The Perdition Score (Sandman Slim 8)

“Can I go too?”

“Of course,” Allegra says.

Before she can go, I take her arm.

“No one gets to know about this. You’ll put yourself in danger. Understand?”

“Yes,” she says.

“I want you to go straight home. You’re going to freak out in a while. That’s okay as long as you don’t tell anyone about this.”

She nods.

“Normally, I’d say call me, but I’m going to be busy. You can talk to Candy.”

“We’re supposed to rehearse tonight.”

“Rehearsal is off. I’m going upstairs to get her.”

I leave them in the exam room and go up to Julie’s office. Give Candy a quick rundown of what happened.

“Tell Julie you have a family emergency or something and come downstairs.”

“Right.”

I go back to the clinic. I don’t want to leave Allegra or Fairuza alone with a body for too long.

Fairuza is standing with Allegra by Vidocq when I get back. She’s pale and looks like she wants to throw up, but she’s keeping it together.

Candy comes in a couple of minutes later. I go to her.

“Fairuza is in no shape to drive. You’re her friend. You should probably take her home. I’ll stay with Allegra and Vidocq.”

Candy tells Fairuza she’s taking her home. Fairuza hugs Allegra before she goes. Then it’s just the three of us.

“What happens now?” Allegra says.

“We wait until dark. Then I can move the body.”

She laughs a little. “‘Move the body.’ You’re moving a body for me.” She looks at me. “Hell of a coffee date, huh?”

“It’s going to be a hell of a night too. You ready for that?”

?

??Guess I have to be.”

“I’m going to fix this. We’re going to get him back.”

“How?”

I go over and put a hand on Vidocq’s shoulder. It’s rock hard, like rigor mortis.

“We don’t know exactly how black milk works, but my guess is regular drugs aren’t going to affect it.”

“What will?”

“Angel blood. It’s the only thing I can think of with those kind of healing powers.”