“Does yourMy Little Ponymug collection know?” Hunter asked, incredulous.
“You… were supposed to come earlier,” said Helena, peering up at me.
“You know he scared the piss out of Winston just now,” remarked Hunter. “And all he did was look at the guy. Though, honestly, it was… kind of badass now that I think about it.”
“Why didn’t you wait to let me introduce you?” Helena asked, her voice soft, uncertain, and only faintly accusatory, to my relief.
“I was trying to figure it out on my own,” I said, going for honesty. “And I didn’t think you’d still be here.”
“I… had to stay late tonight,” she said. “There was an emergency meeting. About… about the bookmobile.”
Oh. Fuck. The bookmobile. I’d forgotten all about that thing.
I glanced away, eyes shooting to one side.
“What about the bookmobile?” asked Hunter. “Wait. Did they find out who stole it and took it for a joyride on 71? Dude, it tookforeverto put all those books back. Whoever that freak was, he needs to go away for life.”
“Couldn’t agree more,” I muttered under my breath.
“No,” said Helena, glancing between us. “Its transmission… died.”
“Hold up,” said Hunter. “Gus the Bus is dead? Jeez. About time, too. That thing was a flipping fossil.”
When Helena peered back his way, Hunter’s eyes bugged. “I mean… sorry for your loss?”
“No,” said Helena through a short huffing laugh, “it’s… a good thing. We’re getting a new one before the New Year. Apparently, a few donors came through, and there was enough left in the budget for the rest. It’ll have heating and air and new stairs, too. The kids… they’re going to love it.”
Helena eyed me while she spoke, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at her. Aside from the fact that, with her standing this close,I couldn’t keep from picturing the way she’d arched, moaned, and shook beneath me less than twenty-four hours earlier, I didn’t want her to guess I’d paid the beater bus a visit between pickup jobs the other night.
Buses didn’t have souls, but like most things that ran on energy, they had a life force of sorts. And Gushadbeen old as shit.
She didn’t need to be driving that thing right now, and aside from that, the kids didn’t deserve to freeze this winter while trying to get books, either. And maybe I’d gambled with the fact that they may not get her a new one, but bottom line, I’d wanted to reduce the number of potential death traps in Helena’s life—even if just by one.
“So, what’s this all about anyway?” said Hunter. “Why didIget dragged into this episode ofHow Molly Met Mosh Pit? I didn’t even know you had a boyfriend, Hart. Let alone one from the set ofThe Lost Boys.”
“Good movie,” I said. “Even if it is about vampires. Surprised you know it.”
The boy scoffed, insulted. “I’d throw my gauntlet down over that one if, A, I had a gauntlet, and B, I had more confidenceyoudidn’t have one to throw back.”
“Hunter,” said Helena. “Grim, um, I meanwewanted to stop by and ask you about that guy you said asked you to pull the book before I came looking for it. We might know who it was, but we’re not sure. You talked to him, right? And you said he seemed… weird?”
“Why?” asked the kid, eyeing me up and down again. “There a hit out on him or something?”
“I just want to talk to him,” I said.
“Talk,” repeated Hunter, his brows bouncing once. “You know, back in the day, they used terms like ‘ice’ and ‘whack.’ These days you hear ‘merc’ and ‘cap,’ but ‘talk’ is a new one.”
“Grim’s not going tomercanyone,” Helena stressed. “He just… is looking to get a new tattoo. Of… his namesake. The GrimReaper. And… that guy could be the artist we’re looking for. He… specializes in… reaper tattoos.”
I scowled at Helena. Who was a terrible fucking liar.
“New tattoo,” muttered Hunter, again squinting at me. “Where the hell are you going to put it?” Quickly, he held up a hand. “You know what? Don’t answer that.”
“Please, Hunter,” said Helena, “it’s pretty important we ID this guy. Just… if you could tell us what he looked like?”
“He looked normal,” said Hunter. “Like a normal… old dude.”
“Old dude?” asked Helena, glancing back to me before returning her attention to Hunter. “I… You said he was weird.”
