“Are you sure we’re at the right place?” I asked, opening the hatch of the hearse while Seven started hauling supplies towards her.
“Yep.”
“This might sound strange coming from me, of all people but…I’m kinda creeped out.”
She smiled and slung a strap over her shoulder, turning towards me.
“By all means, stay in the car.”
“Not a fucking chance, cherub.”
I oofed as she shoved a duffle into my chest. “Mask up, buttercup. Quit bein’ a pussy.”
I grumbled under my breath the entire way up the solar-lit sidewalk, sliding my ski mask over my head and shrugging on a pair of black gloves. Seven clunked up the steps and rang the doorbell, glancing at me, and then doing a double take. Cue, the whisper-yell.
“Are you fucking kidding me, Malek?”
I knew she’d say something about it. In fact, I was hoping for it. I’m pretty positive I just planted about a million dirty thoughts in her little head with the skull print on this mask. I knew she couldn’t see my grin, but also knew that she knows it’s there. I shrugged and the door opened before I could say anything else.
Holy shite…
I had to look down just to see the guy. Half our height, and reminded me of The Penguin from Batman. Or like he should be working at Gringott’s Bank. Or living in The Shire. Okay, I’m done now. Seriously though…this is so far from what I expected, I’m practically jumping now at the opportunity to see whatever this dude did.
“Simon,” Seven smiled sweetly, shaking his hand.
“Miss Black.” His dark eyes flickered up to me and I tried not to be disrespectful when I dipped my chin, lest Mr. Murderer think I’m taking a stab at his height.
“This is Mr. Shamrock, Simon. He’s gonna do my heavy lifting tonight.”
Mr. Shamrock…I see what you did there, pet.
Simon grunted his approval and turned to the side to let us in. The inside of the house looked as immaculate as the outside…until he led us to the study. There were books, a laptop, and broken glass all over the place. A pretty brunette was laying in the middle of the room, one of those pieces of glass jutting out of her slashed throat while she laid wide-eyed, and staring lifelessly at the ceiling. Seven passed me a pair of blue sockiesto cover our boots and we did that before setting our things by the door. He left us to it with another grunt, and we got to work. Plastic shower curtain set out. Commercial grade cellophane. Bleach. Viper bagged the broad up pretty quickly and I hoisted her over my shoulder to carry her out to the hearse.
Simon was sitting in a rocking chair in the living room as I came back inside. His head was unusually large for his body, and he looked a bit aged, but maybe not quite as old as my father. His dark hair was peppered with gray, and he worried his lower lip with his steepled fingers while he stared off at the wall. Seven might not ask questions, but…I have an itch and it’s gotta be scratched. I’m going for it.
“You good, Simon?” His head swiveled slowly at me, fingers still poised on his mouth, and I inwardly cringed, wondering if my girl has a very valid point in not talking to these chaps.
“Diamonds in pocket. She was thief.”
“She tried to rob you, mate?”
He nodded once. “She use poison. I pretend. Not first. Not last.”
I smiled under my mask. “Well, good riddance to her. Nice job.” He looked at me like I was a lunatic.Me. The guy that’s helping clean a body out of his fucking house. I mean…I guess I get it, and he’s not wrong, but…still. “Okay, bye.” I swayed down the short hallway back to where Seven was finishing up.
“Can you take that bag of trash to the hearse for me? I’ve gotta light the place up and see if we missed anything. And what the hell are you doing in there?”
I shrugged and picked up the bag. “Killer shit. You wouldn’t understand.” I swear her irritation turns me on way more than it should. She was running over everything with a blacklight when I came back inside and we found a couple more spots, cleaning them before packing up. Simon was still waitingin his chair while we got ready to head out. He held a small velvet drawstring bag out towards her.
“Take three,” he grumbled, sitting it in her gloved hand. Then he glanced up at me. “One for Shamrock. Good man.” Seven looked between us in utter confusion.
“You didn’t actually eat that poison did you, dude?”
He smacked his lips. There’s the psycho…right there. Finally seeing it. “For rat. Taste like pecan. Be okay.”
She took a lot less time than I would have, picking three rocks that were likely worth more than my Nova, shoving one into my hand and passing Simon the bag back as she swallowed and made her way out the door. I inspected it between my finger and thumb, smiling, though he couldn’t see it, and nodding at him.
“You were way outta her league. Fuck her.”
