Killing Pretty Read Free

died since right after Christmas. There are the same number of ­people with terminal illnesses, gunshot wounds, car accidents as always, and most of them should have died. But they haven’t.”
    â€œThen what’s happening with them?”
    â€œThey’re in deep comas, with their vitals hovering just above death. Hospitals are full of them. Thousands. All over the world. No one is dying anywhere.”
    â€œAnd you think this proves that the hobo I’m babysitting is Death.”
    â€œYou have another explanation?”
    â€œYeah. God is doing construction jobs in Heaven and Hell. Maybe He doesn’t want a busload of new kids getting in the way.”
    â€œThen you think it’s a coincidence that at exactly the same time an injured man calling himself Death came to us—­”
    â€œCame to me .”
    â€œCame to you, that ­people around the world stopped dying?”
    I gulp my coffee, thinking. Trying to poke holes in her argument.
    â€œI admit, the timing seems a little weird.”
    â€œYou’ve dealt with God and the Devil. Why is it so hard to admit that when Death has a problem he might come to you?”
    I look back at the bar, wishing I’d taken that drink Carlos offered.
    â€œBecause I thought I was done with that stuff. The Angra Om Ya are gone. Mason Faim is gone. The Room of Thirteen Doors is gone. I hoped that part of my life might be over for a while and I could just be a boring PI. Hunt down insurance fraud and lost cats.”
    Julie leans forward, her elbows on the table.
    â€œAnd we’ll do those things, but we’re going to solve Death’s murder first.”
    â€œYou’re not getting it.”
    â€œWhat am I not getting?”
    I push the papers back across the table.
    â€œThis thing you want to get into, you’re screwing around with bad angelic hoodoo. And if this guy really is Death, whoever dragged him into a human body and cut his fucking heart out is into some of the heaviest, darkest baleful magic I’ve ever seen.”
    Julie brightens, like a kid just remembering it’s her birthday.
    â€œAnd that’s why it’s perfect for us. Look, it can take years for an investigations firm to build the kind of reputation it takes to bring in the big jobs. We might bypass all that with a single case.”
    â€œYears? I should have stayed in the arena.”
    â€œI guarantee if we solve this case, the kind of clients we’ll have, there’ll be plenty of money for you and Max Overdrive.”
    I try to come up with an argument, but I can’t because she’s right. This is exactly the kind of case that would get the attention of every Sub Rosa, wealthy Lurker, and Beverly Hills magic groupie in California. Besides, Julie is ready to hand me money right now.
    And there’s the other debt . . .
    â€œAll right. I’m in. Let’s do your Mike Hammer thing.”
    She raises a bottle of light beer I missed behind all the papers. I click it with my coffee cup. There’s just one more question.
    â€œSo, we’re partners?”
    She shakes her head.
    â€œNo way. I’m taking all the financial risks. It’s my company. You’re an employee.”
    â€œBut I get stock options and you’ll match my 401(k).”
    â€œTell yourself whatever story you need to get yourself out of bed, but as of now, you’re on the clock. Which means sticking to coffee during daylight hours.”
    â€œYou know how to suck all the fun out of being sober.”
    â€œThat’s a boss’s job.”
    My coffee is getting cold, but I sip it anyway. It tastes lousy. I mean, it doesn’t taste any different than it did a minute ago, but knowing it’s my only drink of choice all day, every day . . . Let’s just say that the romance is over.
    â€œI thought Chihiro would be here with you,” says Julie.
    I turn and scan the room for familiar faces, but