Page 116 of A Breath of Life
“No. Brash, abrupt, forward, impatient. Always sassy. Recently, I’ve discovered myself to be petulant at times, but I’m not proud of that. Subtle is… nope. Not for me.”
“On that note.” Costa slapped Quaid on the shoulder, and they said goodbye.
In the blacked-out, unmarked police car, we headed off to places unknown. My cousin could be a real pain in the ass.
***
By the dinner hour, Costa and I were camped out in a questionable motel somewhere in Chinatown. When my cousin flashed his badge at the front desk, they happily accepted cash instead of the mandatory credit card and gave us keys to a room without question.
The accommodations were fine. I wasn’t sure I wanted to sleep there, but we didn’t have time for such luxuries anyhow, so it didn’t matter. We had officially tipped into the less-than-twenty-four-hours-left zone.
As my cousin unloaded the box of items he’d collected from Quaid, I stared at the lively city a few stories below, wondering where Diem was, if he was okay, and how I was going to get him back.
This roller-coaster ride was all my fault. A direct result of greed. Had I not insisted we keep the card and investigate its value, none of this would have happened. If Diem or his nana got hurt, I would never forgive myself.
Reflexively, I scanned the street, certain my Converse-loving friend was among the crowd. My vantage didn’t work in my favor. I was too far away to study people’s shoes. Besides, the last time I saw him, he was decked out in a suit. A man who blended with his surroundings was hard to find.
Instead, I looked for the common Joe. I studied the homeless, the shop owners outside on smoke breaks, the people waiting for the bus, and those seemingly inconspicuous pedestrians walking with a purpose to destinations unknown. My Converse spy wasn’t among them, nor did anyone stand out.
When a jogger with a dog on a leash ran along the opposite street, I jolted.
“Shit.” I spun from the window. “Echo.”
“What?” Costa didn’t lift his head and continued configuring his makeshift workstation.
“Echo. We left her at the office.”
“Her who?”
“Diem’s dog. We’ve been gone since noon. I have to go get her.”
Costa tapped on the laptop keyboard, only half paying attention to my dilemma. “Not happening.”
“I can’t leave her there all night. She’ll need to eat and go to the bathroom. Besides, if you want Clarence’s passwords, they’re in a notebook on Diem’s desk.”
Finally looking up from his task, my cousin met my gaze. The inner workings of his brain visibly spun behind his dark eyes as though he was contemplating the importance of having those codes.
“It would save time, wouldn’t it?” I asked. “The codes.”
“Yes, but I’ve gone to a lot of trouble getting us here unseen. Theywillhave eyes on your office building, anticipating your return. We can’t waltz in there and collect stuff.”
I wanted to argue, but he was right.Think, Diem’s voice whispered in my head.You’re good at this when you want to be.I glanced around the motel room, seeking a solution. I couldn’t leave Echo. I couldn’t get caught. These people couldn’t know I had Costa in my pocket either. What the fuck could I do?
You’re creative, Tallus. It’s one of your strengths. Use it.
My phone rang, blasting Diem’s voice from my head. I nearly jumped out of my skin. A wave of fear rolled over me as I frantically scrambled to remove the device from my pocket.
“Wait. Who is it?” Costa asked, hand extended to stop me from answering.
I stared at the name on the screen, and the knot inside me loosened. “It’s Kitty.”
“Why is Kitty calling?”
I smiled, the creative juices flowing. “Because she’s a witch, and I may have given her just enough ingredients for her to work her magic.”
30
Diem
