markets dealing in fine art and antiques.”
Emma grinned at Kristen. “Wouldn’t that be totally badass?”
“Art thieves?”
“No, if it was connected. If that superhero chick is legit, imagine if she’s hot on the trail of some thief that pulled off a heist in the museum archive.”
Kristen chuckled nervously. “I really don’t think that’s something she’d be interested in.”
“Why not?”
“It isn’t exactly a life and death situation, is it? Temple Financial was, sure. There were hostages. But this is just a ring. It isn’t a person.”
“It seems more important than a person. I mean, no, maybe nobody will die for it, but they said it’s three-thousand years old. The city turned into a circus over that Stradivarius, and it was only three hundred years old. It would seriously suck to lose something that survived that long in one piece. People don’t survive that long.”
“I guess so.” Kristen bit the inside of her lip. “I’m gonna get going to the liquor store. I still want to get my run in tonight. Text me what you want, or I’m just going to get whatever.”
Emma shot Kristen a salute. “Godspeed, liquor lady. I’ll make sure the pizza guy gives you a big tip.”
“Other way around, Emma.”
“Nope.”
Kristen rolled her eyes and stepped out into the hall. She made it as far as the parking lot before her phone buzzed. She stopped and checked it: a text from Emma.
A row of smiling poop emoji.
Chapter 4
After a night of drinking and laughing with Emma, Kristen pulled into Otherworlds and cut the engine. Jane hadn’t sent anyone to pick up the Chrysler yet, so Kristen decided she might as well use it. It was better than her used beater, that was for sure. She stayed in the car, one arm draped over the wheel. There was something about being in a car—not even driving, just being—that made her think.
Offering Emma living space was the right move, but offering to find a better place based on her new, higher-paying job was just stupid. The job at Temple came from Jane. Though Jane hadn’t said it outright, it was reasonable to assume keeping that job depended on cooperating with the woman on matters other than sitting at a security desk watching monitors. For the first time, she realized the job didn’t even make sense. Did a bank branch, in the modern era, even have overnight security? With cameras and electronic alarms capable of remote monitoring, who needed eyeballs on-site? Jane made it happen as a matter of convenience. Kristen would have a reason to be out at night. She’d have an alibi. Temple would have a method of paying her for her services that looked right come tax time.
One question answered: if she didn’t keep playing Jane’s game, she’d be unemployed. No job, no place for Emma, and possibly no place at all.
Kristen set her elbows against the wheel and planted her face squarely in her hands. Am I being stupid?
She ran a checklist through her head. Was Jane shady? Yes. Had Jane asked her to hurt anyone? No. No one human, anyway. Which, Kristen realized, didn’t mean much. Considering what she was capable of, could she call herself human? She dismissed it. It didn’t matter. Had Jane asked her to hurt anyone who wasn’t already hurting someone else? No. Had Jane given her opportunities she wouldn’t otherwise have? Yes. Did Jane give her space when she needed it? Yes.
Kristen sat up just in time to catch a blur of motion coming toward the car. Her eyes snapped in that direction. Just Bernice. Kristen blew out a relieved breath and waved. Bernice waved back. She walked right up to the car, opened the passenger door, and hopped in. “You gonna creep out here all day or you gonna come inside?”
“I wasn’t creeping.”
Bernice eyed her. “Are you really going to make me do this?”
Kristen’s brow knit. “Do what?”
Bernice looked out the window for a long moment, then back again. “You know I know, right? Was I not clear enough
Emma grinned at Kristen. “Wouldn’t that be totally badass?”
“Art thieves?”
“No, if it was connected. If that superhero chick is legit, imagine if she’s hot on the trail of some thief that pulled off a heist in the museum archive.”
Kristen chuckled nervously. “I really don’t think that’s something she’d be interested in.”
“Why not?”
“It isn’t exactly a life and death situation, is it? Temple Financial was, sure. There were hostages. But this is just a ring. It isn’t a person.”
“It seems more important than a person. I mean, no, maybe nobody will die for it, but they said it’s three-thousand years old. The city turned into a circus over that Stradivarius, and it was only three hundred years old. It would seriously suck to lose something that survived that long in one piece. People don’t survive that long.”
“I guess so.” Kristen bit the inside of her lip. “I’m gonna get going to the liquor store. I still want to get my run in tonight. Text me what you want, or I’m just going to get whatever.”
Emma shot Kristen a salute. “Godspeed, liquor lady. I’ll make sure the pizza guy gives you a big tip.”
“Other way around, Emma.”
“Nope.”
Kristen rolled her eyes and stepped out into the hall. She made it as far as the parking lot before her phone buzzed. She stopped and checked it: a text from Emma.
A row of smiling poop emoji.
Chapter 4
After a night of drinking and laughing with Emma, Kristen pulled into Otherworlds and cut the engine. Jane hadn’t sent anyone to pick up the Chrysler yet, so Kristen decided she might as well use it. It was better than her used beater, that was for sure. She stayed in the car, one arm draped over the wheel. There was something about being in a car—not even driving, just being—that made her think.
Offering Emma living space was the right move, but offering to find a better place based on her new, higher-paying job was just stupid. The job at Temple came from Jane. Though Jane hadn’t said it outright, it was reasonable to assume keeping that job depended on cooperating with the woman on matters other than sitting at a security desk watching monitors. For the first time, she realized the job didn’t even make sense. Did a bank branch, in the modern era, even have overnight security? With cameras and electronic alarms capable of remote monitoring, who needed eyeballs on-site? Jane made it happen as a matter of convenience. Kristen would have a reason to be out at night. She’d have an alibi. Temple would have a method of paying her for her services that looked right come tax time.
One question answered: if she didn’t keep playing Jane’s game, she’d be unemployed. No job, no place for Emma, and possibly no place at all.
Kristen set her elbows against the wheel and planted her face squarely in her hands. Am I being stupid?
She ran a checklist through her head. Was Jane shady? Yes. Had Jane asked her to hurt anyone? No. No one human, anyway. Which, Kristen realized, didn’t mean much. Considering what she was capable of, could she call herself human? She dismissed it. It didn’t matter. Had Jane asked her to hurt anyone who wasn’t already hurting someone else? No. Had Jane given her opportunities she wouldn’t otherwise have? Yes. Did Jane give her space when she needed it? Yes.
Kristen sat up just in time to catch a blur of motion coming toward the car. Her eyes snapped in that direction. Just Bernice. Kristen blew out a relieved breath and waved. Bernice waved back. She walked right up to the car, opened the passenger door, and hopped in. “You gonna creep out here all day or you gonna come inside?”
“I wasn’t creeping.”
Bernice eyed her. “Are you really going to make me do this?”
Kristen’s brow knit. “Do what?”
Bernice looked out the window for a long moment, then back again. “You know I know, right? Was I not clear enough
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