“The one that belongs to all of that.” She gestured to the blotchy brown stains on the floor, then to the sink, and finally the bloody footprints leading up to the door. “And that. And that.”
“Good question,” I muttered under my breath, and her eyes practically popped out of her head.
“You don’t know?”
I shrugged a single shoulder, crossing my arms over my chest and narrowing my eyes. Vee did it to appear intimidating. I did it when I got defensive. “It was here. And now it’s not.”
“Bodies don’t just get up and walk out of a room, Bells. People do. Live people.”
“Thank you, Captain Obvious,” I grumbled before turning around and peering out the window. The car was gone. But I figured it had gotten towed. Now I wasn’t so sure. “I think he got away again.”
“Again?” Gabbie cocked an eyebrow. I didn’t need to see it to know the face she was making. I could hear it in her voice. “Who is this guy? And why are you fucking him?”
“I’m not.”
Another eyebrow. Or the same one but higher. This time, it was her breathing that gave it away.
“Fucking is something you’re actively doing. And, as you can see with your own judgy eyes,I’m notactively fucking anyone,” I clarified. “Ifuckedhim. As in, in the past.”
“Right. And you still didn’t answer my question, smart-ass. Who is he?”
“A ghost,” I whispered. “Or at least I’m starting to think he is.”
“Ghosts don’t bleed, Bellatrix.”
“Yeah, and they don’t die either.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
BELLATRIX
Gabby insisted I was obsessed. I assured her I was just doing my due diligence. Keeping an eye out on the fucker’s apartment and making sure we didn’t have any cops on our tail. Or ghosts. Or whatever this guy was. Because I was pretty certain he wasn’t human. I just hadn’t quite figured outwhatelse to call him.
I refused to call him Casper—the name Vee had jotted down in his file—even if it seemed fitting.
I never believed in all that paranormal shit. It came with the job. It was a lot harder to take someone out when you thought there was a very real possibility of them haunting your ass when you were done with them. It was also much easier to go about your day when your targets stayed dead and their bodies didn’t disappear into thin air.
The blood trail had ended on the sidewalk where his car had been parked, telling me I hadn’t hit anything vitalorsomeone had tossed him inside and drove away. I didn’t see any drag marks, though, so at the very least he was upright. What happened after he got in that car was anyone’s guess.
All I knew was that he hadn’t come back here. I would have seen him if he had.
It had been a little over a week without a sighting. The same lamp lighting up the tiny window and the usual traffic going in and out of the bar beneath it. Gabby and I had made sure to leave everything exactly how we found it. Including the pocket knife that was currently rusting in the sink. I had plenty more where those came from and there was nothing notable on it that could lead anyone back to me.
The only thing we took were the sheets, which we replaced with the same color and brand. Paid for in cash. Not that the cops around here would look that deep into it. Most of them were tied up with the mob and too busy to actually investigate a real crime.
I closed my eyes and took another deep breath. Slowly releasing it and repeating the process. It helped me stay focused. And awake. And right now, I needed to be both of those things.
I was squared up on the adjacent rooftop. Scope pressed to my face and rifle tucked under my chin. I had to factor in the wind and rain, adjust for the distance and the glass. But the moment he popped up again, the moment I had a clear shot, I was taking it.
He wasn’t getting up this time.
I jolted awake when a large drop of water splattered on the stock and splashed me in the face. Usually the adrenaline spike was enough to keep me awake on these long stakeouts. Not this time.
I brushed my thumb over the ocular lens to clear the rain away and peered across the street again. Peeking over the top of the scope when I noticed that the light in the window was off.
I’dmissed it. Someone had gone into the room and I crashed out and missed it.Son of a bitch…
I pulled my phone from my pocket and checked the time. Two hours had passed. Which meant that whoever was in there was likely long gone by now. I kept watching anyway. Upping the magnification when I spotted the curtain move to the side like someone was brushing by it.
