A quick note: I stopped writing this story a while back due to personal problems, but now I'm back and ready to continue the story. I changed chapters 5, 6, and 7 with new scenes because we needed them for the upcoming chapters. So, if you are a new reader, then just continue reading the story. However, if you are a returning reader, feel free to go back and read those chapters so you can get acquainted with the changes. Thank you for your support!

I hope you enjoyed the previous chapter. I want to thank everybody who took the time to read the story. I am definitely enjoying this and I hope you're enjoying it too.

Disclaimer: I am not the owner of these characters. The original story and the characters belong to Charlaine Harris. I am only borrowing them for a little while.

Chapter 8

While Eric and Pam were dead to the world healing… Sookie was…

I slept only four hours and woke up to a summer day that mocked me with its beauty. The downpour had washed everything, cooled the air, and renewed the green of the grass and the trees. The delicate pink of the old crepe myrtle was unfurling. The cannas would be open soon. I felt like Hell hungover.

But today was bad enough and I could think of nothing to look forward to. Somehow I had to pull out of this state of unhappiness. I couldn't struggle through many days like this.

I tried to think of another good thing to anticipate. Tara would be coming home from the hospital today, and I should cook a meal for her, but there was no time. Tonight I had to find Eric.

I thought about my day today and I was already dreading it, but I must keep my mind occupied until night time. Today was going to be a long day for sure.

First, I checked the news on the computer, but no arrest had been made in Kym Rowe's murder. Detective Ambroselli said, "The police are not close to an arrest, but we're pursuing several leads. Meanwhile, if anyone saw anything in the Clearwater Cove area that night, please call our hotline." So, it would be interesting to hear if Bill and Heidi had found out anything, and it would be interesting-maybe-to ask the writer, Harp Powell, why he was going around with the Rowes. I'd had the feeling he was a cut or two above what he seemed to be doing-making a quick buck off the murder of a young, self-destructive stripper.

Without any news on the murder case, I had to move on with the rest of my day. Merlotte was waiting for me. The lockers for the employee area were supposed to come today on the truck. That would be fun.

The parking lot was not too full yet, but soon it would be with lunch time fast approaching. I goaded and prodded myself into preparation and went in the back door of Merlotte's full of grim determination.

As I tied on my apron, I felt my mouth curve up in my worst smile, the one that sent out "I'm crazy" signals all over the place. It had been a long time since I'd worn that particular smile. I made a round of my tables and realized Sam wasn't behind the bar, Maybe he and Jannalynn the Terrible had gone to Arkansas to get a marriage license. I stopped dead in my tracks, the smile turning into a scowl. Pivoting on my heel, I shot out the back door of Merlotte's. Sam's truck wasn't at his trailer.

In the middle of the employee parking lot I clapped my cell phone to my ear after punching my speed dial.

After two rings, Sam answered.

"Where are you?" I snarled. If I was here being unhappy, Sam should be here, too. Weren't we sort-of partners?

"I took another day off," he said, now clued in about my mood. He was only pretending to be casual.

"Seriously, Sam, where are you?"

"Yeah, you sound pretty damn serious," he said, now borderline angry himself.

"I'm standing outside Jannalynn's house," he said finally. "Jannalynn volunteered us to help Brenda get Splendide back in order after the break-in. I did think I'd get back to Bon Temps sooner than I am."

I started crying. I put my hand over the phone so he couldn't hear me.

"Sookie, what's really wrong?" Sam's voice said.

"I can't tell you standing out here in the parking lot, and anyway, it makes me sound like the most pitiful person." I couldn't manage to get myself under control. When I thought of Freyda's cool surface, I was disgusted with my own irrational display.

And Eric. Oh my Eric! He has been missing and who knows what they have been doing to him. "I'm sorry, Sam. Sorry I called you. I'll see you when you get home. Forget this whole conversation, okay?"

I wanted to ask for his assistance on finding Eric, but maybe that would be too much for Jannalynn to handle. I was already in the "people to kill in the near future" list with her and I didn't want to push my luck.

"Sookie? Listen, just shut up for a minute."

I did.

"Look, my friend, we're gonna be all right," he said. "We'll talk, and everything will look better."

"Maybe not," I said.

"Then we'll deal with that," he said.

"Okay."

"Sookie, is there any reason you can think of that someone might want to tear apart the pieces of furniture you sold to Brenda? I mean, her partner, Donald, said he'd found a secret drawer, but all that was in it was an old pattern and he'd handed that to you. Did you know anything about that furniture that might give any kind of hint why anyone would break it up?"

"No," I lied. "It was just an old Butterick pattern, I think. I bet Jason or I stuck it in there when we were little 'cause we thought that would be funny. I don't even remember Gran showing it to us. You'll have to tell me all about the break-in when you come back. Drive careful."

We hung up.

I shook myself, feeling my personality spinning a thousand miles per hour. Today I was like an emotional tornado ready to destroy everything in front of me, but I had to put myself together somehow. I wiped my face with my apron before marching back into the bar, my cell phone in my pocket like a talisman.

Everyone was eyeing me sideways. I must have startled the customers with my abrupt exit. I did a little courtesy tour around to all my tables, just to let people know I had returned to my right mind. They didn't need to know about my worries over Eric's safety.

I worked through the rest of my shift without descending to the previous level of Hell I'd inhabited.

Kennedy was singing behind the bar, still happy since Danny had revealed his big secret job hunt to her. I didn't feel like talking about vampire stuff at all, so I just rolled with her good mood.

By the time the delivery truck pulled up to the back door, I was borderline psychotic myself. The day was going by way too slow. I kept looking at the time every 5 minutes waiting for the night to come.

I had no other choice but to continue working to pass my day faster. The lockers fit right in the space I'd cleared for them, I'd already bought padlocks for everyone on the staff, and since Sam wasn't there, I got the pleasure of allotting everyone a locker and explaining that though Sam and I wouldn't go in the lockers unless there was a crisis, we would be keeping a key to each one. Since the ladies had trusted Sam all these years with their purses, they shouldn't have any problem trusting him with a change of clothes or a hairbrush. Everyone was pleased and even a little excited, because a change in the workplace can mean a lot.

Sam's truck was parked in front of his trailer when my shift was over, so I felt free to take off. Sam and I needed to talk, but not this evening. I had to find Eric. That was the most important task for tonight.

Anxiety was driving me crazy. The sun would still be up for a couple more hours and the waiting felt eternal.

Dermot was there when I pulled up, and it was good because I didn't want to be alone for the next couple of hours. I would drive myself to insanity.

Supper was ready. All we had to do was get it out of the still-warm oven.

I told Dermot I'd "sent" the letter Bellenos had suggested, and he was so excited that he wanted to go out to the portal then and there to see if there'd been an answer. I persuaded him to wait until the next day, but he was fidgety for a good twenty minutes.

Nonetheless, Dermot was the kind of guest you want to have; he complimented the food, and he helped do the dishes. By the time we cleared away, the night was about to start and it was time for action!

"I'm going to finish caulking the attic windows," Dermot said, still humming with energy.

Though before he'd begun work on the attic room he'd never caulked anything in his life, he'd watched a demonstration online and he was ready to work.

"You rock, Dermot," I said.

He grinned at me. He was really sticking to the attic renovation, despite what I felt was an increasingly weak chance that Claude would return to claim his bedroom. After he went upstairs, I rushed to my bedroom to take a quick shower, dress and without even knowing it I was on my way to Fangtasia.

The drive felt longer than ever, but my mind was too occupied crafting a plan. There were too many "if" and I didn't have a solid lead to find Eric.

I called him before I left my house, but it went straight to his mailbox. I called Pam too without any luck.

It was well into the night, and I knew that customers would be already lined up waiting to enter the club. I wondered who would be at the door. I was certain it had to be Felipe's men.

I pulled up to the parking lot, and much to my surprise, it was empty. Not one single vehicle. I drove slowly to the back of the club and found nobody parked there either. Both Eric and Pam usually parked there.

I parked my car next to the employees' back door and without a second thought I knocked at the door multiple times. Usually, it only took one knock for somebody to open it. This time, I knocked and knocked and nothing happened. I closed my eyes to sense any brain activity or lack of it in the building; there was nothing. It was empty.

This was not normal. Fangtasia is open every day of the year with no exceptions.

I called Eric again. Nothing.

I called Pam again. Nothing.

What was going on here? My heart was pumping too much blood all too fast for my brain to register it. I'm not sure if my blood pressure dropped or went up to the sky, but I wasn't feeling well.

Tears filled my eyes as fear took over my body. Eric. Without knowing what is going on, I'm useless and I hated that feeling. Anger was bouncing around my heart, Eric this is your fault for keeping me out of the loop.

I got in my car and hit the road. I didn't know where to go, so I ended up at Eric's house.

Once again, it was empty.

My last choice was Bill. He had to know what was going on, but my hopes died when I found Bill's house empty too.

Having nowhere to go, I went home. I cried all the way there and more. I wanted to see Eric desperately. And I wanted Felipe the Castro dead.

A sudden thought crossed my mind. If I couldn't find Eric, then I could find Felipe de Castro and kill him. He would never expect it from me.

And a plan started to take form in my mind!

Note: Note: I hope you're enjoying the story. Join me and Sookie on the search for Eric, and the removal of Freyda and Felipe de Castro off their lives. Love must conquer no matter what! Reviews are more than welcome. Let me know your thoughts!