Page 13 (1/2)

"That’s what I figured"

Kinski flicks the rearette out into the dark lot and looks at his watch "Your young lady is probably back on her feet by now"

"What do I owe you?"

Kinski shakes his head "We’ll settle up when you let ets kind of pissy when unexpected calls coets over it You have any probleene can’t help, you call me"

"You don’t even knowand reckless and stupid once, too Maybe between Eugene and h to wise up"

"What did you do that was so reckless and stupid?"

"I’ll tell you that when you let et those bullets"

"I was in Hell," I say, and I have no idea why, except that there’s so about Kinski that re out some weird, little-kid part of iveness Only I don’t want forgiveness, froht now I can’t stop myself

"I was in Hell for eleven years Most Hellions had never seen a live hu happened to theot done with , I killed things for theood at it"

"I knew there was a reason you are the way you are I guess a season in Hell is a better excuse than most"

"Vidocq told you?"

"Relax, boy It’s LA We’ve all got secrets around here And we kno to keep theets pissy about unexpected, late-night calls What does that mean?"

"Oh," he says, and opens the clinic door "She’s a Jade But we’re working on it"

Candy walks Allegra out of the clinic while I open up the Escalade We both help her get inside and stretched out in the back

"Thanks," I tell Candy

"You’re welcoestures for lass slides away She steps up onto the running board and leans into the car, just a few inches from my face

"Doc told you about me I can tell I want you to know you don’t have to be afraid of ene likes you Doc likes you That means I like you We’re all family now All the funny little people who live in the cracks in the world"

People say that Jades are like vampires, but really they’re et bit, you don’t swoon in Bela Lugosi ecstasy; you’re paralyzed while so in the Jade’s saliva dissolves you fro you as hollow as a chocolate Easter bunny I haven’t been this close to a Jade in a long ti rins

"I used to kill yours See? We already have so?"

"Doc? Wow In the history of wrong guesses, that was about the wrongest wrong guess since ever"

"You’re not like the other Jades I’ve met"

"What? I’h You’re just not much of a h for both of us"

Allegra sits up and looks around

"Are we hoo"

"Yeah, you should," says Candy She gives me a peck on the cheek and jumps down off the van Kinski co arm as he holds it up for her She waves as we pull out of the parking lot

I should have known that Candy was a Jade back in the exa me to sleep on my feet, that’s Black Widow 101 stuff She sure didn’t co That kiss on the cheek ca I’ve ever touched So, why did I enjoy it soa irl, alive or dead, will get under your skin There’s the good news The bad news? On top of everything else, I ot together, I wasn’t the only one with secrets One night, after a particularly long evening of bruising sex on the couch in our un-air-conditioned living room, she blurted out, "I’ rich My whole fah they’ve probably disinherited ht be rich, but you’re not sure?"

"No, I’et all about me, I have a trust fund worth more than some Central American countries"

I sat up and reached for the coffee that had gone cold on the table

"You do not"

"I’s and diamonds in a safe deposit box Hell, I own a tiara"

"And you’ve never worn it to bed? You’re holding out on me"

She locked onto me with her serious face I always had to shut up when she used the serious face

"I never told a boyfriend about any of this before You’re the first"

"Whyand half annoyed I almost spilled coffee all over the couch

She said, "I love you, ass-brain I want you to know all about me"

"You already know all about ood chicken-fried steak"

She sat up on one elbow

"Why aren’t you rich? Why aren’t all ed and lay down beside her

"Partly it’s keeping under the radar Partly it’s tradition A sort of code or so rich if you do it by reciting a feords? Most rich Sub Rosa are connected to soit business The rest of us just skate by We just use ic to cut some corners And that’s the point I’m not rich, but I know I’ll never starve because I can order a burrito and make the counter person think I’ve already paid"

"Aih, dude"

I kissed her hard and she crawled on top of rands and hookers?"

"That’s the tricky part Grandrandkids I don’t get a diic That’s Jurassic Park"

"Anyone can make it to thirty, if they’re not a complete dipshit That’s the deal We’re rich and all we have to do is ht

"That’s a long way off I don’t likepromises"