Page 29 of Mostly Shattered

“What do you think Conrad was doing with this stuff?” Anthony asks.

“How did you find it?” I counter.

“I saw Uncle Mortimer’s little family meeting in the living room and decided to hide out until it was over. When I ducked in here, I saw the monitor light coming from the closet. This compartment wasn’t closed all the way.”

“No good can come of this.” I yank a cable behind one of the monitors, shutting off the Turnblads. “Whatever he was doing, Conrad is dead. No one else needs to find this.” I pull the cable out of the second monitor and go for the third of the prostitute.

“Yeah.” Anthony reaches for it at the same time, and we both end up jerking the cable out together. The sex show stops.

I feel a chill and rub my arms. “Can we get out of here now?”

“One second.” A blue light surges from Anthony’s fingers and travels into the cable before disappearing. He repeats the magical act with the remaining two. “That will sever the connection, making it untraceable back to us. This weird perversion is a scandal the family doesn’t need.”

Anthony closes the hidden compartment.

I wait for my brother to leave the room with me, afraid of running into Conrad. He’s not going to like that we canceled his shows.

“I sometimes feel like he’s still hanging around,” Anthony says. “I hope I’m wrong. Most spirits are without power. They’re trapped in loops, reliving the same thing over and over. It’s no way to exist. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

“What about the spirits who have power?” I ask.

“Active hauntings? They’re rare, fueled by intense rage or emotion. Those are so much worse. Conrad was moody and weird, but I don’t think he was angry enough to become vengeful.”

Yeah, I wouldn’t be so sure.

I think it, but I don’t say it.

“You really miss him, don’t you?” Anthony nods as if answering his own question.

I miss a lie.

I don’t say that either.

“Enough sadness. We need a distraction.” Anthony hooks my arm. A playfulness comes over him. “I want to know what’s going on between you and Costin. He’s not my normal type, but I have to hand it to you, he’s definitely handsome.”

“Nothing,” I protest. “He was just here giving his…”

“Giving his…?” Anthony grins. “His all? His best? His full effort?”

“Condolences,” I lie. I want the teasing to stop.

Anthony reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a piece of folded parchment. “Is that what thecool kids are calling sex in the grave these days? Seriously, a vampire boyfriend? Well done, you little freaky freak.”

“Me with a vampire doesn’t make sense. Don’t you think he’s a little old for me?”

Anthony laughs. “You’re an adult. Who cares if he’s ancient? He’s hot. But, hey, since you’re all into fangs now, I’ll say again my buddy Peter is always ready for a?—”

“What are you going on about?” I grimace at the idea.

He hands me the note. “I found this love note on your pillow.”

“And you took it?” I snatch it from him to see what it says.

“Midnight. Marcheur de Nuit Mausoleum. Catacomb entrance. Costin.”

“Somebody’s got a sexy date in a dirty place,” Anthony continues. “I wholeheartedly approve, by the way.”

I grimace.

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