and the gang were wondering if you wanted to come by this weekend, do some socializing."
I scooped up a toad of my own and eyed him dubiously. "Doing what?"
He grinned at me. "Playing Arcanos, man. The campaign is getting really fun."
Role-playing games. I made a monosyllabic sound. The old lady with the shopping cart wandered past us, the wheels of the cart squeaking and wobbling.
"Seriously, it's great," he insisted. "We're storming the fortress of Lord Malocchio, except we have to do it in disguise in the dead of night, so that the Council of Truth won't know who the vigilantes who brought him down were. There's spells and demons and dragons and everything. Interested?"
"Sounds too much like work."
Billy let out a snort. "Harry, look, I know this whole vampire war thing has you jumpy. And grouchy. But you've been lurking in your basement way too much lately."
"What vampire war?"
Billy rolled his eyes. "Word gets around, Harry. I know that the Red Court of the vampires declared war on the wizards after you burned down Bianca's place last fall. I know that they've tried to kill you a couple of times since then. I even know that the wizards' White Council is coming to town sometime soon to figure out what to do."
I glowered at him. "What White Council?"
He sighed. "It's not a good time for you to be turning into a hermit, Harry. I mean, look at you. When was the last time you shaved? Had a shower? A haircut? Got out to do your laundry?"
I lifted a hand and scratched at the wiry growth of beard on my face. "I've been out. I've been out plenty of times."
Billy snagged another toad. "Like when?"
"I went to that football game with you and the Alphas."
He snorted. "Yeah. In January, Dresden. It's June." Billy glanced up at my face and frowned. "People are worried about you. I mean, I know you've been working on some project or something. But this whole unwashed wild man look just isn't you."
I stooped and grabbed a toad. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"I know better than you think," he said. "It's about Susan, right? Something happened to her last fall. Something you're trying to undo. Maybe something the vampires did. That's why she left town."
I closed my eyes and tried not to crush the toad in my hand. "Drop the subject."
Billy planted his feet and thrust his chin out at me. "No, Harry. Dammit, you vanish from the face of the earth, you're hardly showing up at your office, won't answer your phone, don't often answer your door. We're your friends, and we're worried about you."
"I'm fine," I said.
"You're a lousy liar. Word is that the Reds are bringing more muscle into town. That they're offering their groupies full vampirehood if one of them brings you down."
"Hell's bells," I muttered. My head started to ache.
"It isn't a good time for you to be outside by yourself. Even during daylight."
"I don't need a baby-sitter, Billy."
"Harry, I know you better than most. I know you can do stuff that other people can't—but that doesn't make you Superman. Everyone needs help sometimes."
"Not me. Not now." I stuffed the toad into my sack and picked up another. "I don't have time for it."
"Oh, that reminds me." Billy drew a folded piece of paper out of the pocket of his sweats and read it. "You've got an appointment with a client at three."
I blinked at him. "What?"
"I dropped by your office and checked your messages. A Ms. Sommerset was trying to reach you, so I called her and set up the appointment for you."
I felt my temper rising again. "You did what?"
His expression turned annoyed. "I checked your mail, too. The landlord for the office dropped off your eviction notice. If you don't have him paid off in a week, he's booting you out."
"What the hell gives you the right to go poking around in my office, Billy? Or calling my clients?"
He took a step in front of me, glaring. I had to focus on his nose to avoid the risk of looking at his eyes. "Get off the high horse, Harry. I'm your freaking friend. You've been spending all your time hiding in your apartment. You should be happy I'm helping you save your business."
"You're damned right it's my business," I spat. The shopping cart lady circled past in my peripheral vision, cart wheels squeaking as she walked behind me. "Mine. As in none of yours."