The Sin Collector (6 page)

His offer stunned me. I thought myself lucky he was still sitting in my lackluster apartment. I had never considered that he would want me to go with him. Valentine jumped down from the bookshelf and hissed again in Billy’s general direction.

“Come on LiLi, it will be fun. I bet you haven’t even been out of the states in decades. I’m going back to Dublin to see Clara, then on to follow a lead in Greece.”

“Aren’t you forgetting? I can’t see Clara.”

“I haven’t forgotten. You’ll love Dublin it’s beautiful.” Valentine hissed again. “You can even bring your evil cat if you want. Luckily I don’t sleep so he won’t have a chance to claw my eyes out.”

My excitement at the idea surprised me. It would be nice to have a friend, to travel to beautiful places with someone. I could find answers. I thought of all the things I would say to Olexander if we were to come across him. I suddenly couldn’t wait to leave.

My voice was so chipper when I answered him I hardly even recognized it. “I would need a few days, just to get my things in order. Can you wait a few days?”

“Of course, it’s no problem, and I am still hoping to talk to your boss tomorrow.”

I was smiling, rare for me in general. Valentine jumped in my lap. I was happy, and I wanted the feeling to last. I decided I should get started packing right away.

“I am going to go to the store and get some things in order.” I jumped up and grabbed my bag.

He smiled too. It really did look like he wanted me to go with him.

“I am going to get some things from my SUV. Do you mind if I did some research here?”

“Use anything you need.” I was almost out the door when he grabbed my arm. In his hand was my shiny purple helmet.

“You better take this with you; I don’t think your hairstyle could handle another crash.”

I glared at him, in my head this time, but then I took my helmet willingly and kissed Valentine on the head. “Be nice to Billy” I instructed him and ran out the door.

I went to Walburgs, the store that had everything, was always open, and picked up two new thick duffel bags for the trip. There wasn’t too much I could do until sunrise. I sat outside
Café et Scones
waiting for Sofie. I was trying to weave a lie in my head that didn’t make it sound like I’d gone crazy and was running off with a complete stranger. Luckily, today she was early and she came over and sat down next to me.

“Well this is a surprise.” She said pleasantly.

Sofie always looked genuinely happy to see me. I never understood why. I never thought I was particularly knowledgeable about girl things like clothes and makeup. I mostly just tried to let her be herself and listen to what she said. In all my years, it seemed to be the one thing everyone needed most, but rarely ever found. I had planned to add excitement and giddiness to my voice but I was surprised when I spoke it was already there. I started the story I had been writing in my head.

“Sofie you won’t believe what happened.” I gushed. “There’s a guy, well he’s not a new guy he’s an old guy.”

Sofie’s nose wrinkled in disapproval and I realized that she didn’t understand what I meant.

“No, not an
old
guy. What I mean is it’s a guy I knew when I was little. We grew up together. His name is William, well Billy is what he goes by now. Anyway I haven’t talked to him in years and he showed up at the library the other day.” Sofie was salivating with the little information I was giving her, she demanded a physical description, which I gave, then asked if we would be seeing each other again. This is where it got tricky.

“Actually Sofie, Billy is a historian, and he needs a new research assistant, he asked me if I would like to work with him.”

“Lily that is amazing. I know how much you hate that boring old library. This is kismet.”

I was twisting the napkin into shreds in my hand and it seemed to alert Sofie that there was even more to the story.

“Oh there’s more, please continue.” She was as excited as a kid on Christmas morning to hear my whole story. She really was a good friend, a good person.

“Well Sofie the thing is, he travels and if I take the job I will be going to Ireland with him…leaving in a day or two.”

I picked up a new napkin and began twisting again. I don’t know why I was nervous of her reaction, but I was. Without the whole, ‘Billy and I are over 100 years old and pre-ordained to eat peoples sins’ part, the story sounded somewhat incomplete and crazy. Ok, even with that part it sounded crazy.

Sofie lowered her voice to a soothing whisper and looked me in the eye. I didn’t look away, her eyes were so kind.

“It definitely sounds crazy, spontaneous, and possibly reckless. Nevertheless, it also sounds like an amazing opportunity, adventurous and romantic. I suppose the question then becomes do you want this enough to drop everything in your life and go sort through ancient history with him?”

Her phrasing made me laugh. Ancient history, my ancient history, the thought of how accurate her wording was made me smile.

“I suppose we have our answer then,” and she grinned widely. “So I guess there is a favor you’re planning on asking me now.”

I looked at her confused, I couldn’t think of anything I would need from her, other than my strange desire to have her blessing.

“Oh I’m sorry I thought maybe you might need someone to take Valentine, until you get back of course.”

It caught me off guard, but it made sense. I couldn’t drag poor Valentine all over the globe. It wasn’t practical and I would feel awful if something happened to him. The thought of leaving him behind made me sad and I felt my tears begin to ooze out of my eyes.

“Oh Sofie would you. Would you take him and look after him? Billy said I could bring him along but he would be miserable, and what if he got lost?”

“Of course I’ll take him, he’s an angel.”

I got up and threw my arms around Sofie’s neck.

“You, Sofie, have been the very best friend a girl could ever have.”

She looked sad too. “Should I come pick Valentine up after work tonight?”

I nodded, sniffling. “I’m going to really miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, and I better get to see this Billy tonight you hear me?”

“I’ll see you tonight.” She hollered and ran inside.

Chapter 4

I parked my bike in the lot and lugged the duffel bags into my apartment dropping them by the door. Billy was working on his laptop at my kitchen table. Valentine was perched precariously on the bookshelf occasionally sending harsh looks at Billy. I scooped him up and held him close to my chest sitting on the couch.

“I hope you don’t mind, I took a quick shower while you were gone,” Billy said apologetically.

Mind was not exactly the word I would use for it. He was sitting at my kitchen table wearing the same faded jeans and a grey t-shirt even tighter than the last. Normally I would wonder why he couldn’t buy clothes that fit, but the tight shirt fashion statement was working for him. I dragged my mind out of the gutter to ask him how his research was going. Now that I had agreed to go with him, I found myself with several dozen questions. I was more anxious than I had ever been for answers.

I put Valentine on the floor. Billy seemed surprised when I sat next to him at the table. He closed the lid of his laptop and turned toward me, as to give me his full attention. His eyes were peaceful but they still didn’t calm the gnawing in my stomach. There was one question, a favor, that I had decided I needed to ask him. I wasn’t sure how he would feel about it and it had me anxious. I found the receipt in my pocket from Walburgs and started folding it methodically on the table to distract myself while I spoke.

“I was wondering if there was something I could add to our agenda?” I glanced at him quickly and he seemed normal and fine, just curious, so I continued. “Do you think it would be possible to find Olexander? I need to talk to him.”

Billy’s eyes narrowed and I could tell he didn’t like the idea.

“What would be the point? You can’t chat with him, and I doubt he knows any more about us or of our history than Clara.”

I was shaking my leg a little under the table, it was a nervous habit I’d had my whole life.

“That’s sort of the point right there. I need to know why,” I said quietly.

Billy still looked confused, but softened a little when he saw how uncomfortable I was with explaining myself. He adjusted his posture to an upright position as to indicate he was listening and I should continue. I rushed through the rest of my reason in one breath.

“I need to know why he didn’t stop me from Collecting. He was all I had growing up, even if he was gone most of the time. I
have
to know if he knew it was a possibility. I’m not sure how we will work out talking. I just need to find him, and I have to try.”

I put my sweaty palms flat on the table. It was Billy’s trip after all, his information, he didn’t have to take me with him, and I wondered if my new desire had changed his mind. His voice was soft, and his words came out kindly and without obligation.

“If it’s that important to you LiLi we will find him.”

I was happy he took my request seriously and I let the origami receipt frog hop in his direction.

“I should really be getting to work, to let Jimmy know that I’ll be leaving.”

“Of course, I want to talk to him too, remember. Do you want to meet me there?”

I sighed. “Actually I was thinking we should stop first and I could lock my bike up in storage.”

I took a quick shower, and decided on a worn out hoodie and jeans for the day. I looked like a vagabond compared to my overdone appearance as of late. I packed for another hour or so until it was time to go. Billy followed me, with less mockery this time, to the warehouse storage facility and I was sad to be leaving the bike behind.

“We can rent ones and crash into trees in Ireland.” Billy had promised.

So we headed for the library. I was surprised that Jimmy wasn’t there waiting for me, so I used the keys and went inside. The place seemed so foreign to me now. Had it really only been twenty-four hours since the last time I’d been here? I was flooded by memories of George, and how I would never see him again. I tried to find comfort in his last words. Anne’s here. I hoped that they were together, just as I’d always hoped everyone I’d ever held dying had someone waiting for them. I knew Billy noticed my sadness but he didn’t mention it. He settled in with his laptop and I put my things behind the desk to wait for Jimmy. And wait is exactly what we did.

We waited and Jimmy never showed. I called his cell phone but there was no answer. It was strange for him to be this late. I was beginning to worry. Billy and I chatted throughout the day to pass the time. He seemed interested in me, so I told him about the places I had been and Collected. He tried to hide his happiness when I mentioned Valentine would not be joining us on our trip. I also warned him about Sofie, and that she would be looking at him very closely. He seemed interested in our friendship, so I told him a bit about her. Before I knew it, it was closing time. I grabbed my things and hurried Billy out the door; I didn’t want Sofie to have to wait for us. We drove back to my apartment quietly. We parked his SUV in my usual spot and both sat there in silence; I was still staring out the window deep in thought.

“What’s bothering you LiLi?”

“I don’t know, something feels off, Jimmy not coming to work, is odd. I can’t shake this sense that something is wrong.”

“Do you know where he lives?” He was already turning the ignition back on in the SUV.

“I do, I’ve seen his paycheck envelopes, but we can’t go now. Sofie will be here any second. Remember to act normal.”

He nodded once and pulled a small black case out of his back pocket and popped in the horrendous green contact lenses.

“Suited up and ready to go.”

I rolled my eyes in his general direction. I climbed out of the monstrous SUV and we rounded the corner to see Sofie just about to knock on my door.

Her eyes got wide when she saw Billy. He reached out to shake her hand and she took it without hesitation. I could see her taking in his chiseled chest and broad shoulders. She seemed to approve immediately. We went into my apartment and Sofie was putty in his hands. I went into the bedroom to put the rest of Valentines things into a box and get his carrier. The moment I sat down on the bed he jumped into my lap. I talked to him for a while, as I always did. After all, you don’t usually have a friend as loyal as Valentine had been. He went into his carrier willingly, and I carried him out to Sofie. I wasn’t sure when I had started crying but I sniffled now and Sofie rushed to give me a hug.