Instead of using his newfound magic, Duke simply drove us back to the Bathtub and parked by the alley.
“Can we drive?” I asked.
“I’ll scout around,” he said. “Stay put, you two.”
He got out of the car and checked the street, the alley. I was seeing the Duke of Chicago in action, the investigator with eyes in the back of his head. He jogged back over to the car and opened my door. He took Koshka from my arms and, with his free hand, helped me out of the car.
“To the alley,” he said. We slipped past the garbage piles and into the dank darkness. “Now what?”
“I hate to say it but you’ll have to relinquish my cat.”
“Never,” Duke said. Even Koshka gave a little whine of protest.
“Boys,” I said sternly.
“Be brave, comrade. Do as your mistress says,” Duke said, giving Koshka another scratch. Reluctantly, he wriggled from Duke’s arms and hopped lightly onto the ground.
I looked up to where my black umbrella hung a few inches above my head.
“How does that work?” Duke asked.
“That’s our way in and out. Like a magic tunnel. I close my umbrella, say a little charm, andpoof,we’re gone.”
“Fascinating,” Duke breathed. “What else can you do? Dance across the notes on sheet music? Pop in and out of pictures?”
“Stories only,” I said. “But we all have lots of special powers. If you’re looking for a good book but don’t know what to read, I can do a little charm and before you know it, the book you’re longing for will make its way into your hands. And I can tell what someone’s favorite book is and why. I can also mend broken spines. Book spines, not human spines, unfortunately. And I can—”
“Can you take me with you?” Duke asked softly.
“Duke,” I said and nothing else.
“You can, can’t you?”
I could, yes, but I didn’t tell him that. If he asked me again, I might not be able to say no.
“Duke, right now, I’m supposed to perform that spell now, the one that will make you forget me.”
“Don’t,” he said. “Please don’t.”
“It would be easier for you.”
“Eden’s doors are locked and guarded for a reason,” he said. “There’s no going back.” He stared deeply into my eyes. “Please, Rainy? Don’t make a duke beg.”
How could I say no to the man who had saved my life? Or, at least, had given it meaning when nothing else could?
“All right, I won’t do the spell, but you have to solve all your cases. And no more using your self-awareness to take over the stories. Okay? I don’t want to lose my job.”
It was going to be fun cleaning up the mess we’d already made—and by “fun” I meant “not fun.”
“I’ll be a good little detective, I promise,” he said.
Duke lowered his head and brushed his lips against mine, then kissed me again, deeper. And of course I ruined it by saying against his mouth, “I am being kissed by the Duke of Chicago…This is the greatest single moment of my life.”
“You realize you said that out loud?”
“Oops.” I stepped back. “I’ll miss you. Always.”
“See you soon,” he said.
