by Claire Kane
“I’m fine,” Lacey firmly said. “Other girls have disappeared, but… as for me, I’m not in danger.”
Should I say it? Victor wondered. “You’re in danger, Lacey.”
A sudden pounding on the driver side window startled them.
It was a meter maid.
“What’s a meter maid doing in a paid parking garage after dark?” Victor asked. “Garages don’t even have meters.”
Lacey ignored the remarks and rolled the window down a touch. The rough-looking old woman in an orange vest barked through the crack, “You’re in a handicapped spot.”
“I am?” Lacey said. Glancing forward, she spotted it, the blue stencil of a figure in a wheelchair, spray-painted on the wall.
The lady scowled. “Do you know the fine associated with unlawful parking?”
Lacey turned the key in the ignition, and the engine thrummed to life. “My mistake,” she said. “I’ll leave now. I promise I didn’t know this wasn’t a regular parking spot.”
The woman’s frown deepened, and she withdrew a small pad of paper from her vest. “Slow down there, missy,” she said. “We had a complaint about this specific vehicle. That’s what got me here in the first place. I’m afraid I’m going to have to cite you tonight.”
Victor raised an eyebrow and focused on the woman’s thoughts. “Ah. She’s looking for a Christmas bonus for exceeding her quota.”
Not helpful, Victor, Lacey thought at him.
“Well, maybe not, but,” and he stroked her hair just to do it, “I’ve picked up a few tricks since being away. One sec. I’ll be right back.” And with that, he was gone, flying around the parking garage at the speed of thought. Within moments, he’d located what he was looking for: spare cash lying around.
Okay, Vic, he told himself, You can do this. He concentrated on the cash, letting himself relax and trying to let his mind feel the fabric of the twenty-dollar bill. When he managed that, he reached out to the air around him, feeling it quiver slightly in response to his request. He smiled and kept on reaching. This would work.
ELEVEN
Lacey grimaced more at the now-empty passenger seat than she did at the old woman bent on fining her for a mistake. She drummed her fingers on the wheel, wondering what kind of idiot thing Victor had abandoned her for this time. She turned when she heard a ripping sound, and groaned inside as the woman finished tearing the citation off the pad. She proffered it to Lacey.
“Five hundred dollars. And don’t even try to contest it.”
Lacey hesitated to reach for it, but the meter maid shoved it toward her, only to have a stiff gust snatch it out of her hand and send it swirling away into the garage. The meter maid dashed after it, in vain, hands flailing to retrieve it. Lacey watched in surprise.
A voice broke her trance. “Pretty neat trick, huh?”
Lacey yelped a third time, and spun on Victor, who looked smug. “Will you stop doing that?”
Victor had the good graces to look momentarily sheepish. “Probably best that we leave. It’ll take her a minute to catch up to that. But she’ll find a nice reward at the end.”
Lacey peered at Victor. “What did you do?”
He shrugged and gestured toward the exit sign. “Gave her a little holiday cheer. I couldn’t have asked you to give her money, since that’d be bribery, but Heaven has interesting little ways of meeting people’s need without resorting to anything illegal. She’ll get what she wants, and you’ll get what you want. You made an honest mistake, and this time, you’re not being punished for it. Unless you sit here long enough for her to come back.”
Lacey put the car in reverse, and looked over her shoulder. “She’ll remember my plate. She’ll just run it and then mail the ticket.”
Victor chuckled. “Oh, she doesn’t have to remember it.”
Lacey shot him a glance. “You can mess with people’s memories?”
He shook his head. “Not something they’ve taught me yet. But you don’t have to be supernatural to know how to distract people. She’ll forget all on her own when she finds the spare change I rustled up for her.”
Lacey wasn’t sure whether to be impressed, but she wasn’t about to pass up the chance to avoid half a month’s worth of rent in fines. In moments, she was back out on Seattle’s streets. On mental autopilot, she started for home.
“You have no idea how good it is to see you again, Lacey. And not just in The Pool.”
Lacey felt strangely violated. “You’ve been watching me in my bathing suit? That doesn’t seem like something a good, Christian angel would do.”
Victor groaned. “Geez. Walked right into that one. No,” he said. “I mean, Heaven has this amazingly clear pool of water that serves as a portal for viewing mortals. And before you ask, I have not seen you naked, nor in any embarrassing or awkward situations. We’re only allowed to look for good purposes, and at certain times. In fact, I haven't been allowed to check on you until right before I got here. And now, here I am.” He threw his arms wide.
“Here you are,” Lacey replied quietly.
Victor frowned and leaned over. The mental connection they’d formed shortly after his death was as strong as ever, and there was no mistaking the waves of sadness, confusion, and betrayal coming from her. With the barest of probes, he caught up on her life during his time away. The sadness made him shudder.
“I’d forgotten just how depressing Earth life could be,” he said softly, reaching out to stroke Lacey’s face. Though he knew she wouldn’t feel it physically, he knew their spiritual connection would convey the same kind of comfort as if he were there in the flesh.
“Why haven’t you answered me, Victor? You said you loved me, and then you just left me here. Do you have any idea what I’ve been going through? And now I’ve just sold myself to a modeling agency because… because…”
“Because you figured it was the best way to solve two problems at once, no matter how much you hated the idea?”
She pouted. “Yes. And stop reading my mind. You should already know I just need to vent.”
He nodded. “Go on. You’ve got a voice that would make the angels jealous. I could listen to it forever.”
Lacey couldn’t help but feel a little flattered at the compliment, even if she wasn’t in the mood for it. Seeing Victor again was an emotional explosion, especially with his timing. No, she didn’t seriously care for Jack, but there was something undeniably fun and exciting about him, and she could use a little of that in her life right now. Something to remind her that she was more than just some stupid little waitress in a dead-end life.
“I bet you look really good in your barista uniform,” Victor joked. “I’ll have to visit you at work.”
Lacey glowered but had to fight a giggle. “Stop it, Victor.” Determined not to wallow in self-pity, she brought her thoughts back around to Jessica. She sensed Victor’s instant attention.
“Like I said, Jessica was murdered just a couple of days ago. Stabbed and thrown in a dumpster.”
Victor ground his teeth. “And you’re going to track down her killer.”
She threw up a hand in exasperation. “Someone has to. Why not me? I did fine figuring things out with your murder.”
He leveled an unmistakable stare at her. “Lacey—let the cops do their job. You flirted with death a little too much the last time we were together. I’m eager to get you over to this side with me, but not that eager. Remember all the reasons you want to stay here?”
Lacey did, of course, and sighed. “The cops are already on it, yes, but I need this, Victor.”
He knew she did, but Rao’s warning echoed in his mind. “What do you think you have that the police don’t? They use trained detectives to investigate this kind of thing. Besides, Jessica Simcox? You barely even knew the woman. With me, I get it—we were an item. But her?”
Lacey blew out a breath. “She was a woman, Victor. Maybe not the kind a guy would want to take home to his parents, but still a human being, and someone I at
least passingly knew.
“You’re right—I’m not as well trained as some detectives, but I can do this.”
He shook his head. “I never did understand your penchant for chasing danger. I’ll make you a deal. You give me one good reason why you need to be part of this, and I’ll quit badgering you about it. Otherwise, as your official Guardian Angel, I’m going to do what I need to to keep you safe.”
Lacey bit her lip. “I’m going undercover. As a model. I’m positive the cops won’t do that.”
Victor opened his mouth to speak, but Lacey got there first.
“Before you say it, no I don’t think they have any sexy female detectives to assign, even if they do think to look into this venue.”
“I wasn’t going to—”
A look from Lacey paused him.
“—put it quite that way,” he finished after a beat. “I was going to ask, ‘Why modeling?’”
Lacey turned a corner and headed for the Alaska Way viaduct. She merged into the light, evening traffic, and headed north toward home. “Because other girls have gone missing from the U of W campus. They may have also been models. I know it’s not much, but something I heard at work led me to believe there may be a connection—one the police won’t even consider.”
Victor raised his eyebrows. “You really think they’re that dumb?”
Lacey threw up her hands in frustration. “I don’t Victor, but can’t you just let me do this? Why are you always standing in my way?”
He turned in his seat to fully face her. “Because—”
“Because you love me,” she cut in. And for a moment, she couldn’t help remembering the closeness they’d shared during the time she’d helped him solve the riddle of his own murder. A big part of her wished she could have that with him. With someone. But now wasn’t the time for sentiment.
Victor sat back in his seat. “You’re going to do this no matter what I say, aren’t you.” It wasn’t a question, and they both let the ensuing silence linger for a while.
Eventually, Lacey broke the reverie. “I’ve been having dreams, Victor.” She exited Alaska and merged into surface street traffic, pausing at a red light.
“Oh?”
She hugged herself tightly. “They… haven’t been good.”
He examined her. “Could I… have a look? I mean, provided I don’t make the memories conscious?”
Lacey bit her lip. “Mostly, it’s just the one about Jessica that got me. I’ve ignored the rest. But ever since you’ve been gone, I’ve had lots of little things in dreams that have been coming true in real life. I just keep telling myself they’re coincidences, and put them out of mind. But when I watched Jessica die…”
He took her meaning. “There’s something else you’re not telling me.”
Lacey nodded, pursing her lips and trying to decide how to say it.
“It’s okay,” he said. “I already know what you’re trying to ask.”
She rolled her eyes. “Do you have any idea how annoying that is? Why do you think Stephenie Meyer made Bella’s mind unreadable by her man?”
Victor chuckled. “Don’t even get me started. But to answer your unspoken question, I don’t know.”
“You don’t know what?” she said. The light changed, and she eased forward.
“I don’t know whether our connection has contributed to your dreams. I mean, it could, and we do get a lot of sneak previews in Heaven, but I’ll have to ask whether it would work that way—you being able to see into your future because you’re tied to me.”
Lacey nodded. “I know that sounds kind of silly.”
“Not at all. So what are your plans now?”
“Well, Jack wants me to do a test shoot to see whether I’ll be accepted into his agency.”
“Jack? That’s suck-face dude, right?”
She exhaled meaningfully. “If you must be so childish, yes. That’s his name.”
“Well, then, I’ll make sure to let you get your beauty rest tonight.”
She eyed him. “You mean you’re coming home with me?”
He shrugged. “You’re the one driving. Is that where we’re headed?”
Lacey considered pulling over and asking him to leave, but realized it would do no good. Besides, she knew she could trust him to behave. “Just don’t keep Nainai awake, okay?”
He nodded, and they completed the drive in silence.
As they pulled into her parking lot, Victor could sense the dark things around them. Nothing on the order of Legion, thankfully—though he was more prepared to deal with them now than he had been at first—but he could see beyond the obvious signs of broken down cars and shady characters. As ever, he was glad Lacey didn’t know what she was missing.
They made their way to her new apartment—Victor knew better than to ask about it—and Lacey set her purse down in the living room.
“Nainai? I’m home.”
“Oh, hey,” Victor said. “Before you go to bed, would you mind leaving the TV on? You can turn it way down; my hearing is perfect. I just have several months of CSI to catch up on.”
Lacey ignored the comment as she filled a glass of water in the small kitchen and grabbed some medicine bottles. She then hurried to Nainai’s room, absently flicking the TV on just to satisfy Victor. The woman was still and white in the dark room. Moonlight sifted through the old blinds, eerily striping her face. Lacey walked over to her slowly, set down the pills on the nightstand, and felt her wrist for a pulse.
“I told you I’m not dead!” her grandmother spouted, springing up to a sitting position like a Jack-in-the-box.
Lacey clutched her chest with her free hand, nearly spilling the water. “You scared me!”
“You scared me!” Nainai protested, fluffing her hair. “I was having an amazing dream you've just interrupted. With Tom Hanks.”
Lacey visibly cringed. “Tom Hanks? I mean, he isn’t so bad… but Tom Hanks?”
“Yes.” Nainai smirked. ‘It turns out he knows quite a bit about Hank-y panky. Get it?”
Lacey tried to blank her mind. “Ew, I did not need to know that.”
Nainai looked wistfully into the middle distance. “We were castaways on an island, trying to make our way out of there. Then we realized, why leave this beautiful, tropical island? Especially since we have each other, and I could make him babies?”
“This is getting weirder and weirder,” Lacey said, putting up a hand. “You can stop now. I just wanted to let you know the date went well.”
“Was there a kiss?”
A few. “Yes.” Lacey smiled, humoring her. “But we better get to bed. Let’s take your pills.”
After her grandmother happily downed the medicine, Lacey kissed her forehead. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, baby girl.”
With Victor quietly watching reruns of crime dramas on the living room couch, Lacey settled into bed. She pulled the bedspread up to her neck and took a deep breath. Tomorrow was her test shoot with Geo; she would need her beauty rest. Lacey thanked God, finding she could actually fall asleep more peacefully, tonight, knowing Victor was nearby.
TWELVE
The one good thing about working at the college café was repeat customers, especially when Lacey had some further interrogations in mind. Maybe if she had more than a hunch about the missing girls it could satisfy Victor’s cynicism over her solving the mystery. The brunette and redhead she’d seen a few days ago entered at the busiest time, noon, patiently taking their place at the end of a long line. Lacey worked harder and faster than ever before, ringing up customers and getting them their orders, not wanting the girls to have any reason for suddenly leaving.
A strawberry banana shake was in the works when the girls were finally next up in line. Mrs. Jones shot a curious glance at Lacey rushing to slam a banana into the nearby blender, followed by some cold, pink mix from the refrigerator. Shoving the puree button with a thumb, Lacey nodded to the sorority sisters with an eager smile.
Cold splat
ters across Lacey’s face took her breath away. She looked down at the blender that was flinging more pink goop across her apron and even the counter. Lacey unplugged the spinning monster and exhaled in embarrassment. She wiped her face with her forearm and stood there dazed as the young man who had ordered it spurted a suppressed laugh.
“Oh my gosh…” the redheaded young woman was heard saying.
Mrs. Jones stomped over. Her hairnet was on the brink of popping off her puffy hair, her red face sure to erupt. “What’s wrong with you?! Can’t you do anything right?”
Lacey still didn’t move from her stance. She simply licked her fruity lips, upset.
“Can you hear? Are you deaf?” Mrs. Jones continued.
The customer quietly cut in, “It’s okay. It was an accident. I’ll come back later.”
Lacey’s boss glared at him before returning to what she did best. “Now clean up this mess, apologize to our customers, and stop being such a show-off.”
The guy scurried out of there, followed by the sorority sisters, all of them embarrassed over the fiasco.
Instead of cleaning up, Lacey calmly undid her apron’s bow, dropped it to the ground, and headed to the back to grab her carry-all.
Mrs. Jones was on her heels, rattling on, but Lacey had suddenly grown the amazing ability to tune her out. There were more important things than Mrs. Jones' temper tantrums. Jessica was dead, and other girls were missing.
As Lacey hurried out the entrance, Mrs. Jones’ calls were more like a distant rumble. Lacey picked up her pace, seeing the young women not far away, rounding the Student Union building. What the hay? She had already supremely embarrassed herself; what was a little more? “Wait!” she called after them. “Hey!” Flailing her arms, she took off running.
Nearly colliding with a skateboarder, Lacey quickly apologized, letting the long-haired guy pass.
The girls she’d been chasing finally turned around, spotting Lacey, then quickly eyed each other with arched brows. Jogging, Lacey caught up to them. “Hi.” She smiled. “Sorry about what happened back there.”