Malek popped around the bathroom door, holding a rag on his bloody nose. “Seriously?! It’s not…well…”
“No, I’ve worked for this guy before. He doesn’t talk nearly at all. Not likely to be anyone you know.”
He popped a hip out and stared at me. “You’re goin’?”
“Yeah. There’s diamonds involved. This changes things.”
I walked to my closet, reaching to the back and pulling out one of my jumpsuits. I felt, more than I heard, Malek behind me. “I wanna go!”
“Absolutely not.”
“Whyyyy?”
“I work alone. You don’t think someone who already knows that will think it’s odd that I’ve got another person with me to cleanonebody?” I turned around, shoving past him and laying my stuff out across my bed. I flipped through the messages, replying to one to confirm and then went to the bathroom to pull back my hair.
“I’ll wear a mask or something. You can say I’m here formuscle.” I laughed around the bobby pins wedged between my teeth. “Why are you laughing?”
“Muscle?”
“I used one of those muscles on you already, and you didn’t seem to find it lacking. Plus…you know…I saved the day today with dear Mrs. Porter.”
Well…he’s got me there.
“It’s not a good idea, Malek. This guy’s scarier than your dad. The fact that he doesn’t speak much just makes him more intimidating. I dunno what he’ll do if he sees you.”
He came into view of my mirror, standing behind me while I started wrapping my bun in a head scarf. “Nothing. That’s what the fuck he’ll do. If you think he’s more intimidating than my Pop, then I’ll be going with you even if I have to drive behind you.”
I sighed hard and slapped my palms to the sink. “Fine. Look in the closet and grab a jumpsuit. I don’t have a mask other than the one I use for the fumes. And you need something that covers most of your face.Andgloves. The kind of company this guy might keep, he might easily recognize your tattoos. One body is enough at two in the morning.”
He dropped the bloody rag into the sink and trotted off towards my closet like a five-year-old. I’m gonna regret every second of this. But the upside is that he could actually be useful, and gore obviously doesn’t bother him. I won’t have to use a dolly to move a stiff to the hearse. I’m choosing to look at the bright side, but I know…this is going to be torturous.
CHAPTER 16
The Executioner
I haven’t been this excited about something since the first time I broke into Viper’s apartment. Her little car is no match for my menacing legs that I can’t help but bounce, knees knocking the glove compartment while she drives like a flustered Karen next to me. It’s the absolute definition of cute.
“Stop staring at me. And be still. You’re making me nervous.”
“But I’m excited,” I whined, cocking my head while continuing to stare at her. I know it irritates her, and I’m banking on that. I’m starting to realize she gets hot and bothered quicker when she’s…hot and bothered. “Bodies, blood and boo-boo’s all in one night? Makes my dick hard.”
“You need medication, Malek. Truly.”
I grabbed the ‘oh shit’ handle and impatiently tapped my foot instead, glancing around the car. “So, where do you keep all the stuff?”
“There’s a storage unit I rent outside of town. We’ll go grab the hearse first and then stop there to load up. Simon’s place is on the outskirts of town, so it’s not a far drive. Also a reason not to pass this up. Should be quick and simple.”
My brows lowered, and I could feel my stupidity about to make its debut. It’s fine. She loves it. “Does it not bother you that there’s serial killers that close to your neighborhood?!”
Seven snorted, smiling and looking over at me. Yep. I’m an idiot. “You’re just over an hour away. A house full, I might add. It should bother other people, but I clean for these creeps.It’s not gonna botherme. As long as they’re happy with the job, as far as I’m concerned, it’s just a list of houses to skip while trick-or-treating.”
“I’m crushin’ on you so hard right now, Viper.”
“Please, shut up.”
She pulled up about a block away from the funeral home and we walked the rest of the way. The house was dark and silent, and she must grease this garage door in the back for it to pull up that easily without a sound. We put the hearse in neutral, and I pushed it forward so she could coast it out of the driveway without having to crank it. In a matter of minutes, we were in and out of Leviticus House, made the same mad dash at the storage unit, and pulled up at Simon’s.
This does not, in any way, fit the narrative of what horror movies portray of a creepy killer’s humble abode. Not in a million years would I ever believe that some elderly couple didn’t live in this quaint little house with healthy ferns hanging from the front porch and a manicured flower garden with a bird bath. It looks like he fertilizes his fuckinggrass. It’s not the kind of place you’d think you would end up being somebody’s lampshade, for sure.
