Demons LLC (Damned and Cursed Book 7) (35 page)

Alex eyed the clothes mentioned on the dresser.
 
He ignored the jeans.
 
His were fine as they were, but did slip into the black tee shirt laid out for him, which was a size too small.
 
His shoes awaited him in the corner.
 
It took some effort to put them on.
 
His balance hadn't completely returned to him, and the headache wasn't helping.
 
As he stood carefully, one foot at a time, he heard the sounds of someone using a computer.
 
Keys being pressed on a keyboard, along with the clicking of a mouse.
 
He was familiar with both, as often as Cindy worked.

He left the bedroom and stood in a hallway.
 
A chair leaned back into view, and Lisa watched with concern.
 
She'd taken a shower, her blond hair stringy and wet.
 
She wore sweatpants and a tee shirt, also a size too small.
 
She looked nothing like the police officer Alex had met.

"You're not going to pass out again, are you?"

He smiled, which sent another jolt through his head.

"It's not part of my plan, no."

Lisa turned her attention back to the computer.

"I had to cut away your shirt.
 
Hope you don't mind.
 
It wasn't exactly going over your head with those things sticking out of your back.
 
There's beer in the fridge.
 
And I think maybe a soda, too.
 
But don't get the wrong idea.
 
We're not getting drunk together and rubbing parts in bed."

"I'll try to control myself."

"Good.
 
In that case, get me a beer."

He turned into the kitchen and found the refrigerator.
 
He saw the beer Lisa referred to, and also a bottled water.
 
Handing her a beer over her shoulder, he noticed she was searching Youtube.

"Thanks," she said, scooting her chair over to share the monitor.
 
"Hey, this is you, isn't it?"

He glanced at the video she'd pulled up.
 
It only took him three seconds to realize what it was.

A sigh escaped as the memories flooded back.

Lisa clicked play and turned the volume up, but Alex was no longer watching.
 
He was studying her bare apartment as the sounds of people screaming and vampires attacking filled the air.
 
He'd already experienced the massacre at Camden Yards.
 
He didn't need to relive it via the Internet.
 
The grainy videos that showed a winged creature flying amongst the chaos had lost traction over the years.
 
Most people believed they were fake, and that was fine with him.

"There!" Lisa said, pointing.
 
"That's you, way in the background.
 
I've seen this before.
 
This shit was all over the news after that terrorist attack."
 
She turned to face Alex.
 
"It wasn't a terrorist attack, was it?"

Alex said nothing.
 
He only offered a half smile.
 
He gestured to the living room, rubbing a hand across the couch while glancing at the small TV.

"Is it safe here?" he asked.
 
"You were just attacked by people shouting your name.
 
Do they know where you live?"

"This is my second apartment.
 
People don't even know I stay here, not even the department.
 
And believe me, that's awfully hard to pull off while dragging an unconscious guy with wings through the front door."

"Yeah, thanks.
 
Thanks for not shooting me in the head."

"Thanks for picking me up and flying away.
 
That's something I thought I'd never say.
 
I guess we're even."

Alex took a long drink of cold, delicious water.

"So, what was all that about today?"

Lisa took her own drink of beer and pointed to the only picture frame in the place, hanging on the wall.

"It's about him.
 
Charles Wallace."

Alex read the headline of the newspaper clipping framed in glass.
 
Local Crime Boss Wallace Arrested
.

"I was the one who arrested him.
 
I spent a year building the case against him.
 
He's tried to kill me a few times now, even though he's in prison.
 
He still runs the show."

"Holy shit," Alex muttered.
 
"What are you going to do?"

She laughed.
 
"Well, tonight, I think I'll lay low, maybe watch some TV.
 
Maybe I'll set up another apartment.
 
I have to be careful.
 
I'm pretty sure he's got a few cops under his thumb, too."

He waited for the rest, which didn't come.

"That's it?"

"Yeah.
 
I might be able to squeeze a few more months out before he finally nails me.
 
But with stunts like he pulled today, I don't know."

"You aren't going to do
anything
?"

She sat on the couch and kicked her feet up on the empty coffee table.

"Like what?
 
Arrest him again?
 
Maybe sneak into his cell and assassinate him?
 
Eh, I'd rather drink this beer."

A stab of sadness poked Alex as he watched her.
 
Had she truly given up?
 
She seemed at peace with whatever fate had in mind for her.
 
He understood this was a safe-house, in a sense, but there were no pictures of friends, family, not even a dog.

"And what does your family think about all this?"

She shook the beer bottle at him.

"Oh, you clever private investigator, you.
 
Trying to fish for information.
 
Enough about me and my excitement.
 
Let's talk about you."

"Not much to talk about, really."

"Please.
 
I've
felt
your wings.
 
I've seen videos of you flying, and just last night at my station, appearing and disappearing.
 
You spent a lot of time at my desk, and left with a stack of papers.
 
Kylie's file, I'm guessing?"

There was no point in denying.
 
Alex nodded and leaned against the wall.

"Yeah."

"Has your finely-tuned mind picked out anything I might have missed?"

"Not yet," he said, hoping he was convincing.
 
"I've only barely looked at it."

"Well, good luck.
 
No witnesses, no known enemies.
 
Her neck was broken, but I'm still waiting on the official word on whether that was the cause of death.
 
People are dragging their feet over this one."

"What do you mean?"

"People in this town didn't like Kylie's mother very much.
 
Because of that, no one's in a big hurry to find out who killed her daughter."

Alex's face twisted in anger.
 
"That's terrible."

"I agree.
 
I was hoping to at least put this one away before Chuck kills me."

He sat on the chair adjacent to her.

"So, you're not taking me to the police station?"

"No.
 
You saved my skin today.
 
It wouldn't be a good thing to do.
 
But, please, do one thing for me.
 
If you do stumble on anything about Kylie, let me know."

He nodded and watched her with curiosity.
 
After obtaining her name and password, he never thought he'd talk to her again.
 
Now he wondered more about her.

"Do you have family?" he asked.

She held up a hand.

"Alex, stop.
 
I don't want to be rude, but we're not going to become friends.
 
We won't be swapping war stories at the bar while pounding out whiskey.
 
I'm not going to ask you what government lab gave you wings.
 
So don't ask me anything, either."

Alex shrugged.
 
He would have liked to have made an ally, even a friend.
 
But he wasn't going to push.
 
He certainly wouldn't lose any sleep.

"Fair enough."

"I'll tell you what you can do, though," she said, turning on the TV.
 
"You mind getting me another beer?"

He laughed shortly as he stood up.
 
He went to the kitchen and was staring into the refrigerator when a familiar voice surprised him.

"Oh, damn, this is awesome!"

Startled, he turned to see Nate, standing near Lisa's computer desk.
 
Nate glanced around excitedly, full of energy.

"I teleported right to you!
 
Do you know what this means?"
 
He pounded his chest.
 
"It means we're bros.
 
This is some cool shit."
 
A frown crossed his face as he took in the apartment.
 
"This doesn't look like a jail cell.
 
Is that the detective lady?
 
Wow!
 
She's actually pretty, when she dresses normal.
 
Is her hair all wet?
 
Did she take a shower?
 
Did you…?"
 
He trailed off as he grinned from ear to ear.
 
"Oh, man, Alex, you beast.
 
But dude, Cindy is going to
kill
you.
 
Don't worry, I won't say anything."

"Nothing happened!" he hissed quietly.
 
"What's going on?"

"While you've been here swerving, Kylie and I have been working.
 
Zoey actually left the house.
 
She cleaned up and went to a club.
 
Kylie kind of went quiet on me, so I think it's the club they went to that night.
 
She's there waiting for us."

"Okay.
 
Let's go."

Nate held up a hand to slow Alex.

"Uh, one small problem.
 
I have the address, but I have no clue how to get there."

Alex walked past and handed Lisa another beer.
 
Instead of sitting, he gestured to the computer behind them.

"You mind if I use your computer for a second?"

"Go ahead.
 
Don't mind the porn."

"Oooh," Nate said.
 
"I think I'm in love."

Alex struggled for a moment, but managed to pull up directions to the address Nate gave him.
 
He wished he had his phone, but he'd left it at the motel.
 
It would have made everything much easier.
 
He scribbled the directions on a notepad Lisa kept next to the keyboard.

"Lisa, thanks for everything," he said, trying to sound as casual as possible.
 
"Thanks for the shirt, even if it's a little tight."

She laughed.
 
"Hey, take what you can get.
 
That's actually one of my old ones."

"Nice.
 
I have to get running along."

Setting her beer down, she stood up to see Alex off.

"Okay.
 
I have to say today was definitely a weird one.
 
I've never flown over my town before."

"What?" Nate said.
 
"She knows?
 
You flew—?"

"Don't take this the wrong way," Lisa said.
 
"But I hope we never meet again."

Alex smiled and nodded.
 
"I understand."

Lisa walked Alex to the door, with Nate following closely behind.
 
He left without another word.
 
Walking down the flights of stairs, he only picked up speed as he neared the bottom.
 
He shoved the door to the building open and stood in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Okay, what now?" Nate asked.
 
"Fly?"

"No.
 
I can't follow street signs from the sky."
 
He glanced at the directions once again and smiled at Nate.
 
"Try to keep up."

"What—?"

Alex shifted to the spirit realm and ran.

*****

The corner streetlights of Stewardtown lit up as Alex ran in the middle of the road.
 
He didn't tire when he moved through the spirit realm, but he did have to slow occasionally to look at the directions.
 
Nate ran beside him.
 
They moved with purpose, taking shortcuts whenever they could.
 
They ran through cars and the corners of buildings.

"Hey, Alex," Nate asked.
 
"I know it's been a while since you were fifteen.
 
But do you think a high school senior would go for a sophomore?"

Alex glanced at his friend.
 
Perhaps it was the day he had, but he wasn't able to truly put his thoughts into Nate's question.

"I don't know, Nate."

"If you think about it, I'm actually older than Kylie.
 
I've been dead longer.
 
So, I'm more mature, right?"

He laughed at the logic.

"Hey, I guess you've got that going for you."

"I know it's weird.
 
I never, ever thought this would happen.
 
But the more time I spend with her…it's just…."
 
He had no words.
 
"I wish we could have met when we were alive."

"Better late than never."

"She's so…quirky.
 
And I'm the first one to say I never thought quirky was hot.
 
Until I met her.
 
It makes no sense."