“No. I told my closest friends, the few who believed I didn’t murder Fulton, that I was going to disappear for a while until the scandal died down. They understood. I was afraid that if I stayed in touch with them, Ethel’s thugs would go after them and try to use them to find me.”
“Cutting yourself off from your friends was good strategy, but it must have made for a lonely life this past year,” Drake said.
“Luckily I had Houdini. I’m not sure I would have been able to keep going without him.”
“You would have kept going, with or without Houdini,” Drake said.
“Think so?”
“It’s how you’re built.”
She folded her arms. “You know this . . . how?”
He shrugged. “I just know it.”
“An aspect of your talent?”
“Beats me. I’ve always been fairly good at analyzing a person’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s what makes me good in the business world and is one of the reasons why my family decided to put me in charge of Sebastian, Inc.”
“You say that like it’s no big deal, that it’s just a gift.”
His mouth curved in a grim smile. “Doesn’t mean I don’t make mistakes. And when I do, they tend to be memorable.”
“Is that so? When did you make your last really serious mistake?”
He was silent for so long she started to think that he was not going to answer.
“Three years ago,” he said finally.
She caught her breath. “The lab accident that ruined your day vision?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go there.”
“I know. Don’t worry about it. Not like it’s a secret.”
And suddenly she knew.
“But it is a secret,” she blurted before she could stop herself.
He stilled. “What?”
“Never mind.” She realized she was turning warm. “It’s not any of my business.”
“What are you talking about?”
She uncrossed her arms and held up both hands, warding him off. “It’s nothing. I just got the impression that there was a lot more to the lab accident than you want outsiders to know. It’s okay. A proprietary business secret, right? Wouldn’t be good if your competition found out about it. I’m okay with that, really.”
“Are you?”
He watched her with his molten eyes, and she knew that he was assessing her, probably trying to decide if she was a threat to the family empire.
“Hey, I’m in the magic business, remember?” she said brightly. “Secrets are my stock in trade. Besides, I don’t even know what your secret is, so there’s no problem here. Well, it’s late. We should both get some sleep.”
“Yes,” he said. “Long day ahead. We’ll get married first thing in the morning and head for Rainshadow. If the weather in the Amber Sea holds, we’ll be on the island by late afternoon.”
“Right.”
She turned away and started toward the small alcove. Not like I’m going to get much sleep tonight, she thought.
She hauled a spare blanket out of the cupboard and, in a burst of what she considered stunning generosity, gave up one of the two pillows from her bed. When Drake disappeared into the bathroom, she put the blanket and the pillow on the sofa.
She hurried back into the alcove, pulled the curtain closed around the bed, and crawled under the covers.
For a time she listened to the muted sounds that Drake made as he moved around in the small space. After a while she heard the ancient springs of the sofa groan under his weight. Then all was silent.
She was right about one thing: She did not sleep well. She lay very still, intensely aware of the stranger with the silver eyes on the other side of the curtain.
Sometime before dawn she heard the balcony door open and close. Drake said something in soft, low tones. Houdini chortled a response and fluttered under the curtain. He vaulted up onto the foot of the bed and murmured a greeting.
“It’s about time you got home,” Alice whispered. “I hope you had fun.”
Houdini settled down and closed his baby blue eyes.
Alice slept better after that.
Chapter 6
THE SOUND OF SOMEONE BANGING LOUDLY ON THE front door brought her out of a groggy twilight sleep. Houdini growled. Alice opened her eyes just in time to see him sleek out and hop down from the foot of the bed. He dashed under the curtain, his small claws clicking on the wooden floor.
Alice glanced at the clock and winced. There was only one person who would be pounding on her door at six thirty in the morning. She pushed the covers aside, got to her feet, and reached for her robe. She was tying the sash when she heard Drake speak to Houdini.
“I’ll take care of this,” Drake said. “No need to risk a lawsuit.”
The front door opened.
“Where is she?” Fred Malloy roared. “She owes me a week’s rent. And I swear, if that little rat of hers bites me, I’ll sue.”
Alarmed, Alice whisked the curtain aside. Drake was at the door. He was barefooted and dressed in trousers and a black T-shirt. He had put on his wraparound sunglasses, and Houdini was crouched on his shoulder, all four eyes open. Malloy was backing out into the hall, watching Houdini as if the dust bunny were a snake.
Malloy was a big, burly man who had no doubt been hired because of his intimidating size and junkyard-dog demeanor. He was very good at collecting rent from a clientele that was equally skilled at explaining why they needed one more day to get the money together.
“Houdini, no,” Alice said. She rushed across the room, whisked him off Drake’s shoulder, and tucked him into the crook of her arm. “Please. We don’t need any more trouble.”
Malloy stopped retreating. He glowered at Alice and jerked a beefy thumb at Drake. “I told you, no sneaking in overnight guests. There’s an extra charge if a second person spends the night in the apartment.”
“It wasn’t a whole night,” Alice said. “We didn’t even get here until after midnight.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Malloy announced. “Rules are rules. I already bent one of ’em when I said you could keep the rat here in the apartment.”
“Yes, I know,” Alice said. “It was very kind of you. I realize you’re not going to believe this, but the show closed last night.”
“You’re right, I don’t believe it,” Malloy rasped.
“But I’ve got a new job,” Alice said quickly.
“Is that right?” Malloy did not look impressed.
Drake held up a hand. “How much does she owe you?”
Malloy slitted his eyes. “One fifty.”
Drake looked at Alice, his brows slightly elevated in a silent question.
She sighed. “I’m afraid that’s the correct amount. I had to pay extra for Houdini.” She cleared her throat. “Would you consider advancing me the money and deducting it out of whatever you’re going to pay me for the work on the island?”
“No problem,” Drake said. He went to the small end table next to the couch and picked up his wallet. He took out some cash, came back to the door, and handed the money to Malloy. “You can leave now. And by the way, Ms. North is checking out today.”
“Huh.” Malloy took the bills and glared at Alice. “If you’re not out by noon, you’ll owe me for another full week.”
“We’ll be out by noon,” Alice said.
“Also, there’s a cleaning fee,” Malloy added. “Another one fifty.”
“You got that up front,” Alice shot back.
“We have a policy here at the Dead City Suites. Policy says you pay a move-out cleaning fee as well as a move-in cleaning fee.”