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Gabriel smirkedand reached for my face. “What’s with the beard?”
I swatted my brother’s hand away before he could tug on it. “I’m undercover.”
“And that requires a beard?”
I checked the time, making sure I wouldn’t be late to pick up Lenny from school.
Another tug on my beard. “You look like a lumberjack. The checkered shirt really sells it, you know.”
If I wanted to fit in, I couldn’t wear my designer suits. And to complete my new persona, I’d bought the first thing I got my hands on, which happened to be checkered shirts in every color. My look was complete with jeans I hadn’t worn in years and T-shirts I usually only put on to work out. But the outfits were growing on me.
Building security had even stopped me last week when I’d tried to go up to the office, not recognizing me.
“You’re just jealous that I’m so versatile.”
Gabriel snorted, then turned back to his computer. He was in his office at home, refusing to work out of our high-rise in the heart of Chicago ever since Vanna, who was pregnant, had passed out.
She had low blood pressure, which had made her light-headed. She was fine now, just had to take it easy until the baby was born.
But Gabriel had been so freaked out that he now refused to leave her side. His attention was on the open door, no doubt hoping his wife would come back in.
She’d left a few minutes ago to give us privacy. Not sure why, since Gabriel told her everything anyway.
His eyes still on the door, he flipped me off.
Our lack of progress was wearing on me. I’d found out nothing since moving. There’d been nobody at Ariel’s apartment other than her and Lenny. She never had friends over. Or dates. And the relief I felt at the latter was confusing.
But there was something we were missing. I just couldn’t figure out what.
The unmistakable clacking of claws on tiles filled the air, and I jumped onto my chair. That sound had been giving me nightmares for weeks. Gabriel and Vanna’s dog, Daisy, who was the size of a small horse, appeared in the doorway. She went straight to my chair, sniffing my shoes.
“Get your demon dog away from me. I don’t want to end up as her snack.”
Gabriel watched his hellhound attack me rather than jumping to my defense. Instead, he raised a brow and laughed. “You know she would never eat you. And besides, we feed her plenty. She’s not hungry.”
I made shooing motions at her with my hands. “Today is not the day you’ll take a bite out of me. I have a gun, and I’m not afraid to use it.”
Sighing, Gabriel whistled. “Come here, girl. I don’t want to have to throw out my chair when my brother pees on it because he’s so scared of you.”
I sat back down, glaring at Gabriel. “Asshole. I haven’t peed my pants since you put a frog in them and I thought it was a snake.”
“I still have the photo somewhere. Might be time to get it out again.” He laughed at my sour expression, scratching the thing he liked to call a dog behind the ears. “Any news yet? Or is it another dead end?”
I shook my head, not taking my eyes off the demon currently drooling all over my brother’s pants. “Nothing. Nobody but Ariel and Lenny have been at the apartment. I’m going to install video cameras tonight. Maybe they’ll catch something.”
Gabriel raised his brows, crossing his arms over his chest. “You haven’t already installed cameras?”
I knew he’d tell me off, but I’d been too busy fixing things around the apartment complex. I’d never liked sitting behind a desk. Even when I was in the office, I never did much work. My skills were more specialized than filing reports or crunching numbers.
“I’ve been there most of the time anyway. But I’m doing it now, so get off my back.”
He gave a disgruntled snort, then turned his attention back to the door.
I threw up my hands. “Just go to her already. You won’t get any work done otherwise.”
Gabriel gave me the finger but didn’t protest. Instead, he stood up, Daisy following. I kept a healthy distance between them when they walked me to the front door. Gabriel motioned for Daisy to sit, then turned to me. “Keep me updated. I don’t like you out there on your own. This guy is good.”
Clapping him on the shoulder, making sure to keep an eye on Daisy, I winked. “Good thing I’m better.” Bending to the side to look past him, I called out to Vanna. “Until next time, beautiful Vanna. Remember, you can call me any time if my brother gets too annoying. There’s always a place for you by my side.”
