“It was a computerized call. I hung up right away.”
“What did they want?”
“My participation in some kind of survey.”
There was no response on the other end for a few moments. Then the underwater voice said, “Don’t you hate that?”
She almost giggled again.How inappropriate would that be?“Uh, yeah. I do.”
“I hope you know I’m going to have to check the room again to be sure there’s no police or surveillance equipment.”
She sighed. “Sure. Why not?” She waved Jayce toward the front door.
He nodded and strode over to it. When the phone clicked off, he opened and slipped around the door. He managed to close it behind himself before the Skype call began.
Kristine knew the drill. She walked Donkey Pizzle all through the apartment, under beds, and in closets. The shower curtain was already open, so she didn’t have to do that again. How long had it been since she’d showered?Sheesh.
“Satisfied?” she asked as soon as the tour was complete.
“For now,” Donkey Pizzle answered. “You’ll need to memorize the address I’m about to give you. Don’t write it down.”
“Okay.” She hoped it wasn’t complicated. Her stress level might affect her memory, and the location was probably where she was supposed to go to meet his next set of demands.
“1483 Park Avenue. Repeat that.”
“1483 Park Avenue.”
“Good. You’re to wait until the middle of the night, then huff and puff, and set the place on fire.”
“What?” she exclaimed.
“You heard me.”
“But…you’re aware that I’m a firefighter, right?”
“Yup. But you’re also a dragon.”
“I have to work tonight.”
“You can slip out, do what you’re told, and get back before the dispatcher gets the call.”
“No! I can’t! I’ll lose my job if I’m discovered.”
“You’ll lose your mother if you don’t do as I say. Call in sick.”
“Holy crap. That’s a residential neighborhood. People could be asleep.”
“It is. And, hopefully, they will be.”
“Shit! I can’t do this. You must know that.”
“Didn’t your mother tell you to do whatever I said?”
Kristine placed her elbow on her knee and dropped her forehead into her hand.
“Headache?” Donkey Pizzle asked.
“What the fuck do you think?” she growled.
