Trouble in Mudbug (Ghost-in-Law, #1)(60)
Chapter Thirteen
It was close to midnight when Maryse, Luc, and Helena pulled into the hospital parking lot in Maryse’s rental. There were only a few cars parked in front of the administrative building, which was a good sign. That meant staff was light and could probably be worked around. Plus, Maryse had the added advantage of the invisible scout, Helena. It took a little convincing, but Luc had finally agreed to remain in the car, ready to start the engine and haul ass at a moment’s notice, not to mention keep an eye on the outside just in case a sudden influx of staff should appear.
Maryse looked at the building once more, took a deep breath, and stepped out into the dim light of the parking lot. Helena stepped through the back door of the car and Maryse did a double take. “You changed clothes. But what in the world are you wearing?”
Helena looked like a Michael Jackson video combined with a Saturday morning streetwalker. The cat suit was solid black from neck to feet and had leopard patches across the boobs and each cheek of her butt, which amounted to a whole lotta leopard. Not to mention Maryse couldn’t help but think there should be a legal weight limit on who got to wear spandex. Lumps abounded in all directions, mostly in places that lumps weren’t supposed to be, and to top it off, she wore a black nylon mask that completely covered her head with only her eyes left showing.
“You like it?” Helena asked. “I thought I’d surprise you with my new ability. This is my covert operation outfit. Kind of a combination of James Bond and Catwoman.”
Maryse frowned. That wasn’t exactly the combination she’d come up with. “You can’t run around wearing that, Helena.”
“Why not?” The ghost put her hands on her hips and glared. “It’s not like anyone else can see me, so I can hardly attract attention.”
Unable to hold it in any longer, Maryse started to laugh, then clamped her hand over her mouth to muffle the noise. Luc stepped out of the car to see what the holdup was and his expression, a mixture of horror and confusion, was enough to put Maryse in tears.
“That is not necessary,” Helena huffed.
Maryse peeked over at the ghost and saw she’d changed into black slacks, a black turtleneck, and black loafers. Thank God. There was simply no way Maryse could have followed that large leopard butt through the hospital without losing it.
Helena glared. “Now that I’m dressed as boring as you, can we get on with this?”
Maryse got control of herself and nodded. Luc took one final look at Helena and climbed back into the car, shaking his head. Maryse glanced around the parking lot, ensuring no one had witnessed her lapse in self-control, and was relieved to find the parking lot still clear. She gave Helena one final look, just to make sure she hadn’t thrown in anything on the sly, like buttless slacks or a tear-off top with pasties, then started creeping toward the hospital.
“You know, it would have done us a lot more good if you’d learned how to touch things instead of change clothes. Then you could have gotten the file yourself,” Maryse whispered as they snuck down the side of the building toward the employee entrance. “And I do not dress boring.”
“Sure you do,” Helena said. “I saw two decent outfits the whole time I’ve been hanging around and only one pair of spiffy shoes. According to the Fashion Today show I caught when I was hanging out at the beauty shop, you should be wearing those spiky heels everywhere, even to bed.”
Maryse shook her head. “Do you really think I can tromp through the marsh in a pair of stilettos? The state would check me into the nearest mental institution if they caught me in something that stupid. Not to mention that outrunning an alligator might be a little difficult with those spiked heels in bayou mud.”
Helena shrugged. “Okay, so maybe you can’t wear them all the time, but you could when you’re not working. If I could balance on the damned things, I’d wear them myself. I saw a real spiffy pair with a titanium heel advertised last night. You ought to get those. Very sexy.”
Maryse stopped at the employee entrance and stared at Helena. “And just who do I need to look sexy for? My eligible doctor turned out to be a closet pedophile, literally on the closet part. Besides, I’m still married to your son, the disappearing idiot. And someone is trying to kill me. Lots of men would have a problem with all that, you know.”
Helena gave her a smug smile. “Doesn’t look like it bothers Luc.”
Maryse stiffened. “Luc and I are friends. Sorta. That’s it.”
“Hmmpf. Didn’t look like friends the way he kissed you back at the hotel. I could feel the heat off you two from twenty feet away.”
Damn. She’d thought Helena was long gone before Luc had kissed her senseless. Maryse pulled the keys from her pocket and turned to the door. “You imagined it.”
“Keep telling yourself that. You might start to believe it, but no one else is going to.”
Maryse found the right key and eased open the side door designated for employees. “I am not listening to you, Helena,” she hissed. “I have enough on my plate right now, and God knows, a man has never been the answer to my problems. They’ve usually been the cause. After all, I wouldn’t be saddled with you if I hadn’t married Hank.”
Helena didn’t look convinced but finally gave up her argument and followed Maryse down a dim hallway to the main corridor. “Where’s the records room?” Maryse asked as they crept down the hallway.