Part 5 (1/2)
”There you go. So give Dead End Dating a call and ask for Evie. She practically runs the place.” At least while I was this close to Death Row. ”She'll be glad to help you.”
”Thanks.” She gave me a grateful smile. ”I owe you.”
”No, I owe you.” Or I would if Rachel's surveillance panned out and I caught up with Jack.
Chapter Six.
Dead bodies don't normally creep me out. I mean, I am si fearless, bloodsucking vampire.
All right, already. So I don't really do death and destruction all that well and I haven't been to a funeral in... well, I've never actually been to one (add immortal to the fearless, bloodsucking definition above), so I might have been a little creeped out.
I stared into the square window cut into the ma.s.sive metal door and my hand stalled. Large metal drawers lined the walls from Previous Top Nextfloor to ceiling. A row of stretchers sported large, black zippered bags. The smell of disinfectant burned my nostrils.
”Are you sure she's in there?” I asked the orderly who'd led me down the hallway.
”Saw her check in for her s.h.i.+ft myself.” He peered over my shoulder. ”There she is.” He signaled to the only upright human in the entire room. She was a small redhead wearing a white lab coat and an ID badge that read MANDY DUPREE, M.C., RESIDENT/FORENSIC PATHOLOGY.
”Maybe you could tap on the gla.s.s and get her to come out here?”
”She just clocked in. She doesn't get a break yet and she can't leave the room unattended.”
I took in a deep breath and immediately regretted it. Not only did the dead bodies creep me out, but the dead smell wasn't helping the situation.
I expelled the breath, made a no more breathing promise to myself, and punched the red buzzer next to the door. Dr. Mandy glanced up and I waved. A puzzled expression creased her face as she crossed the room and punched a b.u.t.ton. The door swung open.
”Sorry to bother you. You're the Mandy who's dating Jack Marchette, right?” I asked the question, but I didn't really need to bother. The moment her bright green gaze collided with mine, I knew the answer. She wasn't just dating Jack. She was desperately in love with him and she felt certain he returned those feelings. He'd surprised her with a puppy for her birthday two weeks ago and last night he'd surprised her by licking her- Whoops. I so didn't need to know that. I blinked and focused my attention on the fine arch of her left eyebrow. Hmmm... nice wax job.
”Why do you want to know?”
”I'm looking for Jack. You do know him, right?”
She eyed me a moment longer before she finally nodded. ”Jack's in the lounge getting me some coffee.”
”Jack's getting you coffee? Jack? Jack Marchette?” See, here's the thing. My brother loves women, and he's obviously really good at it because he usually has one at his beck and call twenty-four/seven. Not the other way around.
”Who are you?” she asked me.
”I'm his...” I thought about giving her the cousin spiel, but Jack wasn't likely to play along since he didn't yet know the trouble I was in. ”I'm his sister.”
A smile erupted on her face. ”You're Lil?” At my nod, she grasped my hand and gave it a warm squeeze. ”I've heard so much about you. It's so good to finally meet you in person.”
”You've heard about me?”
It was her turn to nod. ”Of course, silly. You and your brothers. Jack's really crazy about all of you.”
”He is?”
”You guys are all he talks about.”
”We are?””Of course. He's such a family man.”
”He is?” Okay, so like I knew I was asking dumb questions, but this was one of those life-changing moments. My entire family unit as I knew it, complete with a pain-in-the-a.s.s brother who couldn't stand me, was disintegrating right before my eyes.
”His strong sense of family is one of the things that attracted me to him. He's so loyal and protective and-there he is!”
I turned just as Mandy pressed the b.u.t.ton and the door swung open. Jack stood there, a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and a long-stemmed red rose in the other.
Forget life-changing. This was a Twilight Zone moment.
”Hey, baby.” He handed Mandy the coffee and the rose and gave her a lingering kiss.
I cleared my throat and the kiss ended. Jack turned. His expression went from dreamy to puzzled. ”Lil? What are you doing here?”
”I'm being hunted by the cops for chopping some guy into little pieces.”
He grinned. ”Funny, sis.”
”No, I'm serious.”
”Lil can't stand the sight of blood.” As soon as Jack said it, he and Mandy both burst out laughing.
”But she's a vampire.” The statement seemed to make them laugh that much harder.
”Hey, I'm serious.” I frowned and tapped Jack on the shoulder. ”h.e.l.lo?”
”No, really.” Jack wiped at his eyes. ”Why are you here?”
”That's why I'm here. I'm being hunted and I need your help.”
Jack shook his head, but Mandy sobered up. ”I think she's serious, Jack.”
”Murder? That's the craziest thing I've ever heard.”
”You and me both,” I told him. ”Regardless, it's true. I'm on the lam. A fugitive. A murder suspect.” My vision clouded and I blinked frantically. h.e.l.lo? I was not crying now. Here. In front of Jack. The last time I'd let loose the waterworks, he'd laughed at me. Then again, I'd been five and he'd been seven and he'd shattered the head of my favorite porcelain doll.