The Demon Within

Crossroad Blues

"So much for a low profile," El mused as she walked up to the boys with a smirk.

"How'd you find out?" Dean questioned.

"Thank God I'm not a cop; the least you could have done was deny." El tossed a file in front of the boys. "It's part of my job at the Roadhouse, keep an eye out for anything that might hinder a hunter's case...or at least it was,"

Dean cringed at the reminder.

"They kicked you out?!" Sam questioned.

"No. No. Just Ellen and Jo haven't really stopped arguing since the ghost inn...gets awkward, even Ash took a couple of days to go to Vegas,"

Sam smirked.

"Anywho, once I saw Dean's warrant in St. Louis, figured...what the hell so here I am," El shrugged.

"I have a warrant?" Dean questioned.

"Had a warrant," El corrected. "Even on the Feds' database for a bit, so for that, I owe you a drink,"

"Wait...what?"

El shrugged. "It's not every day I get to hack into a federal database. Makes it a challenge,"

"It's not funny," Sam reminded.

Myra rolled her eyes as she slid into the seat next to Dean. "What part of had isn't registering? It's been handled, clean slate. Why don't you live a little? Plus, you're just jealous because you didn't have a record,"

Sam raised an eyebrow a bit at El's demeanor change, while Dean could only laugh.

"So, any chance you boys found a case, or am I joining Ash in Stripperville?"

Sam sighed as he took out a set of printed articles "Architect Sean Boyden plummeted to his death a condominium he designed,"

Dean hummed, "Build a highrise and jump off...that's classy. When did he call animal control?"

"Two days earlier,"

"Did he actually say black dog?" Myra voiced.

"Yeah," Sam said, confused as he eyed El. "Vicious, wild, black dog. The authorities couldn't find it, and no one else saw it. In fact, the authorities are a little confused as to how a wild dog could get past the doorman, take the elevator up, and start roaming the halls of the cushiest joint in town. After that, no more calls. He doesn't show up for work. Two days later, he takes a swan dive,"

"You think we're dealing with an actual black dog?" Dean asked.

"Well, maybe," Sam shrugged.

"What's the lore on it?"

"It's all pretty vague,"

"There are spectral black dogs all over the world, but some say they're animal spirits; others say death omens," Myra explained.

El cleared her throat as she noticed the looks she was given by the boys. "But anyways, whatever they are, they're big, nasty..."

"Yeah, bet they could hump the crap out of your leg," Dean joked as he turned a picture around. "Look at that one. Huh?" he chuckled, earning a headshake from El. Dean frowned. "What? They could,"

***

"So, you and Sean Boyden were business partners for almost 10 years, right?" Sam asked.

"That's right," The man nodded. "Now, one more time, this is for..."

"A tribute for Mr. Boyden..." El explained "Architectural Digest,"

The man chuckled, causing El to frown.

"Funny to you?" Dean questioned.

"No, it...it's just a tribute." The man sobered up. "See, Sean always got the tributes. He kills himself, leaves me and his family behind, but he gets another tribute,"

"Right," Sam said. "Any idea why he'd do such a thing?"

The man shook his head. "I have no clue. He lived a charmed life,"

"How so?"

The man shrugged. "He was a flat-out genius. I mean, I'm capable, but next to him, uh...it wasn't always that way either,"

"No?" Dean voiced.

"You want to know the truth?"

"There was a time where he couldn't even design a pup tent. Hell, 10 years ago, he was working as a bartender at this place called Lloyd's, a complete dive,"

El balled up her fists, trying to contain Myra from surfacing.

"So, what changed?" Sam questioned.

"You got me," The man said. "But overnight, he gets this huge commission, ad he starts designing...he starts designing the most ingenious buildings anyone has ever seen. It was like the level of Van Gogh and Mozart. It's funny...true geniuses, they seem to die young, don't they? To have that kind of talent, why...why just throw it away?"

***

Sam glanced back and saw El with a far-off glance in her eyes. "You ok?"

El shook her head from her daze. "Yeah...yeah, I'm fine," she could tell Sam wanted to delve deeper and was grateful when Dean came out of the animal shelter. "So?"

"The secretary's name is Carly. She's 23," Dean explained. "She kayaks...and they're real,"

"You didn't happen to ask her if she's seen any black dogs did you?" Myra voiced

Dean showed her and Sam the sheet "Every complaint called in this week about anything big, black, or doglike. There's 19 calls in all, and, uh, I don't know what this is,"

El couldn't help but laugh at the post it note. "You mean Carly's MySpace address?"

"Yeah, MySpace...what the hell is that?"

"My God, you are old," El laughed harder when Dean pushed her back into the back seat.

"Seriously, is that like some sort of porn site?"

El laughed even harder as Dean rolled his eyes and drove off.

***

"I swear if this is another freakin' pomeranian barking in the neighbor's yard..." Myra growled as the group approached another house on the list.

A woman opened the door before El could scold her subconscious.

"Afternoon, Ma'am," greeted the woman. "Uh, animal control,"

"Oh, someone already came yesterday," The woman explained.

''Oh, we're just following up," Sam reasoned. "We're looking for Dr. Sylvia Perlman,"

The woman smiled and led the group inside. "The Doctor, well, she...I don't know exactly when she'll be back. She left two days ago,"

"Okay. And you are?"

"I'm Miss Perlman's maid,"

"So, where did the Doctor go?" El questioned.

"I'm not sure. She just packed and went. She didn't say where. That stray dog, did you find it finally?"

"Uh, not yet," Sam admitted.

"You didn't ever happen to see the dog yourself, did you?" El asked as she tilted her head to the side curiously.

"Well, no. I never even heard it." The maid recalled. I was almost starting to think the doctor was imagining things, but she's not like that, so..."

"You know, I read she was the Chief Surgeon at the hospital," Dean said. "So she's got to be, what, 42, 43?"

El rolled her eyes.

"Youngest in the history of the place," The maid smiled. "She got the position 10 years ago,"

El fidgeted as Myra once again fought for control. "Huh. An overnight success, 10 years ago,"

"Yeah, we know a guy like that." Dean added as he showed a photo."Look at this."

"Lloyd's bar,"