a new sheet of dust spilled down. “Thanks for crapping all over my daisies. I feel useless enough as it is. Holed up with my kids for the winter, getting in their way. We’re a team, Rache. Even if Ivy isn’t part of it anymore. Maybe we’re more of a team.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, both hands on the wheel instead of cupping around him as I wanted to. Not that he’d let me. “You’re right. I should’ve told you. Don’t blab to Trent, okay? If he knows, he’ll try to convince me to go into seclusion, and then we’re down half of what makes us work.”
Jenks sighed, wings drooping. “You think not telling him is the easy way, but it’s not.”
My lips twitched in guilt. “What difference does it make as long as I don’t go to sleep?” The Hollows waterfront was busy with the early-evening rush hour, and I slowed to a crawl behind a big-ass SUV plastered with witch-themed stickers. But my eyes flicked to my bag when my phone dinged. “Could you get that for me? It might be Trent.”
“Sure.” I slowed to a halt, turn signal ticking, as Jenks dropped down to shove things around in my bag.
“Ah, Trent says no-go for tonight, but we’re on for an early breakfast at Carew Tower. He also called in a dinner order at Celeste’s, and could you pick it up on your way back? Already paid for.” Jenks made a rude sound. “And then he has some hearts and crap.”
I smiled, even though the delay was probably Landon’s ploy to give the baku one more night to get the job done. There’d be fewer people around for breakfast, which was good. Hiding a splat gun in my usual casual security top and skirt would be easier, too. “Could you send him a live-long-and-prosper emoji for me?” I asked, and Jenks groaned and dropped back down.
“Flaming fairy farts, Rache,” he grumbled as he scrolled to find it and hit send. “I can’t believe I’m doing this. You want me to have him check a box if he likes you or not?”
“Thanks,” I said as he returned to the mirror, his cheerful gold dust telling me that despite his continued dramatic gagging sounds he secretly approved.
Finally the light changed, and after making the turn, I pulled into Piscary’s empty, weeds-in-the-cracks parking lot. Ivy’s cycle was in back by the truck-delivery door. Beside it was Nina’s little red sports car and an unfamiliar black SUV.
Oh yeah, I thought, remembering Ivy telling me that she had guests from DC coming in. The undead didn’t travel much because of the necessity of a guaranteed light-tight space to wait out the day, so it wasn’t surprising that they—whoever they were—were still here. They’d probably head out tonight after catching a quick bite. Ha-ha.
Lip curling, I slowed as I drove past the overdone black-and-chrome rental to park at the quay. “You want anything?” I said as I put Trent’s car in park.
“A nap.” Jenks stretched, and a contented gold dust slipped down. “How long you going to be?”
I reached for the handle, fumbling when I didn’t find it where I thought it should be. “I’ve got to go through my spell cupboard. Then my closet. Take a shower. Detangle my hair. Demark my heels. Oil my gun. Not in that order. Two hours?”
“Why do women always overcomplicate things?” he said as I got out. “I mean . . . ,” he added, having darted outside to wait impatiently for me to lock the car. “Take a shower. Do your hair. Shine your shoes. I can be ready in five minutes. Clean my sword. Bam! Let’s go.”
I smiled as I adjusted my sunglasses. “Breakfast date or not, it’s Carew Tower. If I don’t look as if I belong, I’ll end up in the I.S. lockup when this is done instead of chatting with the manager about how to pay for the damage.”
But as I neared Kisten’s boat, I decided it was likely going to be less of a breakfast meeting and more of a high-powered, magic-laced discussion that broke something. I wanted Landon’s blood, and he wasn’t going to give it up knowing that I would use it to incriminate him.
Jenks lit on my shoulder with a tired sigh. “I swear, it’s easier being a pixy sometimes.”
“Sometimes I’d agree with you.” My arms swung as I walked, and the sun felt good. I lightly touched the soggy algae-covered pylon to keep my balance as I lurched