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“You are part of The Order, you know what I command now.”
I do. It would be terrifying if she weren’t so grounded and trustworthy.
“How is ruling the world treating you?” I ask with a grin.
“Can’t complain, it’s a tough job but someone has to do it.”
“And your entourage of worshippers…?”
“Still worshipping strong at my altar,” she laughs. I smile at the genuine joy I hear in her voice. If she’s happy, and in charge, that’s all I care about I guess.
“So tell me how you plan to challenge me with this missing person you need finding.”
“I need you to find a dead girl,” I tell her. There’s a beat of silence before she replies.
“Oooh, I love a challenge!” I hear her clap her hands together in excitement. “Do you have anything to go off of?”
“I’ll send you what I have, but I suspect at least one other person may know this girl is alive. So I’d start there. There may not be much of a paper trail though.”
“There doesn’t need to be. I deal in people, not paper.”
“Ruthless and efficient. I miss you, sidekick,” I joke.
“Ha! You’d be my bitch now, you couldn’t handle me. I’m definitely Batman.”
I chuckle. “Can you help?”
“Of course. I owe you, I pay my debts, so consider it done. Leave it with me, I’ll text you the details.”
I thank her and sign off, already eager to hear back from her. I’m just closing the safe when I’m interrupted.
“Baxter? What are you doing?” Cordelia asks in her cut-glass accent.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” I shrug. “Admiring the artwork.”
“Why are you here?” she questions, choosing to ignore the painting in front of the safe. It’s not straight. I don’t care. I’m not about to piss around playing games with this bitch. I don’t care if she knows I’ve been in her safe.
“I came to see Phoenix,” I reply. Not a lie, the safe was just an added bonus. What secrets is she hiding?
“We were out.”
“I can see that. Unless you make it a habit to leave her alone. Where were you? And more importantly, where the hell is she?”
“Baxter, with the trial coming up you can’t really be here…” she begins. She’s forcing herself to be polite to me, because of my grandfather, but I don’t need to extend any such courtesy back to her.
“Actually, I can. I’m on the approved list of visitors and you can check it if you like. Where's Phoenix?” I push, frowning. She can’t be in the house, it’s too damn quiet.
“She’s upstairs, in her room,” Cordelia sighs.
“Why?” I ask, suspicious.
“Because she just got a new toy and she wants to play with it. Why all the questions Baxter? Honestly…” She tuts disapprovingly at me.
“You can’t buy her love. There’s nothing you can give her that Raven can’t.”
“I can give her stability. A nice home.”
I laugh at that. As if the words nice and Cordelia could ever go together.
