Page 54 of A Malicious Menagerie
Nathan’s eyes widen. “You want to saveallof them?”
Between Colby and Nathan, I’m blowing a lot of minds recently. “The ones I’m able, anyway.”
“That’s not feasible.”
“It is with your help,” I assure him, staring beseechingly into his pale eyes. “And anyway… I might already have someone else who will help.”
“Who? Certainly not John.”
“First, are you going to help me? Or are you going to spend another two years picking up Mathis’s dry cleaning and turning a blind eye to his victims?”
It’s a low blow, but an effective one. Nathan winces, though he recovers quickly, taking a deep breath to steady himself. “There’s going to be another gala not long after Halloween. I’ve suspected for some time that several of Mathis’s guests are involved in the cryptid trade. I’d like you to help me gather information. And if you agree, I will pull some FABLE resources to help you… andsomeof the menagerie residents.”
“Just one last gala?” I clarify warily.
“One last gala. We can leave as early as the next night.”
“We need a place to take them all and hide them. At least until we can figure out how to get them all home. We’ll need water for the kelpies and the mermaids.”
Nathan rubs his face with a sigh. I totally understand. I’m daunted, too. Terrified, actually. But this is my life at stake—not to mention Nan’s, Chase’s, and every other menagerie resident’s.
“I think I have an idea of where to take them. I’m assuming we’re at least not taking the kraken with us?”
I manage a wan smile. “Don’t assume anything when it comes to me.” Justas quickly, my smile dies away. “But Nan. How do I get her out of here?”
Nathan is quiet for a moment, his expression thoughtful. Suddenly, he grimaces before running a hand over his face with a sigh. “I know a guy…”
“I don’t know that any worthwhile idea has ever started with ‘I know a guy,’” I point out wryly.
“A coworker,” Nathan clarifies, “who would have no qualms about, say, ‘borrowing’ an ambulance and breaking a grandmother out of a nursing home. In fact, it might just be the highlight of his week.”
“Just his week, huh?” I ask, trying to imagine Nathan working with someone so much his opposite.
“Never a dull moment with FABLE,” Nathan replies, deadpan. “So, my question is this: do you think you can convince Nan to fake a heart attack?”
* * *
“I met a new friend.”
After striking my deal with Nathan, I’m a mess. And when I’m a mess, the person who can always set me straight is Nan, but today is different. Today, I have to somehow convince a woman who never lies to play along with the con of a lifetime. So, I’m stalling.
As I push Nan’s chair through Sunny Shores’ small garden, I admire the first red and orange leaves speckling the otherwise emerald trees. The air is crisp, hinting at the coming autumn, and I can almost smell pumpkin spice steam and candied apples on the breeze.
“That’s nice,” Nan replies, drawing my attention back to her creased skin and twinkling pale eyes as she looks up at me. “What’s her name?”
“It’s Delia. I met her at work.”
“A coworker?”
“Kind of,” I hedge. “She works for my boss, too, but she more does odd jobs for him.”
Like killing people to fund his charity work.
Inside my pocket, the new business card Nathan gave me feels like a brand. The paper is thinner and less luxurious than the card he handed me my firstnight at the menagerie, and it’s even more cryptic. There are just two initials, N.J., followed by a P.O. box. No phone number, no email address, and the initials don’t even match the surname he originally gave me.In case things don’t go as planned and you need to get hold of me,Nathan had said as he gave me the card, and isn’t that a terrifying thought?
“What’s she like?” Nan asks, drawing me back into our conversation.
“She’s really sweet,” I say after considering the question, and she is. It’s been a couple of weeks since I started bringing Delia blood, and the change in her has been startling. She went from a violent, mindless predator to a kind, soft-spoken, gentle woman. “But she’s been through a lot of hardship in her life, so she always seems like she’s kind of sad.”
