Charmed (Death Escorts) (39 page)

Chapter Forty-Eight

“Sinister -
suggesting or threatening evil.”

Frankie

The diner was closing just as I pulled up to the curb. I rushed inside, ignoring the dirty look of the waitress who thought I was there to order, and hurried over to the counter where Piper was standing, refilling a napkin dispenser.

“Hey,” she said, looking up, her eyes traveling behind me. I knew she was looking for Olly.

“Is Storm here?” I said, lowering my voice so our conversation would remain private.

“I’m not sure. He said he would be around. Whatever that means.”

I glanced outside toward the sidewalk. “Meet me outside when you’re done here. Hurry.”

“What’s wrong, Frankie?”

“I’ll explain later,” I said, halfway out the door.

The sidewalk outside was vacant, the hour late enough that most people were already home for the day. I looked around, trying to see Storm and then giving up with an irritated groan when I realized there were just too many dark places here from him to hide.

“Storm!” I whisper-yelled.

A few seconds ticked by and I opened my mouth to yell louder this time when I heard him up ahead. “Here.”

I moved up the sidewalk, looking for the source of his voice, and when I passed by a darkened eave for a shop, he said, “I’m here.”

“Get in the car!” I whisper-yelled again. I went around to my side and climbed in, leaving my door open so he would be able to get inside.

A few minutes later, black fog filled up the back seat.

“That is seriously sinister,” I said, looking in the rearview mirror.

“You’re dating an Escort,” he pointed out dryly. “I would say that’s worse.”

It was the first time I didn’t bother to correct someone when they said I was dating Olly. I wasn’t really sure if that was our official title, but since we both confessed to love and I was ready to do anything to get him back, I figured dating wasn’t too far of a stretch.

Piper climbed into the passenger seat, her eyes going to the black cloud in the back and then doing a double take on the gun I clutched in my lap.

“Where is Charming and why do you have a gun?”

“He’s with the Reaper. I’m going to get him out,” I said, pulling away from the curb.

“You’re going the wrong way,” Storm pointed out.

“No, I’m not. I’m taking Piper home.”

“What!” she exclaimed. “No, you are not.”

I gave her a look. “Yes, I am. You’re my best friend. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

She snorted. “I’m the only person in this car who is safe from the Reaper.”

We all sat there silently, realizing she was right.

“That’s exactly why you should go home,” I pointed out, using her reasoning against her. “You’ve already suffered enough at the hands of the Reaper.”

“I agree,” Storm said.

“You don’t get a vote,” she snapped over her shoulder.

I grinned. “Tell him!”

“You don’t get a vote, either.”

The grin I was sporting vanished. “Excuse me?”

“This is my decision. I’m not going to go sit at home while you rush off to do God knows what without me.”

“She’s just going to sit in the car,” Storm put in from behind.

“Be quiet!” we said at the same time.

She looked at me and I sighed. “Fine.” I didn’t have any right to make her stay home. No one could keep me from being involved if this was about Piper.

The tires screeched as I did a U-turn in the center of the road.

“Tell me where to go,” I told Storm.

“Oh, am I allowed to talk now?” he quipped.

“You may give directions,” Piper told him, glancing over her shoulder.

“Women,” he muttered.

“Tell us what happened,” Piper said when we were headed in the right direction.

As I drove, I explained what happened at Olly’s house. The whole time I had to keep reminding myself not to speed, that a speeding ticket would only make things worse. When I was done explaining, I thought for sure they would tell me I was crazy, that we couldn’t just go to the Reaper’s house and expect to get him out.

But they didn’t bother to tell me it was a stupid idea or that Olly wouldn’t want me to go there. Maybe they saw the determination in my face. Maybe they knew it would be a waste of breath. I didn’t really care what they were thinking because it didn’t matter.

“We’re here,” Storm said quietly.

My attention went beyond my thoughts to the homes of the upper class. Every home here had lush, sprawling lawns, winding driveways, and homes that belonged on the cover of magazines. So this was where Death lived.

It didn’t seem fair he got to live here and I had to stand behind the counter at the DMV every day for little more than minimum wage. Well, technically I didn’t do that anymore.

“Slow down and then stop here at the curb,” Storm instructed and I did as he asked, stopping the Jeep between houses, hoping no one would notice there was a car that looked like it didn’t quite belong.

“G.R.’s house is that one,” he said, pointing at the one just ahead. It was just as nice as the others with its stone façade and big windows. “I’ll see what I can find out. I’ll be right back.”

“I’m coming with you,” I said, shocked he thought I was going to sit in the car.

“Are you kidding me?” he said. “The whole idea is to not draw attention. You’re like a freaking red flag waving in the wind.”

“Excuse me?” I said. “Was that some kind of fat joke?”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “What is it with women? Always thinking men are insulting you…”

I glared at him.

“
No
, I was not calling you fat,” he explained. “I was saying that you aren’t exactly unnoticeable. You’ve got a happening body, bright blond hair, and you have a problem keeping your mouth closed.”

I’m pretty sure that last part was an insult. I let it go because he complimented my body.

“Look, just sit in the car. Arguing with you is wasting time.”

“Fine.” I sniffed.

I unzipped the window and he didn’t waste any time disappearing into the night. I let out a nervous sigh. Waiting around sucked.

I lasted for about five minutes.

Then I popped open the door and jumped out.

“Frankie, what are you doing?” Piper whispered.

“If he thinks I’m sitting in this car, he’s nuts.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know yet,” I said. “Wait here.”

I got no more than four steps down the street when she appeared at my side and we both made our way to the house silently.

“What the hell are you two doing?” Storm demanded from a dark area at the edge of the Reaper’s yard.

Both of us let out a little squeal. “Seriously! That was mean!” I pressed a hand to my chest to hopefully keep it from beating right out.

“You deserve it. I told you to stay in the car.”

“You took too long!”

“I was gone five minutes.”

Felt like a lifetime to me.

“What did you find out?” Piper asked, grabbing my hand and pulling me closer to wherever Storm was.

“Charming’s here. Getting him out isn’t an option this time.” His voice sounded a little funny.

“Why not!” I demanded.

“Well, because he’s still in his body. He won’t be going through walls anytime soon.”

“So let’s create a distraction. He’ll know it’s us and he can escape.” It was a perfectly reasonable plan.

“Uh, that’s not going to work.”

“Why not?” I demanded again.

“Because he’s unconscious.”

If that wasn’t a bucket of ice-cold water right in my face. I sucked in a breath. “What happened to him?”

“I don’t know. He doesn’t look bad, just unconscious.”

If he was unconscious, then it was bad. A person didn’t just pass out for no good reason. My worry over him increased tenfold. I really thought we would be able to find a way to get him out of there. Now I was starting to worry it wasn’t going to happen at all. Olly would sit there for months, only to be Recalled. The ATM card he gave me felt like a twenty-pound weight in my pocket. Had he known this was going to happen all along? Had his confidence been just so I wouldn’t worry?

“No.” I said, “This isn’t how this is going to go.”

“Let’s just go back to your place and we can come up with some sort of plan,” Storm said reasonably.

I was done with being reasonable.

I marched ahead, stepping onto the Reaper’s property and toward the front door.

“Frankie!” Piper called, running after me. “What are you doing?”

A man came around the side of the house and stopped short, seeing us approach. “This is private property,” he said.

 “I know exactly whose property it is,” I spat. “Now step aside.”

“I’m afraid I can’t let you go any farther.”

I snorted and walked around him. “Fine, then. Come along.”

He raced after us as I walked up to the front door and banged on the solid wood with my fist. He probably had a doorbell, but I felt like hitting something.