“I mean, not as pretty as I was back in the day.” She gave me a once-over. “But you’ll do.”
I chuckled as I slipped inside. “Night, Delia.”
The apartment was just as I had left it. Spotless and quiet. It was too easy for someone to get away with snooping around if the place was a wreck. Tidiness was safety. Then again, so was Delia the watchdog.
I swept the apartment, making sure no one had snuck by Delia, before going into the bathroom, lifting the mirror off the wall, and unlocking the wall safe.
I grabbed the nondescript laptop out and quickly logged the events of the night. I wrote it clinically—emotion wasn’t part of the job.
Entered Apartment 302 at 1900.
Target entered at 2100.
Communicated the payment deadline, per J.V. instructions.
Physical contact made prior to leaving, per J.V. instructions.
Exited apartment at 2116.
Sister of target arrived on site at 2119.
Arrived at home base at 0157.
Report logged at 0200.
Report copied at 0203.
I turned off the laptop and stowed it back behind the bathroom mirror. Then I rehung the mirror, sprayed it with window cleaner, and wiped my fingerprints away.
3
AMELIA
Friday, May 16 | 9:35 p.m.
“Stop looking at me like that,” Joel rasped from the couch where his knee was covered in as many ice packs and bags of frozen vegetables that I could find to hopefully slow the swelling. His knee still lay at an unnatural angle.
Coming home from the movies and finding my brother beaten on the floor of my apartment was not what I had in mind for the evening. I huffed and propped my hands on my hips as I tried to replace the fear with ire and annoyance.
It didn’t work.
“I’m calling the police,” I croaked as I blinked away burning tears.
“No,” he groaned, like this was some minor inconvenience. “I’ve already told you. Donotcall them.”
“Someone broke into my apartment and bashed your knee in with a baseball bat!” I shrieked. “Peas and carrots aren’t going tocut it! You need X-rays and surgery!” I rubbed my temples as my heart raced. “I’m calling 911.”
“Let it go,” he hissed as anger flared in his eyes.
“You need anambulance,” I snapped.
There were days it was great having Joel around. We generally got along well. It was nice having someone to pick up dinner for the two of us before coming home. Sure, he was a little on the messy side, but I didn’t mind.
. . . Most of the time.
He was my best friend. The two of us were inseparable as kids. Most people chalked it up to the “twin thing,” but it was much simpler than that. Joel had always been there for me. He was the one who scared away the bullies. He was the one who cheered me up when my feelings had gotten hurt. He was the one who watched every game with me. He was the one who had championed me through every degree and graduation. He was my biggest fan and I was his.
Now, Joel was the only one I had left.
