“You don’t remember snapping his neck?”
Whoa. Wait. I might have crushed his jaw, but there was no way he’d be breathing if that happened. “I knocked the daylights out of the man, but”—this I could say with confidence— “I didnotsnap his neck.”
Hellcat pulled the staff away, the end clacking against the roof as she put her weight on the slender piece ofmetal. Despite my proclamation of innocence, she didn’t seem entirely convinced.
“I didn’t?—”
“I believe you.”
“But—”
She held up a hand, silencing me. “Officers saw you trading blows with Dozer. There were witnesses, a lot of them. When the dust settled, he was dead.”
“How?” Jesus. I thought having powers might make life easier. I did the right thing, the heroic thing, but nothing about this life turned out simple. Heroes were quickly gaining my respect.
“Not how,” she said. “Who. Somebody went down that alley after you left. They snuck in and killed him. It’s not a coincidence.”
“You think?” I rarely bought into conspiracy theories. Which is odd considering the Illuminati once took over Europe, lizard men replaced members of Congress, and the Egyptians built a pyramid on the moon. Crap, I was in the middle of a conspiracy.
“Has there been anybody you’ve seriously irked?”
“Have we met? There’s a chance it could be my third-grade teacher. I have a long list of people who?—”
“Is she strong enough to snap Dozer’s neck?”
Oh, yeah. Mrs. Hannaford probably didn’t have the upper-body strength for that. My fourth-grade teacher,however. Ms. Simpson flat out told nine-year-old me she’d get her revenge someday. Thankfully the cigarettes?—
“Smoke.” The name slipped from my lips before I digested the implications.
Hellcat stiffened at the man’s name. With a flick of her wrist, the staff shrunk into a short metal bar. Sliding it into a hip holster, she turned around, walking away.
“You’re leaving?”
“You’re going to lie low. I mean really low.”
“That’s it?”
“I need to speak with the others. I’ll reach out once they confirm it. We’re going to need your help to stop him.”
She couldn’t see it, but I nodded anyway. “Count me in. And thanks.”
Hellcat looked over her shoulder. “For what?”
“For believing me.”
With a slight nod, she dashed to the edge of the building and leapt to the streets below.
My night had officially gone down the drain.
16
“Is this thing on?”
“You’re using the wrong camera.”
“Can you hear me?”
“I can hear you.”
