“What is that you’re doing?” I asked, loud and clear.
“Seein’ if I’m still runnin’ the strings or not.”
Apparently, he was.
To Zelda I asked, “Is there some reason Prudence isn’t using you to channel?”
Zelda squeezed her hands together in her lap. “Well, ever since you brought your friend here yesterday, she’s been quiet.” Zelda snuck a peek at Mr. Black. “I hadn’t heard from her today until he showed up on the porch and she insisted I contact you right away.”
Damn. What had Cornelius and his little room of horrors done to her?
I frowned at Mr. Black. “I guess we’ll have to have this meeting without Prudence in any sort of flesh.” Personally, I liked her better when she stayed hidden.
His dark gaze narrowed on Zelda. “Enough with these games.”
Zelda’s eyes widened. Her hand flew to her chest. “I don’t know what you mean.”
He crossed his arms. “Come forward, Rogue. I have no time for your ruses today.”
Rogue? I looked toward Zelda. “What’s he talking about?”
She shook her head. “I don’t kn—”
“Do not make me remind you of your oath!” Mr. Black’s voice rumbled loudly, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention.
Zelda’s head fell forward, as if her neck had suddenly turned to rubber. I was about to ask her if she was okay when a husky laugh came from her. When she looked back up, Prudence was at the helm with her creepy white eyes. “You are too astute to fool even after all of these years.”
All of these years? How long had Prudence known Mr. Black, and in what context?
“My kind must take heed while in the presence of a renowned slayer.” His gaze moved to me. “My mistake. Two slayers.”
Prudence scoffed in my direction. “This one is no match for you. She can barely defeat her own shadow.”
“I killed seven Chimera in one battle with a crowbar and an old steering wheel,” I said. “Seven.”
She shrugged off my boast. “Chimera are child’s play.”
“Don’t forget about that milky-eyed white grizzly back in my graveyard,” Harvey said and downed some more whiskey.
“That’s right, add a Bone Cruncher to that tally.”
“Have you met its companion yet?” Mr. Black asked.
“No.” I cringed at the idea of fighting another one of those sharp-toothed bastards. According to him, Bone Crunchers came in pairs, so one of these days I was going to have to face off with another white grizzly. I had a feeling the next one would be a teeny bit cranky with revenge.
“Add another notch for that spiky troublemaker in the ol’ Opera House.” Harvey had his fingers out now, counting for me. He pointed at Mr. Black. “Then there was this one here’s twin at Mudder Brothers, and let’s not forget about—”
“Thank you, Harvey,” I interrupted him, wanting to end this topic. While I appreciated his support when it came to cramming a sock in Prudence’s big mouth, bragging about killing the albino-like juggernaut while Mr. Black stood in the same room seemed crass. While they may not have been brothers as I’d originally thought, they were certainly of the same species.
I focused on Mr. Black. “How did you see through Prudence’s subterfuge?” I wanted to learn his secret for the next time the uppity ghost tried to trick me.
“I have learned over time not to believe only what I see, especially when in the presence of your kind, Scharfrichter.” He moved away from the window, standing front and center. “Now that I have you both here, I will reveal the message I was tasked to deliver.”
“By Ms. Zuckerman?” I confirmed.
He gave a single nod.
“Who is she to you?” I pressed.
“Must you continue to natter when you should remain silent?” Prudence snapped.
Harvey snorted out a laugh. “Ol’ Prudy must’ve spent the money her mama gave her for manners on a tongue sharpener.” He tossed back more whiskey.
Crud, that whiskey was greasing Harvey’s tongue a little too much. “Old Prudy” didn’t take kindly to disrespect under her own roof. I needed to keep her focus on me.
“Listen, Miss High-and-Mighty,” I said to her. “Mr. Black is the delivery man. I’d like to know who this message is actually from in case I have questions.” I tossed my sunglasses to her. They landed in her lap. “And put those on so the rest of us don’t have to stare into your freaky eyes.”
She pointed at Mr. Black. “He has already revealed that Mademoiselle Zuckerman sent him. Why must we dwell on known facts?” She shoved the glasses on, finally covering those big white empty orbs.
“Have you considered that I don’t know who this Zuckerman woman is or why a message from her should be of any importance to me?”
“Mademoiselle Zuckerman’s identity is not important at present,” Prudence declared, as if that were the end of the discussion, plain and simple. She turned back to Mr. Black. “Do you see the lack of expertise I must endure? Again. When I consider all that I sacrificed …” she sighed loudly.
I frowned at Zelda—or rather Prudence. What did she mean by “again”?
She scoffed. “And to add insult to injury, I have little doubt that this one’s line is full of raggabrashes and whiffle-whafflers.”
I might have objected if I’d known what those words meant. As it was, I just frowned back as she continued her tirade against me.
“Her methods are brutish at best, her actions are impetuous, and her vernacular is uncouth.”
“That’s one hell of a mouthful, peach,” Harvey said to Prudence, swirling his drink. “But you’re forgettin’ that you ain’t the biggest toad in the puddle anymore.”
That was surely the whiskey talking. I mimed buttoning my lips to Harvey, worrying about the future of his canine teeth. He grinned back at me. “Well, I should smile.”
Prudence reached toward Harvey’s leg, but he pulled away too fast. “Don’t be gettin’
