The Trouble with Twelfth Grave (Charley Davidson #12)(37)

But I had to stop and think. “Do people get mugged in Albuquerque?” It didn’t feel right. “Do we say mugged? And if not, what do we say?”

Everyone ignored me as the female guard opened the doors, and her heart, wide. She could not escort him into the building fast enough.

He gave us a furtive thumbs-up and slipped inside.

“That’ll keep her busy,” I said, rubbing my hands in anticipation. “Time to break and enter this puppy.”

We walked around to the back entrance of the building, Walter getting more and more nervous. “I’m so bad at breaking and entering.”

“Walter, no one is judging you. Not on this. However, you will be graded on your floor routine.”

Nicolette was in heaven. I slowed to chat with her. “You seem to be having fun.”

“Yeah, I don’t get out much.” She leaned close and gestured toward Osh. “And he’s cute.”

“Yes, he is.”

Nicolette was amazing. Who was I to thwart true love? He might become my son-in-law if the events I’d seen in my one glimpse into the future panned out, but that was a long way off. He could do with a little grounding here on Earth. It would keep him honest.

“Just so you go into this with your eyes open,” I said to her, “he’s a former slave demon from hell and lives off human souls. Don’t kiss him on the mouth. Like ever.”

Her eyes rounded to saucers and her pulse sped up and she was so in. I could tell by her puppy dog expression. Also a tiny drop of drool dotted one corner of her lovely mouth.

Oh, yeah. She was a keeper.

“What about security?” Pari asked.

“I know a guy who knows a guy. It happens to be down at the moment. No cameras. No alarms. Nothing.”

“Which is why they’re paying full-time security guards,” Walter said.

“Exactamundo. Pari? You’re up.”

Pari scrambled up the steps to a loading dock and, after much ado and a few curse words, picked the lock on the back door. I could’ve picked the lock myself, but Pari was faster. My lock picking skills were akin to an ’86 Yugo in a race with a Bugatti Chiron.

We were like a special ops team. It gave me goose bumps.

We hurried inside, and then I laid out the plan.

“Okay, to save Pari’s life and preserve her freedom—but mostly to save her life—Nicolette is going to draw blood from everyone for an art project. Not much. Maybe like a gallon or two each.”

“A pint,” Nicolette suggested. “Half if we don’t want to risk anyone passing out when we make our daring getaway.” She was really good at this stuff.

Angel had popped in and stood nonchalantly behind Nicolette, interest evident in his glistening eyes, but the minute I explained my plan, he started to back away.

“Hey Angel. You’re just in time. We need a lookout.”

He gestured with a nod, but continued backing away. “I just remembered, I have anywhere else to be.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked him as he paled before my eyes. It amazed me the departed could do that.

“I don’t really like the sight of blood.”

I blinked. “Says the departed gangbanger with the gaping chest wound.”

He looked down. “That’s different.”

“Not really.” Before I could say anything else, he was gone. Little shit. That got me nowhere fast. Who would be our lookout?

I turned to Osh, but Nicolette stood pinching the bridge of her nose. She glanced back at me.

I pointed to the space Angel just vacated. “Angel doesn’t like the sight of blood.”

“Let me get this straight,” she said, suddenly annoyed.

I straightened in alarm. What’d I do now?

“We broke into a plasma center so I could draw blood from everyone for … an art project?”

“Yep.”

Walter furrowed her brows. “I thought you said we were stealing a blood collection van.”

“Nope. Too easy to track down.”

“And this is going to save Pari’s life?” Nicolette asked.

“And ignite her creativity. Two birds. One stone.”

She planted both her palms on a desk as though for strength. “You do realize I could have stolen the supplies from the hospital and done this at, say, your office? For example?”

I gaped at her. “Seriously? We didn’t need to risk felony charges and a life behind bars?”

She let a humorless smile thin her mouth and shook her head. Well, everyone in the room shook their heads, seeming a little frustrated with me. Everyone except Osh. He’d found a machine that made pretty sounds when he pushed the buttons on it.

“You said you couldn’t steal blood from the hospital.”

“I can’t. That doesn’t mean I can’t take a few supplies. It’s still illegal, but it can be done.”

“You could’ve said something thirty minutes ago,” I said under my breath.

“You didn’t let me in on the plan until now.”

“Told you,” Walter said, gloating. She was so not getting invited to the office Christmas party.

“Well, crap.” I glanced around. “Okay, so how about we just steal the supplies from here and go back to Pari’s?”