Maurice nodded. He couldn't help a grin. The rod did look pretty goofy in her claws. It was like she was holding a toy.

"Yeah, I just let 'em go so they can get bigger." He cranked his reel a few times to drag his bait along the bottom. "One time when we were kids we had us a fish fry, right? And Dad had the electric knife out and us kids were lined up watching him gut. I dunno why it didn't bother me back then as much as it does now but he was doin' his thing and suddenly he got one that had eggs in it and the eggs splattered all over Ike and he screamed so loud."

The vampire grinned sharply at the water. He knew he would have done the same thing if he'd been Ike. But he hadn't so seeing somebody else panic was delicious.