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“She thinks you’re not attracted to her, you know. She told me.”
“I’m...not.” The lie scraped like thorns across his tongue, but he managed to get the words out, anyway. “I’m not interested in her in that way, but I am aware of her good qualities. I want to see her with a man who can appreciate all that she has to offer. A man whose personality is compatible with hers. Someone who can enhance her life in all the best ways. She deserves nothing less.”
“I agree,” Suzette said. “But it sounds like you’re talking about The One. A soul mate or something. People can spend a lifetime looking for that person and never find them. Frankly, I think soul mates are like unicorns. I’m not convinced they exist.”
“They do,” Liam shot back, wishing he’d never met those blasted angels who had confirmed it.
“Fine, I’m happy to be wrong,” Suzette said, holding up her hands in surrender. “I’ll be thrilled when Cora finds a great guy to settle down with, but in the meantime, let a girl have some fun. Ease off the pedal, okay? Just be her friend and quit with the growly big-brother act.” She started to walk and added, “Oh, and for the record? I know it’s exactly that—anact.Because no matter what you say, I’m pretty sure you have a thing for Cora.”
Liam opened his mouth to deny it, but Suzette didn’t give him a chance.
“Hey, keep it to yourself if that’s what gets you through the day.” She slapped him on the shoulder and changed the subject to the different fast-food restaurants they could hit on the way home. It was a subject quite near and dear to his heart, but he was too bothered to think about food.
It was just past twelve when Liam heard Cora arrive home that night. He was lying in his room with the cat, Angel, beside him, wondering how the hell he was going to untangle Cora’s growing affections for Magnus and transfer them to Finn. Another week gone, and he was no closer to completing his task and saving his immortal soul. Time was running out, but with Finn off to New York City for the weekend, there wasn’t much more Liam could do until next week.
As if sensing Liam’s distress, Angel rose from the bed and repositioned himself, curling around Liam’s head. Soon, all Liam could hear was the loud rumble of the cat’s purr.
“Get off my pillow, you mangy thing.” Liam pretended to act annoyed, but there was something very comforting about having a cat for earmuffs. He’d never had the luxury of a pet in his old life, so he hadn’t understood the lure. In his village most animals were kept for sustenance, and with crops beginning to fail, even farm animals were becoming scarce. So it came as a bit of a surprise that he was growing attached to Cora’s feisty feline. In truth, it was no small thing when such a lofty, regal creature as a cat chose to love you.
“Purr all you want, but it’s not going to help,” he grumbled as he smoothed a hand down Angel’s back. “I’m on borrowed time, cat. Unless you want to give me one of your nine lives, you’re useless to me.”
Angel ignored Liam’s complaints because he was a cat, and therefore above such trivial things. Instead, he continued to purr and settled more firmly around Liam’s head.
Grumbling one last time for good measure, Liam closed his eyes and tried to think of ways to drag Cora from Magnus’s clutches, but it all seemed futile. Not even the cat listened to him. What hope did he have that Cora would?
12
The Zippy Lube auto shop was empty on Monday morning, save for an old station wagon in one of the stalls. It was located at the edge of a strip mall near a McDonald’s, where cars were already lined up for the drive-through window. Liam had half a mind to skip the auto shop and get in line for one of those lovely melted cheese-and-egg sandwiches, but he stayed the course because he was a responsible police officer on an important mission. That, and he’d just had breakfast.
Pulling his car up to the first garage bay at Zippy Lube, Liam rolled down his window. He’d left Cora at the police station to get caught up on paperwork, and since he would rather do anything than tackle the pile on his own desk, he’d decided to pay Slice Biddlesworth a follow-up visit. It was a long shot that Slice would have any new information to divulge, but it was a good excuse to get out of the office.
The young man emerged from a side door wearing a black mechanic jumpsuit with an oil-stained rag hanging from one pocket. Though his clothes were soiled from work, the dark circles were gone from his eyes, and he looked much more rested than the last time.
“You.” Slice slowed to a stop before reaching the window. Liam could tell from his expression he wasn’t thrilled to see him.
“Morning.” Liam tried to look cheerful and unassuming. “I’ve come to get my car one of those tune-up things.”
Slice took in the state of Liam’s ancient sedan, unimpressed. “When’s the last time you had the oil changed?”
“A few years.” It seemed like a better answer than the truth, which wasnever. How often did a car even need its oil changed, anyway? Liam handed Slice the keys and hopped out of the vehicle.
Slice looked at Liam like his brain needed a tune-up. “I’ll get you signed in and have Arnie take a look.” He gave the keys to a squat man with sunburned cheeks and a shaved head, then led Liam into the cramped office. Other than a counter along one wall and three plastic chairs in a tiny waiting area, the place was mostly bare. It smelled of stale cigarette smoke and motor oil, and the only thing hanging on the wood-paneled wall was a poster of a woman on the hood of a convertible wearing a swimsuit.
Slice typed some information into a computer, then grabbed a Zippy Lube invoice off the printer and slid it over to Liam. “This is the basic package price, but I’d recommend upgrading to synthetic oil to extend the life of your vehicle.” He ticked off boxes with a pen. “Air filter change, coolant flush, fuel injector cleaning. Your car looks super old, so you may also want wiper blade replacements and—”
“Just do it all,” Liam interrupted. He had no idea what the man was going on about, and he had more important things to be concerned with. “Whatever the car needs, I’ll leave it to your expert opinion. Charge me for everything. The works.”
Slice began ticking off more boxes on the invoice, launching into all the upgrades Liam would be receiving with the premium package. Liam nodded at all the appropriate times, hoping to speed the process along. Once the invoice was filled out, Arnie was notified and the transaction was complete, Slice leaned his back against the counter, twisting an oil rag in his hands. “Any news on Lindsey’s case?”
“I can’t discuss it.” Liam took a seat in one of the plastic chairs. “How are you?”
Slice crossed his arms. “Not sure I want to discuss it.”
Fair enough. The young man had been through a lot, and he didn’t owe Liam anything. “I’m sorry about your girlfriend and that whole business at the station,” Liam said solemnly. “Truly. It’s a terrible thing to lose someone.”
Slice searched Liam’s face. “Have you?”
“Aye, and it’s hell.” Liam looked him straight in the eyes. “I know.”
