Devil’s Due by Rachel Caine

Author:Rachel Caine [Caine, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2022-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Jazz—through some sort of divine intervention, Lucia assumed—had persuaded Manny to loan her his enormous black vehicle. The Hummer wasn’t just a gigantic SUV, of course, it was customized to Manny’s particular paranoid standards. Lucia knew it had bullet-resistant glass, and no doubt Kevlar in the frame; she wouldn’t be surprised if it featured a rocket launcher somewhere in the accessory package.

It also had a staggering arsenal in the back. For a totally nonviolent individual, Manny believed in preparation more than many Boy Scouts.

Jazz drove, of course. Lucia was just as happy to let her; she couldn’t imagine piloting the thing around without scraping off a few bumpers from the tiny-looking cars around them. It was a little like steering a cruise ship through a sailboat regatta.

Lucia kept busy watching the street around them, alert for any sign that Eidolon, the Cross Society or anyone else might be intent on following or intercepting, but she didn’t spot anything that tripped an alarm. Of course, if it was Gregory, or someone as skilled, then she probably wouldn’t know until the bullets began flying.

Jazz slowed as they passed the Raphael’s main entrance, and took the next turn. Service entrance and non valet parking. She parked the Hummer carefully and finally asked, “Ready?”

“Of course.”

“Watch your ass.”

Before Lucia could reply, Jazz was already out the door, climbing down to the parking lot. Lucia hurried to catch up, and scanned the lot as they moved to the back dock. The door was propped open, and a chef was smoking a cigarette outside; he was a big fellow in his white uniform, made taller by the trademark hat. Jazz nodded pleasantly to him, and he nodded back. He didn’t try to stop them.

The service elevators—like service elevators everywhere—were a great deal more lived-in than the fancy ones used by the guests, and were big enough to move grand pianos without feeling cramped. Jazz pushed the button for five, then six.

“You take the fifth floor,” she said. “Come in through the stairwell. I’ll go straight in.”

“No,” Lucia said instantly, and had to think fast to come up with a reason. “Susannah knows me, she’s never seen you. It’ll be less confusing if I make the direct approach. Right?”

“Fine.” They watched numbers crawl. “How do you feel?”

“Do you want me to manufacture a cough?”

“Heh. No.”

“Then let’s just get this done so I can go to the hospital.”

At the fifth floor, Jazz stepped off, heading for the stairs. Lucia pulled her P95 and held it at her side, and edged back into the far corner of the elevator as it dinged arrival.

She risked a quick glimpse down the hallway. Clear. It was a long way to the room, exposed all the way. No help for it.

She left the elevator and started walking, constantly scanning the closed hotel room doors. Nothing stirred. She heard televisions from one, a hair dryer from another. Voices, muffled and indistinct.

The room they’d been given was in the discreetly secured section, beyond a manned concierge desk and behind a key-carded door.

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