Julia Michaels — Band Manager for Orpheus Underground.
My mind whirs as I take this new information in. My suited visitor had nothing to do with the Herald, The Path, or my past.
Huh.
The tension in my shoulders that formed as soon as that woman came into Grizz’s thaws slightly and I let out a slow breath.
“Oh, right. She left pretty quickly, I guess she didn’t find what she was looking for,” I reply vaguely.
Ally shoots me a beaming grin as she hands over my food. “Have a good one, Sin.”
I grab the bag, ready to make a quick exit. But the business card burning a hole in my pocket has me hesitating. Now that I know that the suited woman is the manager for Orpheus Underground, I’m even more confused about what the hell she was doing here asking about me.
“You said you’re going to Shadwell tonight?” I ask Ally.
Her eyebrows shoot up, her smile slipping in her confusion. “Uh, sure. The Titan hotel, that’s where the band are rumored to be staying.” She pauses and shifts on her feet. “Do you want to come with us?”
I can’t blame her for the surprise underlying her tone. I’m both at least ten years older than her, and not the friendliest or most social person in town.
But Ally is clearly too nice for her own good. She smiles again, like she can’t keep it off her face for over ten seconds at a time.
“I, er, maybe. Yeah, I think I do,” I tell her.
She squeals, bouncing on her toes. “You’re coming, Sin? Seriously? You’re going to come with us while we try to hunt down the band?”
My gut flips over as I wonder how many people will join her. I’m imagining them all dressed up in sexy Nancy Drew costumes as they go from clue to clue, searching for the band by sifting through piles of discarded panties.
I nod, gesturing to my bag of food. “Meet you in a few hours?”
She beams at me and I feel guilty. I should probably set her expectations for me joining her, but I decide to leave it for now.
“We’ll pick you up at nine thirty,” she says.
Past the time I’m usually inside my locked apartment, settled in for the night. Bra-less and pants-less.
Well, tonight I’m leaving my apartment, for once. And I’m going to assuage my curiosity, find their manager and work out why she’s looking for Saint.
I’m going to find out what the hell the manager of a monster metal band wants with little ol’ me.
Chapter 3
Sin
Back at my apartment, I perch on my ratty couch and shovel down my burger with one hand, while trying to call Julia Michaels with the other. She doesn’t pick up, but I leave the world’s most awkward voicemail explaining who I am and after a few minutes, she texts me back.
I stare down at the message like it might bite. She’s inviting me to meet her at none other than the Titan Hotel in Shadwell.
Seems like Ally’s info is good.
And at least it doesn’t seem like Julia Michaels, Band Manager, is holding a grudge from earlier.
She asks me to meet on the rooftop of the hotel, so we can discuss some things in private. I hesitate for a moment before agreeing. It sure does sound like I’m gearing up to meet her at a prime murder spot, but I’ve got more than a few tricks up my sleeve—including a pair of bracelets I tweaked to turn them into shock cuffs that can cause a grown man to cry.
Plus, I didn’t get any weird or murdery vibes from her earlier. So, while heading to a city I don’t know, meeting a stranger is reckless and a little impulsive, I’m going to do it anyway.
I shove my legs into skintight, black jeans that are a little too tight around my waist and my thighs, and a blouse that I’m hoping is giving serious businesswoman vibes. It’s high-necked and kind ofscratchy, but I spend most of my life in overalls, so I don’t have a big selection of nice clothing.
A couple of hours later, I’m in Ally’s car as she and her friend Lila alternate between giggling and singing along with what seems to be all of Orpheus Underground's back catalog. They seem happy to leave me to myself and I’m good with that. I keep my eyes fixed on the view flashing by as we head closer to the city.
