Page 36 of Dahlias, Sapphires, and Cool Autumn Dusk
“Get a car to pick us up at the backdoor. The PI doesn’t need to see anything we don’t want him to see. He won’t even know you left the building.”
I hoped it would be that easy.Is anything?
With my stomachstuffed with salad, I stood outside of the building with trepidation.
“Hi,” Julian smiled at the doorman. “She’s grabbing some stuff and then we’re going to see my granny.”
The doorman smiled at him, chatting about the Yankees. Julian bantered back with him while my stomach churned. Hopefully, he wouldn’t even notice our silence past Julian’s charm. The doormen of our building—their building—were tougher. Less easy to distract with conversation. For the moment, the fact was helpful but Dina lived there. I didn’t like the thought of her at risk.
The wind blew against me, and I shuddered, a chill icing my spine. I still wore my school uniform, as did Phoenix. If we got arrested, we would be on the news in our Pullman gear. I could picture the news reports—the school would be horrified.Collins can tell everyone how we’re failures and didn’t belong there.
I stepped inside then headed for the elevator as Julian laughed again.
“Leave him.” Jeremy said and took my elbow. “He can stay here, giving us a distraction.”
I followed behind him because I didn’t know what else to do.
9
Jeremy, Phoenix, and I got in the elevator. Familiar pine scent assaulted me, somehow more comforting near Dina’s apartment and the ground floors, like the woman herself, and less as we rose up the building. I practically gagged before we reached the proper floor, like Pavlov’s Dog.Woof Woof.
“Remember, we’re on camera. They can’t hear us, but they can see us. Make sure you look bored.” Jeremy stared at his phone, and likely to outsiders appeared to be doom scrolling.
I pulled out my own device, copying him and leaning against the wall. “I hate that we’re doing this without telling Barrett.”
“Well.” Phoenix stared at the floor. “If he knew we were here, he would panic. If something goes wrong, he won’t get in trouble and can say he didn’t even know what we were doing.”
I sighed. “You two won’t get in trouble, either. Just me. You know your family will get you out of any trouble, and besides, you’re not getting in shit because of me.”
Kit already threatened to send Phoenix away if he got in trouble again. I blinked, anxiety heightening even further at the thought. “You shouldn’t come with us, Phoenix.”
“I’m the only one who can get this done. Don’t obsess, Red. It’s no biggie. Your wallet was more challenging, and we’re not even breaking into the apartment. You have a key and are here to regain your own documents.”
I hoped he was right, but when nothing went right, I started to assume it would go wrong. “She might have it in a safe, in which case this is a waste of our time.”
The elevator doors dinged open, and Jeremy nodded. “Yep, in that case, we leave. No harm. No foul.”
I added, “There are also cameras in the apartment. I didn’t get the impression she particularly monitors them, but she could.”
I turned the key in the door, using every ounce of bravery I could muster.
“Even if she checks the cameras, we came to get your birth certificate because you need it. It is your property. We aren’t talking about stealing her fucking diamonds. If we’re on camera, they’ll just see what you didn’t take.” Jeremy looked around then pointed left. “This way, right?”
He was correct so I followed him. I pointed out, “She could alter the videos to make it look like we stole something.”
“Okay, now we’re getting into some super-duper spy shit,” Phoenix said with a laugh. “I don’t think it’s going to be a big deal. How often does she look at your birth certificate? She probably won’t even notice it is gone, so let’s just get this done. I doubt it’s going to be in your uncle’s home office. My mom doesn’t keep anything in the dads’ offices, instead storing her documents in her bedroom.”
He was remarkably well versed in stealing things, so I considered him suspiciously. “Have you done this before?”
“Specifically? No. But I took things from my parents.” Phoenix led us into my aunt’s bedroom. It helped that all theapartments were designed with the same floorplans, identical to his grandmother’s place.
Jeremy whirled around. “Really? What did you take?”
“The police reports about my kidnapping years ago. Back when I was twelve. It’s not important right now.”
I had never actually entered my aunt’s bedroom, not in all the time I lived with her, so I glanced around in curiosity. Tan walls, very boring compared to Dina’s preference for bright red. Perfume bottles sparkled from the armoire next to a photo of my aunt and uncle dressed up together. I didn’t have time to study any of it right then, but I memorized as much as possible. I’d seen this from the doorway before but never like this.
Phoenix opened up her closet without ceremony, revealing more clothes than I could have imagined. Despite the smallness of New York City apartments, her closet was huge.
