The Book of Death (Bourbon Kid 4)

his daughter.
    Jessica answered within
one ring. ‘Yes father.’
    ‘The Book of Death is
gone for now,’ said Gaius, catching his breath. ‘That idiot Sanchez Garcia has
it.’
    ‘Sanchez has it?’
    ‘That’s what I just
said.’
    ‘Don’t worry then. That
idiot will bring it straight to me. He’s probably on his way here with it right
now.’
    ‘You think?’
    ‘I have no doubt.’
    ‘How can you be so
sure?’
    ‘Because that loser is infatuated
with me. Don’t worry father, if Sanchez has got it, then it’ll soon be ours.
Start putting your plans into action. I’ll have your book for you in no time.’
    ‘Finally, some good
news,’ Gaius said triumphantly. ‘In that case, put the word out to everyone,
it’s time for us to start taking over the city. Tell them to go into the
streets and kill whomever they choose, including kids.’
    ‘ Including kids? ’
Jessica sounded surprised. ‘Why the sudden change of heart?’
    Gaius wiped his free
hand on Josh’s white shirt, in an effort to get rid of some of the boy’s blood
from his knuckles. ‘I just bashed a teenage boy’s brains in,’ he said, taking a
deep breath. ‘And I gotta tell you, it was exhilarating. At one point I think I
even heard him cry out for his mom.’
    He could practically
hear Jessica’s approving smile down the phone. ‘I’ll get the word out to
everyone,’ she said. ‘Most of them are already on their way here anyway. Are
you coming back now?’
    ‘No, not yet,’ said
Gaius. ‘I have an appointment at the museum first. Got a couple more people to
kill.’

 

 
    Thirty-Four

 
    ‘It’s no use,’ said
Kacy. ‘He’s not answering.’
    Dante was sitting on
the bed in their room at the Swamp, wearing his Shades jacket over a white
T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. He rubbed his forehead in frustration. Kacy
had been trying to call the Bourbon Kid all afternoon. The unreliable
sonofabitch wasn’t answering.
    ‘Fine. Leave him a
message then. But send him a text as well. We can’t just blow him off without
knowing why he’s not answering.’
    Kacy walked over and
sat down on the bed next to him. She had her cell phone pressed against her
ear. When she heard a beep she reeled off her message.
    ‘Hi, this is Kacy,
Dante’s girlfriend. Just so you know, we’re heading to the museum tonight with
Vanity. We won’t be at the Casa de Ville. Vanity says that Rameses Gaius is
going to the museum to have his eye polished or something. So we’re going to go
there and try and get it from him when he’s taken it out of his head. If you
want to meet us there, give me a call back. Vanity is on our side so if you do
show up, don’t kill him or anything. Okay, thanks. Bye.’
    Dante rubbed her back.
‘Good message,’ he said. ‘Send him a text too though. Just in case.’
    Kacy handed him the
phone. ‘You send it,’ she said. ‘I need to get changed.’
    ‘What’s wrong with what
you’ve got on?’
    Kacy had on a
sleeveless black top and a pair of denim shorts. ‘If this plan of ours works
and we end up human again, I bet it’ll be freezing out there. We might need to
make a quick getaway. With all that snow and hail out there, I think I’ll need
something more appropriate.’
    ‘But you look hot like
that.’
    ‘The weather forecast
says it’s minus three out there.’
    ‘Lightweight.’
    ‘Fine. You can wear
these shorts then.’
    Dante grabbed her by the
arm and pulled her towards him. He kissed her firmly on the lips. ‘You just
look hot, that’s all I’m saying.’
    She kissed him back and
then pulled away. She walked over to the corner of the bedroom and bent down to
pick some new clothes from her suitcase that was open on the floor. ‘Just send
the text,’ she said.
    Dante began typing a
message into her phone. It would take him ages and not just because he couldn’t
spell some of the most basic words. He was rubbish with phones in general. As
he tried to fathom out the texting system on her phone, Kacy began flicking
through the clothes in her suitcase, occasionally holding something up to get
his approval. He nodded at anything that would show plenty of flesh, but
generally turned his nose up at anything sensible. It was all good fun though.
She knew he loved watching her undress, and she in turn liked trying on new
outfits in front of him. It was one of many reasons they made such a great
couple. And Kacy hoped to God, they’d still be a couple come the end of the
day. If