magazine. The girl’s face turns dark like she’s about to start crying. She disappears.
I run to Candy. Pick her up in my arms and lean down to grab the 8 Ball. When I turn to get Tiger Girl, the little girl is there. She slashes at Candy again. I pivot away fast enough to protect Candy but the girl slices my arm. I hold the 8 Ball like a rock and slam it into her face. She turns dark again and this time her scream is loud enough to crack the glass in nearby cars. When she disappears, I grab Tiger Girl’s arm.
“Come on. She might come back.”
“That was the ghost.”
“No shit.”
I slide open the van’s side door and put her and Candy in the back. Grab the big Chateau towel we were using as a tablecloth and have Tiger Girl hold it to Candy’s stomach. Candy moans and tries to curl into an even tighter ball.
“What the hell . . . ?” she says.
“It’s okay,” I say. “I’m taking you to the clinic.”
Cairo lives in Silver Lake and Allegra’s clinic is right on the edge of the neighborhood. It’s a short drive and even shorter through three red lights. Each one explodes when I throw hard, fast hoodoo to turn it back to green. Not having the Key to the Room of Thirteen Doors was a pain in the ass before, but now this is Candy’s life. I never really thought about killing Saint James, but if Candy doesn’t come through this, I might have to.
Someone inside must hear the van screech to a stop in the parking lot. Fairuza, the Ludere girl, opens the door and she and Rinko come out. Candy is awake and wobbly, but on her feet. Rinko guides her inside without even looking at me and Fairuza closes and locks the door.
Candy’s blood is all over me and the back of the van. I pour the last of the sake on my hands and the knife slash on my arm. The burning feels good. I get back in the van and wrap Candy’s towel around my arm. Toss the other towel to Tiger Girl.
“Your dress is messed up.”
She looks down and sees streaks of blood. There really isn’t that much but she lets out a panicked moan.
“No. Shit. Goddamn.”
I’m tempted to tell her that even if God cared, He isn’t in a position to do anything about it, but I keep my mouth shut. It’s done enough damage today.
“Calm down,” I say. “None of it’s your blood.”
Tiger Girl pats herself down enough to see that I’m right.
The sky shifts between blue, pistachio green, and the kind of deep purple I remember from when Downtown was on fire. Clouds turn to metal and burst into flame before going white and puffy again.
“We can’t stay here and I can’t drive this van across town.”
I dial the Chateau.
“Can you send a limo for me right now?”
“Certainly, Mr. Macheath.”
I give the clerk the address.
“Make it fast. Tell the driver I’ll keep his or her ass out of the fire forever if they get here in ten minutes.”
“I’ll drive it myself.”
