlight gradually extended . At 6 o’clock, the city of Barton was in the dim yellow between the sunlight and darkness .
The two came home late because after leaving James’ loft, they detoured to the place where the only kidnapped suicide found by the police was working . They wanted to see if there were any clues that could be found, but there was nothing, so in the end, they could only bathe in the yellow glow of the setting sun and return to Grande Funeral Home .
The ambiguity created by the scenery of the setting sun should have been cherished, but the Grande family seemed to disdain such a time .
Old Hank was nowhere to be seen, and Jim stood naked alone in the kitchen, enjoying the reward after waiting for the entire afternoon . Alice and Louise were sitting in Zach’s room on the second floor watching “Cook’s Kitchen” .
Alice is an absolute fan of ‘Cook’ . A few days ago, this cooking show was brought forward to be broadcasted at five o’clock, which is a relatively unpopular time period . For this, this simple banshee even wrote a complaint to the TV station: “At six o’clock, most people have just finished their work . When they get home and turn on the TV, they can only see the freshly baked food, but they don’t know the cooking materials and techniques . This is wrong!”
Of course, the banshee’s letter received no response, but the slightly fat Cook expressed his optimism in the show the next day: “Being able to teach housewives to prepare a perfect dinner for their husbands and children before dinner is also pleasant . ”
The banshee melted at this response .
Zach stood by the door, watching Alice reluctantly say goodbye to the people on TV and promise to meet again on time tomorrow; he couldn’t help feeling a little bit of joy .
“There are a few calls . ” Louise waited patiently, letting Zach immerse in the scene for a while, “I didn’t answer, but they left messages . ”
Zach smiled and nodded . The three left the room, and Alice was about to prepare dinner . Obviously, for Cook’s sake, she turned down Lola’s celebration party at [Parker Primary School] .
Zach returned to the office, habitually poured himself a glass of “wine”, and pressed the play button of the answering machine .
Then some regular appointments and consultation calls were written on paper by Zach .
“Grande Funeral Home, Mr . Grande . Uh, I’m Wells from the ‘Barton Land Planning Bureau’ . ”
The voice from the answering machine was a little dull, and the tone showed the fatigue of the owner . Zach raised his eyebrows and kept listening .
“I made this call because, uh, the western cemetery that once belonged to the Grande Funeral Home has been taken back by the city government, and it is now in the pre-investigation stage of reconstruction . ”
Zach took a sip of the “wine”, he underestimated Anthony, the mayor actually touched that land so quickly .
“Uh, so, we need to check some information, and we hope that we can get Mr . Grande’s cooperation . Well, that’s it, I don’t know if Mr . Grande will have time tomorrow . Uh… Anyway, contact me when you receive a message, my number is xxxxx . Oh, by the way, please contact me during working hours . Thank you . ”
Then it was the sound of the phone being hung up . Zach looked at the current time and happily left the matter behind .
The answering machine continued to roll .
“It’s still me, Wells . You did not return the call, maybe you are not in or something . Uh, but I’m going to get off work . ”
Zach sighed, it was still the tired, feeble male voice . Zach listened helplessly .
“Anyway, you will always come back to listen to the messages at night . In short, I will go to the Grande Funeral Home tomorrow morning, please do not leave . That’s it, uh, thank you, goodbye . ”
Zach smiled helplessly, he had already heard the helplessness and impatience in the tone of this government worker . Zach put down his wine glass, thought for a moment, decided not to give this guy a hard time, and waited for his arrival tomorrow .
But before that, Zach picked up the phone and dialed the private line in Anthony’s office . That government worker didn’t say it clearly . Zach didn’t know what he was investigating, so asking Anthony should help .
“Who is it?!” Anthony was as direct as always .
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“Zach . ” Zach shook his glass .
Sighing heavily, Anthony’s tone on the receiver was more impatient than any government worker, but it was understandable . After six o’clock, Mr . Barton’s Mayor was still working hard in the office . This is a good thing! Right! Right?
“What is it this time?”
In the receiver, a woman’s peculiar pants could not escape the vampire’s ears, Zach curled his eyes, and it seemed that the beautiful secretary had been conquered .
“Did I interrupt something? Maybe I should call back later . ” Zach had a chuckle in his tone, and he could even imagine Anthony became angry over the phone!
“Pa!” The phone was hung up .
It was seven o’clock when the phone rang, let’s applaud for Barton’s Mayor, Anthony .
“What do you want?” The previous impatience disappeared from Anthony’s tone, and a pleasant voice came from the receiver .
“Tomorrow there will be someone from the Barton Land Planning Bureau conducting an investigation on the cemetery in the Western District . ” Although Zach could not say that he was happy for his friend, his tone contained a friendly smile, “Should I pay attention to something?”
“Oh . ” Anthony was reminded and remembered something: “It’s nothing, it’s just a regular investigation . Just prepare the funeral records in the Western District . ”
“That’s simple!” Zach remembered what he saw in Ford’s cemetery this afternoon; the government workers were harassed . He believed that the situation of the former owner of the cemetery, Ford Funeral Home, was not much better . Zach hesitated again: “Anthony, do you really want to touch the land over there? You know that many of the big names in Barton are buried there . ”
“I know . ” The remaining frivolity disappeared from Anthony’s tone: “That’s why there is an investigation . You should be aware of the chaos on Ford’s side, so we hope that the planning of the next few cemeteries can be smooth . The specific work is not something you should worry about, you just need to cooperate . ” Mr . Mayor can clearly differentiate between public and private affairs, and he did not reveal more information because of his relationship with Zach .
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Being able to get such a response, Zach was already satisfied . Anthony will not infringe on the legitimate rights and interests of Barton citizens, and Grande is also a member of Barton . Zach most appreciated Anthony’s fairness and hoped James could do the same .
“Okay . ” Zach nodded and thought for a while . Instead of mentioning the small problem James encountered, he reminded Anthony to protect himself as always and then hung up the phone .
The Grande family’s night is no different from ordinary families . The breathing and heartbeat of life continue smoothly in the dark . Inanimate things, such as coffins in the display area, the accessories, and furniture in the office, the hay in Benjamin’s warehouse, the vampire lying beside Louise, the earthbound spirit floating on the roof humming the Beavers’ team song… In short, everyone will find a way to rest .
Until…
Old Hank opened his eyes before dawn, pushed open the door of the Grande Funeral Home, hunched his back, and went to collect today’s newspaper while facing the morning sun . Alice was awakened by the Great Dane, rubbing her sleepy eyes into the kitchen . Benjamin stretched his naked body in the sun, and the shallow hair covering his strong body was coated with gold in the sun . Zach slowly waited for the blood in his body to recover, then covered the quilt for Louise, who was still asleep while shoving away the lecherous Ryan who was a teenager .
This is how the day at the Grande Funeral Home began .
Before nine o’clock, an old car parked in front of the Grande Funeral Home . A government worker named Wells, wearing a formal suit that has been washed repeatedly, and holding a brown briefcase with the corners peeled off, pushed the large-frame glasses on the bridge of his nose and stood opposite Zach’s desk .
“Mhm . ” Wells, who looked less than thirty, reached out his right hand, Zach held it, and separated, “Thank you for your time . ” Wells spoke politely, but his eyes were indifferent, which was in line with Zach’s impression of all government workers . He retracted his right hand and drew a work permit from his purse, and handed it to Zach: “Wells Pitt . ”
Zach glanced at the work permit and handed it back to the other party: “Pleased to meet you, Mr . Pitt . ”
“Just call me Wells . ” Wells showed a self-deprecating smile, his impression of Grande was not so good because he didn’t answer the call yesterday . But now, the other party is at least a polite guy .
“Then you can just call me Zach . I was out yesterday and I missed your call . I’m really sorry . ” Zach smiled and apologized for yesterday .
“Uh, it’s okay . ” Wells took out a few pieces of information in his bag and handed them to Zach . This is a guy who really doesn’t want to waste a bit of time: “It’s fine if you are here today . This is the description of this investigation . Take a look . ”
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Zach took the information and glanced at it roughly . Excluding official words such as “for better planning of the land in Barton”, the key point was to obtain the funeral records of the Grande Funeral Home’s Western Cemetery .
Zach nodded: “I heard some news in this regard, and it was ready last night . ” Zach pointed to a pile of documents neatly arranged on the desk to his side, “But I still need a court search warrant . ” Zach looked at the civil servant with a smile .
“Uh-” Wells stared at Zach in front of him with his eyes behind the lens confused .
“You should know that when the funeral business is privatized, these materials have changed from public materials to private ones . If you want to see it, I need a search warrant from the court . ” Zach looked at Wells, who didn’t seem to understand, and explained it again .
“Of course, you can also count everyone’s name directly in the cemetery, then you don’t need these . ” Zach “kindly” reminded this guy who has just developed a good feeling for Grande .
After a short silence, Wells put away the information he had just handed out and walked out of Zach’s office without saying goodbye . After a while, the sound of the old car engine sounded away from the Grande Funeral Home .
Just after nine o’clock, the phone at Zach’s desk rang, and Zach answered it . It was Anthony’s voice . It seemed that the mayor finally received the message that Zach had left him last night .
“Are you sure? !”
“I’m pretty sure, I have confirmed with Hank about what happened at the time . ” Zach said flatly .
“Where is he? ” Anthony’s voice was filled with weird emotions, excitement, anger, and fear .
“The north section, the fourth tomb facing eastward on the second row, No Name . ”
Yes, Zach was not trying to make things difficult for the ordinary civil servant named Wells, but thought it was necessary to inform Anthony of what he had discovered . The decision was not in Zach’s hands . He must respect Anthony’s decision . Therefore, the planning of the cemetery in the Western District must be delayed .
You may wonder why people like Old Hank would have so much respect from a group of nonhumans . Here is the answer, because Old Hank once personally buried someone there . Although on the tombstone, it was engraved with “No Name”, he kept the real name for the person out of respect on the document .
Who is he? The last ‘Toreador’ of the vampiric sect, the Camarilla, Zach’s first ‘child’, and the person who gave Anthony, the Mayor of Barton, the Purple Heart Medal awarded by the Federation – Anthony’s brother Ian Anthony . (Purple Heart is awarded to the disabled in the Federal War . If the grantor is no longer alive, the family will accept it . )