Page 98 of Death and Do-Overs

But the killer could be out there lurking in the darkness.

“Do we go back to the goblin lair?” Imogen asked.

“There’s no way to know if he’s there,” Greta said. “Bernadette could have?—”

“Or whoever the real killer wascould have moved the body,” Imogen said.

“I don’t see a scarab on the ground,” I said.

“It’d be in his mouth,” Greta said.

She was probably right.

The sound of rustling leaves made everyone freeze.

Anyone could be lurking in the darkness watching us, listening to our conversation. Anyone could have seen Greta and Imogen here before, and think they were the killers.

“We shouldn’t linger at a crime scene,” I said. “Or near the reaper’s house.”

“Let’s return to the hotel until daybreak,” Levi said.

“Sure,” Greta said.

“Then tomorrow we can split back into the same teams,” Imogen said.

“I’m taking one of the potions,” Greta said to me. “You keep the other two.”

I nodded my agreement.

Imogen and Greta started heading back the way we’d come, discussing amongst themselves where to pick up their investigation in the morning. Greta was set on confronting Bernadette. Imogen, not so much.

I walked behind with Levi, watching Greta with an uncomfortable feeling of uncertainty in my gut.

The next day,I wasn’t surprised when I woke to find Greta and Imogen gone. I was surprised to find Levi waiting in the hall with coffees and a paper bag from the cafe.

His eyes sparkled when he spotted me. He pushed off from the wall. “Good morning, Marshmallow.”

“I’m going to have to think of something ridiculous to call you, too.”

“It’s only fair. Coffee?” He handed me one of the cups.

I thanked him and took a long drag of searing liquid energy. Today, I would enjoy the ease of walking beside Levi. I’d enjoy the pleasant lightness that accompanied his presence. I wouldn’t focus on the thoughts that had led to another rough night of sleep, like my inability to reconnect with the other versions of myself, or the fear that there was something innately broken about me.

If Greta and I had rejoined last night, we still would have had to split up today, so the only difference was the fact that we were already separate.

Was it the kiss that had made me lesser? Was I holding onto my time with Levi, selfishly wanting to keep him to myself? That was stupid.All Marnies were me.

“You all right?” Levi asked as we stepped out of the elevator.

I’d hardly noticed getting into the elevator in the first place.

“Peachy,” I said.

While Team Reaper was once again waiting for Bernadette to return to her home, Levi’s and my job, as Team Noodles, was to hunt down the fox. Since we had no idea where to look, we started by heading toward the strange door we’d found yesterday.

The sharp chill of morning air bit my bare cheeks. I inhaled slowly, taking in the crispness of autumn, the saltiness of the ocean, and the faint hint of ozone that always preceded rain.

I looked up at the sky, to the fluffy clouds that passed over us at a leisurely pace. While my circumstances had me trapped in perpetual motion, Nevermore itself was quiet compared to the city noise I was accustomed to.

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