Back in Palo Alto before noon, their first stop was to an old phone booth Sam ran past during his morning runs. He ignored any health nut comment from Dean and dashed out of the Impala to the booth. There was an odd look as he returned empty handed.
"The page for motels was torn out."
"Huh." Dean pulled the car back out. "All right. Proof of Dad being around I guess. Okay, college boy. Where is a local library? I'm assuming your fancy college one is off limits."
Sam rolled his eyes at the snark. "Pretty sure we only have the stalker book," he muttered.
"The what?" Dean's head snapped at that. Eyes wide, he repeated it. "Stalker book? What kind of college did you go to Sammy?"
Groaning, Sam let out a long sigh. Mildred picked up her chin from off her arms and the back of the front seat, leaning closer. Sam didn't mean to slip that out. And it was the first she heard of any so-called 'stalker book'.
"It's what Brady and Luis and a few of the guys on campus call it. The actual name is the Student Directory. It's the acting phone book for all current students and professors. Has all mailboxes listed, as well as office or dorm room numbers. Both phone numbers and actual room numbers. A campus phone book. That's it. The stalker book name probably started up as a bad college joke. I think there's been enough of the security guys picking up on the name and pushing to get rid of the thing. Or at least redacting photos and student dorm room numbers."
Alarmed, Dean stared. "Okay. Yeah. You know it's creepy bad if I'm agreeing with that idea. Think of when you were in the dorms. Anyone could have found you."
Sam shrugged. "Bad nickname, but far as I know, never the reason behind any attacks. Both were done by abusive boyfriends invited in. And you'd probably freak out about being in an actual phone book for the same reasons."
Opening his mouth to disagree, Dean paused, then closed it.
"I wouldn't put it past him," Mildred muttered under her breath.
From the front seat, Sam fought a wince, smiling apologetically back at her. Then directed his attention to Dean. "The library won't, but the campus mailing area will have extra phone books for the area. Plus there's usually newspapers in the café near it. I'll direct you over to where it's at."
Both of Dean's eyebrows shot up. "Permission to break a Sammy rule and step foot on campus? Hell yeah, let's go. Direct me maestro."
Mildred chuckled at Sam's eyes rising up in beseechment, the volume of 'La Grange' playing on the radio being dialed up by a twirl of Dean's hand. Helplessly, Sam pointed forward, sinking down in the seat. Tapping a hand outside the open window, Dean happily drove the Impala along. Mildred tilted her head over to Sam.
"Don't worry. I can depolarize him from getting any positive female attention."
"Can't stop me from looking!" Dean crowed happily.
Sam sunk further down in the seat.
"Ha! Too tall for that now, Sammysquash!"
"I regret everything."
Dean cackled.
"Like I'm leaving Baby alone," Dean scoffed at Sam's questioning look back inside the vehicle. He flicked a wrist. "Scooch. I'll just be parking her with Red. Chill. I can behave, you know."
Disbelieving, Sam rebuffed that belligerently. "Can you?" And slammed the passenger door shut, fists clenched as he stormed over to the building he'd pointed out.
Dean sniggered. "Way too much fun and easy to irritate him. Like he failed to notice the eyeballing fans roving over at Baby." His hand dangling out the window waggled a few fingers over at the college guys who'd stopped to ogle. And winked at the petite blonde in dark shades who'd paused to look as well.
"Okay." Dean twisted his body around, coming face to face with Mildred. She pulled her head up off the back of the front seat, taken aback by her older brother's serious face. "I'm really not that cool about you and Dad near each other. I know. I let you check out the motel alone, but, let's be honest. Neither of us thought chances were high Dad would be there. And Sam and him, well, that's a volatile combination. I want, need… When we find him, can you hang back with Sam? He's more like to keep his temper in the whistling teapot for you. I'll talk to Dad."
"To take it out on you?"
He flashed a 'trust me' smile at Mildred. "I can take it," Dean proclaimed cockily.
"You think I can't."
Dean raised up an eyebrow. "I know you can, Red. But I started up this whole chase, taking you and Sam into it. This is on me."
Mildred sat up taller, staring him down, hurt and anger plain to see. He winced. And tried for another winsome smile. It didn't last for long.
Scratchy, he spoke more, attempting to get Mildred on board to listening to him. "Red. I spoke to Bobby back after Sam left for Stanford. Never expected him to react like he did, but I'm sure as hell glad you've been with Bobby. Apart from Dad."
Mildred blinked in surprise. Dean had called Bobby back then?
He glanced away, out the busted passenger window, licking his lips. "For a time. And time that's done you well. Wouldn't change it for nothing. A partner on gigs I can trust and who's got my back. And my sister back. In full and more."
"So you want to buffer yourself between us? Between Dad, and Sam and I?" Mildred winced herself, laughing to herself. Confusion on his face, Dean's gaze went back to her. "I uh, hate to tell you, but I think I already made myself the buffer in this case. At the motel, after you dropped me off to check it out, I kind of…called up Dad and bitched him out? On your behalf?"
It was comical. One second, Dean's face was furrowed with confusion and curiosity. The next, his eyes were bugging out and mouth big enough to fit a bug zapper.
"You did what?"
"There was something along the lines of being a reckless idiot too. So. I am well aware of how that voice message will be taken."
"Holy shit," Dean breathed out. "You really have spent far too much time with Bobby."
Mildred frowned. She wasn't sure if she should be outraged or pleased at Dean's comment. "Idjit?"
Hysterical laughter burst out of Dean. Hand going to his forehead, he swiped it back through his spiked hair, eyes staring unseeingly across the Impala. "And I thought Sam was going to be causing fireworks with Dad when we found him. You just brought the title of Atomic City back to Las Vegas."
Still in shock, Dean's head raised up to face her, voice attempting not to sound numb. "Okay. New plan. Freak out Sam and tell him he's in charge of holding you back from a hashing out with Dad. First, a hash out with Sam and me, then a hash out with Dad and you. Yeah. This is going to go awesome."
His head smacked against the back of the front seat. "At least the first one came out okay," he said. Voice muffled up against the seat.
Quizzical, Sam's head popped in from the busted passenger window, glancing between Dean and Mildred. "Is Dean possibly drooling on Baby Imp's interior?"
"Baby. Don't insult her for the millionth and—oh god Baby, I'm so sorry." Hastily, Dean whipped his head from Sam, squinting at the seat and using the end of his shirt sleeve to clean off any invisible moisture. Furiously, he muttered under his breath. "I blame you, Red."
Bewildered, Sam paused in opening up the door, staring at Mildred. "What did you do?"
"She dialed in you and picked up Bobby," Dean gripped. Giving his sleeve a couple more circles around the area, he twisted back in his seat, starting the Impala back up. "Where to?"
"Uh." Sam fumbled, looking away from Mildred and lowered himself into the Impala, flipping the phone book open to the page his index finger marked. "First motel listed for Palo Alto is Coronet."
"Like a crown?"
"Yeah. The address is—"
"Uh, no. Like a fifth generation Dodge Coronet," Dean corrected them both. Glancing over as though they were crazy. "How are we related?"
Mildred raised up a lone eyebrow. "By blood," she said in unison with Sam.
"Smart alecks."
