Page 66 of The Attercop

“I’m late because you don’t want anyone to know where we are. I had to get a taxi to drop me off a couple of blocks away, then pay cash and walk the rest of the way. If you’d just give me your car, this wouldn’t happen.”

“You don’t have a licence!” The Attercop said.

“And a licence is supposed to make me a better driver?”

He laughed, walked up to her and tweaked her chin. “Oh, come on. Let’s not fight. We have so much to be happy for.”

“Well, we’re not done yet. This one’s only part of the plan,” she said, pointing to Declan. “I may have gotten him out of the way for last night, but we still have to deal with Charlie.”

The Attercop smiled. “I bet youlovedplaying make-believe with him.”

“Well,” she said, with a devilish glint in her eyes, “it was sort of fun going dancing with Charlie, and then swiping his phone and giving him the slip. I wish I could have stuck around to see the look on his face!”

“I needed you to come to the house, though. I couldn’t have done that part without you.”

Jules laughed. “I enjoyed it. I loved seeing Declan taken down with the Taser. And I was the one who suggested that you use me to get him in position. I think he really bought it all—me tied up, all quivery and terrified looking. Maybe when this is all done, I’ll go into acting professionally.”

“Well before you accept your Academy Award, did you get the thiopental for me?” he asked. “I just used the last of the isoflurane-soaked rags.”

“Yes. I went in first thing this morning when most people weren’t there. But I just about got into a shit load of trouble,” Jules said.

“Why, what did you do?”

“The boss went into the drug cabinet for something else and discovered the isoflurane was missing.”

“And they thought you stole it?”

“Well, they knew it wasn’t one of the full-timers,” she said. “Bunch of bloody do-gooders.”

“And they accused you?” he asked.

“Not in so many words, but they did ask me if I saw anyone near the drug cupboard that shouldn’t have been there.”

“And you told them?” he asked.

She looked at him coyly. “Well, I may have said that I saw the new kid Jerome—the kid that’s justdyingto go into vet college once he gets out of high school—I may have said that I saw him leaving the room when everyone was on lunch break the other day. Imighthave indicated that he seemed to be hiding something in his pocket. Imighthave said I was a bit suspicious—you know, you can never trust someone who’sthateager to volunteer to work with caged animals—I mean, he could be into bestiality for all we know.”

He broke out laughing. Her imagination was boundless.

Jules continued. “So I told them I followed him as he went out the back door and saw him pass something to a tough-looking guy.”

“Well, aren’t you the clever one,” he said.

“Apparently, Jerome’s the son of the owner’s friend so they didn’t call the cops. They just told him to leave and not to come back, or they’ll let his father know what he’s been up to.”

“And Jerome didn’t question any of it?”

“No. That’s the funny thing. Maybe he was a naughty boy, after all, and didn’t want Daddy to find out.”

She started to strut around. “I guess you could call me a hero. I may have inadvertently saved them from sheltering an evil menace.”

He snickered. “Let’s just see how long it takes them to notice the missing thiopental.”

“I won’t be going back anyway,” she said. “I have to keep a low profile until this is done. Well, here’s what you asked for—enough to keep him sedated until this is all over.” She handed him a small brown paper bag.

He looked inside and discovered three small vials.

“You are brilliant,” he said giving her a hug and a kiss.