The Darker You Get

“Unique story mixed with crime and other-worldly things … a page turning adventure.”

Extract

Lev wasn’t expecting an angel in the bathroom, but this woman came close. She reclined in a full, sudsy, over-sized bath, and gazed at him with questioning brows. Tumbled blonde hair framed her face, sleepy green eyes. Gorgeous.

“Mrs. Conley, I presume?”

“Yeah. Sure,” she replied. The suds, banked up around her, revealed nothing exciting. Schoolgirls flashed more on the streets.

“You alone?”

“Thinking of joining me?”

“No. I’m searching for a fugitive.”

She grinned. “If he’s underwater, dear stranger, he’s either very busy or very drowned.” Her eyes flicked to his gun and back to his face.

“Bend your knees,” Lev said. “Then straighten your legs again.” She didn’t move. “I want to be sure you’re alone.”

She moved her legs like he said, but with such elegance.

“Your name?”

“Carol.” She tilted her head and beamed, fearless as anything.

“Your phone?”

She lifted a lazy left hand, suds decorating her knuckles, and pointed to the main room. Lev found the phone in the tote bag.

“I need yours, too,” he said to Eddie who produced a phone from his pocket.

Water sloshed in the bathroom. Lev returned to the woman. “You wanna use your phone?” he asked.

“Gee, thanks.”

“Better not.” He dropped both phones into the bath.

“Thanks even more.”

“Get out and join us.”

“I should, shouldn’t I? Such a terrible hostess.”

Lev came back to Eddie. “We got something in common.”

“I thought it was something like that.”