Showdown in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law, #3)(21)

Maryse turned in her seat to face Raissa. “Do you honestly believe sending Helena in there is a better option? The Harbinger of Death? The Master of Disaster?”

Raissa laughed and handed Helena a little round piece of plastic. “All she has to do is hide this somewhere in Sonny’s office, preferably not a plant, as they are prone to being watered, and take a peek in a storage closet. Piece of cake.”

Helena tucked the plastic piece in the front pocket of her black leather jacket, then took the second piece Raissa handed her and popped it in her ear. “Are we ready to go?”

“One second.” Raissa tapped more keys on her laptop. “Say something, Helena.”

“Something.”

“Smart-ass,” Maryse mumbled as Helena’s voice screeched from the laptop.

Raissa adjusted the volume and gave Helena a thumbs-up. “All set. When you get inside, turn right, then let me know when you’re in the big hallway. I’ll guide you from there. And everyone pray that Sonny hasn’t rearranged his house since last time I was there, or it’s going to be a long night.”

Raissa gave Helena the once-over. “So what’s with the outfit? You still doing the classic-movie thing?”

“Yep,” Helena said and climbed out of the car, tugging her spandex pants out of the crack of her butt as soon as she hit the sidewalk.

Raissa grimaced. “Should I even ask?”

Helena rolled her eyes. “Grease 2.” She crossed in front of the car, the neon blue of the pants creating a glare from the streetlight.

Raissa studied her for a minute. “She’s wearing a T-Birds jacket and motorcycle boots. Is she supposed to be a guy or a girl?”

Maryse shook her head. “I don’t even want to know. Just be glad that lately her outfits cover most of her body. The MTV years were far less kind on the rest of us.”

“Yuck.” Raissa fitted a microphone around her ear and positioned it to the side of her mouth as Helena walked through the front wall of the house. “Helena, can you hear me?”

“Loud and clear,” Helena replied. “I’m in the hallway. There’s five doors on the right and three on the left. Jesus, this guy’s house is bigger than mine.”

“Try the third door on the right. That should be the office.”

“Hold on…yeah, office furniture, computer. This is it.”

“Great. Now find somewhere you can slip the device. A central location is better.” There was a second of silence, then rustling.

“Let’s see…plant, no that’s real…might need the paper clips…crystal bowl of bullets—What the hell? Why can’t he keep mints like the rest of us?”

“Just find a place. And not the bullet bowl. It’s probably used a lot.”

Maryse paled and made the sign of the cross.

“Yeah, yeah…there’s a little flowerpot with a sad, fake flower in it. Looks like something a kid made. Will that work?”

“Perfect,” Raissa said. “I remember that vase. Sonny’s daughter made it.”

“Well, he really ought to pay for some lessons. Kid can’t even spell correctly.”

“I’m sure he’d be happy to, but she died when she was five. Leukemia.”

There was a pause on the other end. Then Helena said, “Oh shit, now I’m really going to hell, with that statement. Making fun of a dead kid’s spelling. You could warn me about these things before I go putting my eternal soul at risk, you know?”

“I’m pretty sure God will overlook your anal-retentive spelling issues. Just stick the device in there and check that closet. Sonny’s guys walk the grounds several times a night. I don’t want them to see us sitting here for very long.”

Maryse shot Raissa a dirty look. “That’s information that might have been good to know. I could have borrowed someone else’s car or something.”

“And put someone else at risk instead?” Raissa asked.

Maryse crossed her arms and slumped down in her seat, looking warily across the street at the house. “I would have picked someone I didn’t like.”

Raissa grinned. “Well, that would narrow down your selection to human beings as a species. We can always drive around the block and pick someone at random.”

“You know, you were a lot less scary when I thought you talked to spirits.”

“Helena,” Raissa directed, “check the closet.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve got my head stuck in there. There’s a bunch of file boxes and a trunk with a padlock on it. Has letters on the front…hold on…says ‘Monk.’ Hey, you ain’t got me breaking into some preacher’s shit, do you?”

Raissa felt her pulse quicken. “The trunk. Can you look inside? I mean, through the side or something?”

“I can try. It’s awfully small and dark, so no guarantees on what I can see. I can pull the whole thing out—”

“No! Sonny is beyond anal-retentive. If anything is out of place, he’ll sweep the office and find the bug.”

“Okay, okay…hold on…It’s dark in the closet and even darker in the trunk. I’m going to have to open the closet door and get some light in somewhere. I’m no vampire.”

“Be careful.”