Now that I know Nice isn’t the person behind this, I’m all the more perplexed, but I’m glad Michael understands how important it is to figure this out.
We dart out of the room, down the back stairwell, and step outside to wait for Lula. I’m keeping watch in case Nice starts showing signs of rousing. If he does, I highly doubt the three of us will be enough to subdue him, but it’s all we’ve got. After I accompany them to the plane, I’ll start tracking down this human assassin.
“Before I forget, when you get to Cincinnati,” I say to Michael, “tell Stella I am baking muffins.”
Still holding Nice over his shoulder, Michael frowns. “Truly, we need to talk about your parenting.”
I roll my eyes. “It just means I love her. That’s all.”
“Oh.”
Lula pulls up in a stretch limo. White. Somehow, I’m not surprised that this is the car she’s been driving Nice around in.
Michael stares at the door handle for a moment and then turns to me. “You truly intend to remain here alone and hunt this idiot human?”
I nod.
“Even if it means you are more vulnerable?”
I nod again.
“I have never been one to argue when a woman has her mind set.”
“Good. Because I don’t plan on changing it,” I say.
“I respect you, librarian. I truly do.”
“But?” I feel a but coming.
He reaches out and pokes me right on my lady’s apple, or whatever that spot is called in a woman’s throat. The pain feels like a hot metal spear down my spine all the way to my tailbone. My butt cheeks pucker, and I push my hands to my throat, gasping for air.
“Do not worry, librarian. You don’t actually need air to live. Not for a few days, anyway. You’ll get over it.” He claps me on the shoulder. “Just relax and allow your king to do his job.”
He collapsed my airway.
I start blacking out and tip over. Motherfuc…
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
When I wake, not only am I still in my black evening dress, but I’m in a freezing-cold jail cell. Nice is a few cells over, sniffling like a three-year-old.
I prop myself up by the elbows on the narrow cot and inspect the concrete and steel enclosure. Seriously? Why the hell would Michael put me in here? All because I wouldn’t go along with his supreme agenda? He could have just said he wanted me to come back to Cincinn—
Oh, wait. Never mind. I wouldn’t have listened.
Still, that’s no excuse!
I hop to my feet, intending to let my jailer, King Jerkface, know what I think of him. “Hey! Vandersuck!” I grab one of the steel bars—“Ow!”—and snap my hand away. It’s electrified. “Michael! You SOB! I don’t care if you’re king, I will murder you for this!”
“Mommy?” Stella appears at the end of the hallway, holding Michael’s hand. No, wait. That’s Freddy. He’s dressed in all black and doesn’t have the look of someone who’s about to die. (Because I’m going to kill Michael for this! Jerk!) Stella is dressed in red overalls with little yellow daisies. Her honey-blonde hair is braided into two neat pigtails.
“Baby?” Just seeing her little oval face and rosy cheeks is an instant chill pill. “Oh my god. It’s so good to see you.”
Freddy lets go of her hand and gives her a pat on the back. “It’s okay. Go to her.”
“Careful. Don’t touch the bars,” I say. “Some loser made them really hot.”
“Sorry about that. I just had them turn it off.” Freddy walks up behind Stella. “They’re safe to touch now.”
“Tell that Vanderhorsssthst I weeeeel have his head for diss! He is a dead man!” Nice howls from his cell. “I do not care if we had mouth sex or not!”
“Mouth sex?” Freddy arches a smooth dark brow.
“Michael was passed out. He didn’t even enjoy it,” I say.
“He loved it! Our lips were one!” Nice yells.
Freddy’s face crinkles up like he just smelled a fart. “When did this happen?” he asks me.
“Yesterday. Michael lost a lot of blood and—never mind. Just ignore him,” I say. I do not want to rehash last night.
“You’d better not ignore zee Nice, because I am coming for you, too, Miriam!”
I roll my eyes. “Shut up, Nice. No one’s listening to your threats anymore.” I turn my attention to Stella, who looks nervous. I can’t blame her. Nice is her boogeyman. “Show him how strong you are by pretending he’s invisible. Now, tell me, how did everything go with cousin Freddy?”
Her face lights up. “We had lots of fun, Mommy. We stayed in a really nice hotel with room service. And we dressed up like ponies. We baked sugar cookies and decorated them with sprinkles. We built a dollhouse and…” Stella goes on for almost five minutes about the fun she had, even though Freddy made her eat broccoli and go to bed by nine.
“Wow. All that in just two days?” Freddy can sit for me anytime.
“I like him, Mommy. Can we keep him? He’s way better than Daddy.” She snorts and looks up at Freddy, who doesn’t seem amused. Strange.
“I will take it into consideration.” I glance up at Freddy. “Are you going to let me out of here?”
“That’s why we’re here,” he says.
I get to my feet. “Well, I’m ready.”
“First,” says Freddy, “you need to promise you won’t run off to hunt the assassin. Not until you’ve heard Michael out. He’s waiting upstairs.”
I narrow my eyes. He knows I don’t have a choice. “Fine. Agreed.”
Freddy turns his head and nods at the camera perched up in the corner at the end of the long hallway.
My cell door pops open, and I step out, immediately scooping up Stella and hugging her. “My sugarplum…” I twist from side to side, and her little legs flop around as she giggles. “God, I missed you.” I smother her soft cheek in kisses.
She doesn’t say she missed me back, but it actually makes me happy. She was having too much fun to worry about
