Early to Death, Early to Rise - Kim Harrison [52]
“You wouldn’t,” Ace said, wiping his nose. Blood smeared his face and his fingers, bits of tissue sticking to them.
Smiling grimly, I pushed Paul aside as I moved to the window. “You’re a good person, Shoe. I’ll do what I can.” How was I going to do this? I didn’t know a thing about computers.
Ace threw his tissues away. “You think Shoe can keep me here?” he said, moving to sit in Shoe’s chair as if it were a throne and twisting it back and forth. “I got a guardian angel. Once that freak of a girl leaves, I’ll have your mom in here. Then I’m calling my mom. I’m telling her you hit me and stole her entry card.”
My jaw clenched, and Shoe, waiting by the door, frowned. I glanced at the guardian angel sitting on the edge of the mirror, and she made a little chirp of a sigh. “Damn it,” I muttered. Maybe if I knew how my amulet worked, I could stay and Shoe could go, but I didn’t.
Shifting nervously, Shoe said, “I didn’t know angels could swear.”
Paul made a face, looking as if he were eating something sour. “She’s not an angel.”
“I’m just dead,” I said. Frustrated, I looked at Paul. He met my gaze, his expression holding a hint—the barest whisper—of guilt. Barnabas and Nakita were nowhere to be seen. I so needed some help. I just needed to know how to use my amulet.
Use my amulet…
“Will, ah, you do me a favor?” I suddenly asked Paul, and it was hard to decide who was more surprised, the guardian angel, now a bright silver, or Paul, staring at me.
“Excuse me?”
I glanced at Ace, then back to him. “Will you just…watch him for a while?” I asked. “So Shoe and I can fix what we can?”
A curious look came into Paul’s eyes. “I don’t understand you, Madison.”
Hope zinged through me. That hadn’t been a no. The guardian angel clearly thought it was a great idea, darting about the ceiling as if she were a pixie high on a double espresso. “My dad doesn’t understand me, either,” I said, smiling. “Will you do it? Try to make up for screwing this up?”
“I didn’t screw it up. I saved his life!” he said hotly, then looked at Ace staring at us with a murderous look. “Yeah. I’ll do it,” he added. “But you owe me.”
“You think you’re tougher than me?” Ace said as he stood up, and I tensed.
Paul reached for his amulet, and I shivered as something went through me when he touched the divine. The guardian angel let out a yelp when Ace collapsed. Damn, that had been fast. “Wow,” I whispered, totally impressed.
Shoe nudged Ace in the ribs with his foot. “I’m glad I’m on your side,” he said, then pulled Ace’s truck keys from his former friend’s belt. “They have a camera on the hospital gate,” he said in explanation as he edged past Paul and toward the window. “I don’t want my car seen there.”
He slipped out the window, leaning in as he said, “Cover for me if my mom knocks, okay?”
Paul nodded, looking both scared and excited.
“Can you change memories yet?” I asked him, aware of Shoe outside the window, but I really wanted to know.
“No,” Paul admitted, looking almost chagrined, as though he’d tried and failed.
“Me neither,” I said, feeling a surge of kinship. Smiling, I sat on the sill and swung my sneakers outside. It was cooler, and I shivered. Maybe I’d failed to save Ace’s soul, but I could save the lives of some innocents. “Thanks, Paul. You’re not so bad.”
I dropped to the earth, and Shoe started across the dark grass, head down as he fumbled with Ace’s keys.
“Madison!”
It was Paul, and I turned. He was in the window, the guardian angel on his shoulder. “You flashed forward?” he asked, looking uncertain. “Saw what comes of this?”
I nodded, wincing when Ace’s music blared as Shoe started his truck. “I saw what might be,” I admitted, shivering at the memory. “He wasn’t a bit sorry about it. I think what we’re doing changes things, though.” Paul said nothing, and, jiggling on my feet, I blurted, “I gotta go.”
“Good luck!” he whispered loudly.