Page 34 of Book of Night
Charlie knelt down on the floor, forcing herself to take a few deep, even breaths. That was what she did when she was having a panic attack. And she suspected this was going to be amonsterof a panic attack. “What?”
“That man.”Odette frowned at her. “He seemed to think he knew you. And perhaps you should move off the floor. A chair would probably be more comfortable. Cleaner, I’m sure.”
“He thought I knew someone else, but I don’t. I didn’t.” Maybe Charlie was the one whose mind had gone full-tilt boogie. “I’m good right here.”
Odette sat down on a barstool. She looked at the smashed wall of liquor and gave a long sigh. “I don’t understand the world anymore. I think I’m getting old.”
Charlie shook her head. “Never.”
“Did you see what that man did? With his…” Odette looked toward the double doors, the way she’d been looking when the magic rolled toward her. “With Balthazar’s shadow parlor, I saw the wondrous part of gloaming, but not the awful side.”
“Yeah,” Charlie said quietly.
“It washorrible.” Odette glanced toward Vince, then back at Charlie. “Do you think this has something to do with Balthazar?”
“The man was looking for a guy they tossed out the other night,” she said after a moment.
“But why ask you?” Odette said, which was an entirely reasonable point.
Charlie opened her mouth, trying to find some explanation that could make sense when Vince interrupted her. “Is there a first aid kit somewhere? She’s bleeding.”
“Oh, of course. In my office,” Odette said, rising from her barstool.
“Just tell me where—” Charlie began, but Odette cut her off.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Stay.” She headed into the back again.
Charlie sighed, and deliberately did not look at her shadow, which might or might not be moving. Which might or might not mean something. “I’mfine.”
“I know.” Vince squatted down next to her and ran his hands lightly over her arms, checking for cuts. His fingers were careful. Careful, like how he kissed. Not the rough, blunt pressure against a jaw.
“Vince?” she said.
He took her hand and smiled like any kindly boyfriend, one who didn’t believe he’d been overheard talking about magic. Who hoped she didn’t know, or wouldn’t mind too much about him being a murderer.
Odette returned with the kit, cell phone tucked against her cheek. “You know that if I had called you from a goddamn Fridays you would have sent someoneimmediately.” She dumped a lumpy red bag with the caduceus symbol unceremoniously beside Vince. “You think my tax money’s no good because there’s a whip painted on my sign?”
Vince searched through, took out a length of gauze, and then wetted it with soap and water from the bar sink. “There are a few pieces of glass I want to get out.”
“You better go,” she whispered to him. “Now.” He had a body in his van. It seemed impossible that the police would overlook that piece of evidence.
“Just a second.” He wiped off some blood.
He discovered what Charlie thought were probably eyebrow tweezers in the kit. Charlie wondered if there was emergency eyeliner in there too. Knowing Odette, very possibly.
The glass came out easily. At the sight of the shard, the gleaming blue of aBombay Sapphire gin bottle, Charlie felt a bit dizzy. Part of her wished she’d taken a shot of something before he started, but the last thing she needed right then was to be slow-witted.
“If the police aren’t here in ten minutes, I am going to wake up the mayor,” Odette purred into the phone. “Mark my words.”
Charlie had no idea if Odette knew the mayor or not; it wasn’t impossible.
“I’ll see you at home,” Vince said. He didn’t stop bandaging her leg, his hands steady and sure, as though he’d done this before too, not just the murdering.
Charlie took a breath, let it out. The whole night had felt like one long tumble down a well. And she might still be falling. “Yeah, go. You have to go.”
Vince rose, put his hand on her shoulder, and then headed for the door in the back.
“Where’s your fella off to?” Odette asked. She was behind the bar, rummaging in the drawers, pulling out extra napkins and themed drink stirrers.
