agents at Rooney's Coffee."
"When?"
"Very soon," Sara said. "I'll head over there immediately. I'll tell you the rest when I get there."
"OK. We'll wait. We're still talking to Cat Lady anyway."
"How is that going?"
"I'm not sure," Virgil said. "It's another topic to discuss when you get here."
"Bye."
Sara put her phone away and headed for the door of the workshop.
"Wait!" Mei said. "I have something to give you."
She jumped up and stepped over to a shelf. She grabbed a boxy device which looked like an old portable phone. It had a keypad and a stubby antenna. A small LCD display was on the front.
She turned it on and gave it to Sara. "Keep this in your pocket."
"What is it?"
"An IMSI-catcher. It secretly talks to nearby cell phones and gathers identifying information. It might allow me to figure out who those agents really are."
"Is that legal?" Sara said.
"It's kind of a gray area in the law."
"That's comforting."
"You'd better get going," Mei said.
* * *
Virgil put away his phone. "Sara is coming here. We have more business after we're done with Cat Lady."
Lisa and Alfred nodded.
Virgil looked at Cat Lady and wondered what to do with her. She had the kind of beauty that could warp a man's judgement. Expertly applied makeup enhanced her fine features. A snug sweater and jeans showed off a body that matched her face in desirability.
He couldn't trust her in the slightest. Professional, successful criminals rarely changed their spots. She would always be looking for an edge she could exploit for personal advantage.
"I don't need your help," Virgil said. "My existing team is more than sufficient. Thanks anyway."
Cat's expression softened. She appeared disappointed, sad, and vulnerable, but the change was subtle rather than blatant.
He chuckled. "There is no denying you have talent. You could pull tears from a stone with that look."
"Yes," Alfred said. "Were you trained as an actress? Your command of body language is impeccable."
Cat sniffed. "Crime pays better than acting. I can tell when I'm not wanted. I'll just go."
She stalked off angrily, brushing past Virgil as she passed.
He let her take two steps before he ran over and grabbed her shoulder. He squeezed hard enough to hurt.
She squirmed. "What now?"
"My wallet," Virgil said.
Cat reluctantly reached into her purse and took out his brown leather wallet.
She gave it to him. "Satisfied?"
"Hold on." He checked the wallet. "I'm missing a credit card."
She abandoned her lost little girl look and just had an expression of irritation instead. She was holding his credit card in her palm, and she gave it to him.
"Now you may go," Virgil said.
Cat walked away. He watched the lovely sway of her hips until she went around a corner and vanished from sight.
"Why is Sara coming?" Lisa said.
Virgil turned around to look at her. "Two agents from the O.E.A.P. are coming here to talk to us."
"That should be interesting."
"Very. Just hang out in the corner again. I like you watching my back."
"No problem," Lisa said.
* * *
Virgil was practicing his breathing. He didn't need to breathe, of course. Nor did he need to eat, drink, or sleep. The eternal hellfire trapped within his demonic flesh gave him all the sustenance he needed. His lungs were merely empty bags which allowed him to talk, and he didn't even have a stomach.
He was breathing because Cat had noticed he didn't. It was important to maintain the appearance of normalcy, and if she could notice, others might. He needed to get in the habit of inhaling and exhaling regularly.
"You sound like your gasping for breath," Alfred said. "Slow down."
"I've forgotten how to do it properly," Virgil said. "When you're alive, you don't think about it. When you're dead, it's not natural."
They were sitting in Rooney's Coffee. The morning rush had dissipated leaving half the tables empty. The customers who remained had computers or books and obviously planned to stay awhile. Virgil tried to remember what
"When?"
"Very soon," Sara said. "I'll head over there immediately. I'll tell you the rest when I get there."
"OK. We'll wait. We're still talking to Cat Lady anyway."
"How is that going?"
"I'm not sure," Virgil said. "It's another topic to discuss when you get here."
"Bye."
Sara put her phone away and headed for the door of the workshop.
"Wait!" Mei said. "I have something to give you."
She jumped up and stepped over to a shelf. She grabbed a boxy device which looked like an old portable phone. It had a keypad and a stubby antenna. A small LCD display was on the front.
She turned it on and gave it to Sara. "Keep this in your pocket."
"What is it?"
"An IMSI-catcher. It secretly talks to nearby cell phones and gathers identifying information. It might allow me to figure out who those agents really are."
"Is that legal?" Sara said.
"It's kind of a gray area in the law."
"That's comforting."
"You'd better get going," Mei said.
* * *
Virgil put away his phone. "Sara is coming here. We have more business after we're done with Cat Lady."
Lisa and Alfred nodded.
Virgil looked at Cat Lady and wondered what to do with her. She had the kind of beauty that could warp a man's judgement. Expertly applied makeup enhanced her fine features. A snug sweater and jeans showed off a body that matched her face in desirability.
He couldn't trust her in the slightest. Professional, successful criminals rarely changed their spots. She would always be looking for an edge she could exploit for personal advantage.
"I don't need your help," Virgil said. "My existing team is more than sufficient. Thanks anyway."
Cat's expression softened. She appeared disappointed, sad, and vulnerable, but the change was subtle rather than blatant.
He chuckled. "There is no denying you have talent. You could pull tears from a stone with that look."
"Yes," Alfred said. "Were you trained as an actress? Your command of body language is impeccable."
Cat sniffed. "Crime pays better than acting. I can tell when I'm not wanted. I'll just go."
She stalked off angrily, brushing past Virgil as she passed.
He let her take two steps before he ran over and grabbed her shoulder. He squeezed hard enough to hurt.
She squirmed. "What now?"
"My wallet," Virgil said.
Cat reluctantly reached into her purse and took out his brown leather wallet.
She gave it to him. "Satisfied?"
"Hold on." He checked the wallet. "I'm missing a credit card."
She abandoned her lost little girl look and just had an expression of irritation instead. She was holding his credit card in her palm, and she gave it to him.
"Now you may go," Virgil said.
Cat walked away. He watched the lovely sway of her hips until she went around a corner and vanished from sight.
"Why is Sara coming?" Lisa said.
Virgil turned around to look at her. "Two agents from the O.E.A.P. are coming here to talk to us."
"That should be interesting."
"Very. Just hang out in the corner again. I like you watching my back."
"No problem," Lisa said.
* * *
Virgil was practicing his breathing. He didn't need to breathe, of course. Nor did he need to eat, drink, or sleep. The eternal hellfire trapped within his demonic flesh gave him all the sustenance he needed. His lungs were merely empty bags which allowed him to talk, and he didn't even have a stomach.
He was breathing because Cat had noticed he didn't. It was important to maintain the appearance of normalcy, and if she could notice, others might. He needed to get in the habit of inhaling and exhaling regularly.
"You sound like your gasping for breath," Alfred said. "Slow down."
"I've forgotten how to do it properly," Virgil said. "When you're alive, you don't think about it. When you're dead, it's not natural."
They were sitting in Rooney's Coffee. The morning rush had dissipated leaving half the tables empty. The customers who remained had computers or books and obviously planned to stay awhile. Virgil tried to remember what
Similar Books
