I thought about his spider-killing face and, for a split second, wondered that myself.
Oscar sighed. He was starting to look unnerved and very much out of his element.
My phone pinged. I glanced at the face of it, and saw Russo had finally emerged from his covert mission.
You been busy today?
Yep. Found a body—the mayor. Ditched a tracking device.
Chased the Canceled Killer in a white Wagoneer. Also, the
Canceled Killer ransacked my trailer. And Spider-Man is
missing. So is Allen Gordon.
My phone lit up with Russo calling. I answered, pressing the phone to my ear as I walked away from the group.
“What the hell? You okay?” Russo’s gruff voice came over the line, and I immediately felt better.
“I’m okay, yeah.”
“Tell me everything. Start from the beginning.”
I walked to the other end of the Zen garden, far out of earshot, and watched as Oscar continued to try to pick through the mess the killer had left behind. I brought Russo up to speed.
“Why didn’t you call me the second you found the body?”
“Because I was being held for questioning and my phone died,” I said. “Then I was busy with a damn car chase and a ransackedtrailer. I am ninety-nine percent sure the Canceled Killer killed the mayor.”
“Mr. Handsy?” Russo asked.
“Yeah. And worse, my brother thinks I could be a suspect.”
Russo scoffed. “You? Why? ’Cause you tripped this guy?” Russo laughed. “If everybody in Chicago who did that was also a suspect in a murder case, the county jail wouldn’t be big enough.”
“No kidding. But the bigger problem is the Canceled Killer isn’t acting like himself. He’s nervous or off his game. Something. He’s getting messy. Why turn over my trailer? It doesn’t make sense.”
Russo fell silent. “Sorry, kid. I should be there.”
“Where the hell are you, anyway? Oscar needs your help here. He’s out of his depth.”
Annoyance replaced my relief as I realized that things would be a whole lot less scary if Russo were here.
“Milwaukee,” he said.
“What the hell are you doing there? And why aren’t I with you?” My life would’ve been a lot easier if I’d been two hours away and never found the mayor’s body.
“You couldn’t come with me,” Russo said.
“Why not? I thought we were teaming up?” I couldn’t help but keep the childish hurt from my voice.
Russo sighed. “The less you know about this the better.”
“I need to know,” I pressed.
“Fine.” Russo sighed. “I’m here interviewing Spidey Guy’s family.”
I blinked fast. “Why?”
