“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

  I breathed in real deep like. “All that’s in these bags are clothes. But if I did have a certain something your boss is looking for, I’d rather drop kick it into the ocean than give it to you. So, scram.”

  He took another step forward, his shadow falling around me. “Tell me where it is. No one needs to get hurt, Miss Rowe.”

  And that was a genuine threat. I tightened my fist around the straps of my bags. They didn’t weigh much, but I could still swing them if push came to shove. The other arm I kept between Henner and me, and Cain slid smoothly into place, ready to defend us.

  He didn’t get the chance.

  Henner slid between me and the guy, looking up into his face fearlessly. I sucked in a sharp breath, reaching out to pull him back. Henner might have magic, but it was all related to technology. He could probably mess up the guy’s phone, or something, but he couldn’t call down a storm or toss a hex bolt like Wanda and Maverick could.

  That didn’t seem to concern him any, though.

  “Excuse me,” he said, almost shockingly polite for the situation. “Every security camera in the area is now trained on us. Are you sure you want to continue this conversation?”

  The big guy’s eyes flicked around at all the stores on the street before looking back at Henner’s placid face.

  “You’re bluffing,” he sneered.

  Henner tucked his hands into the pocket of his black hoody, looking so relaxed that some of the knots in my back actually eased out. His head tilted to the side, the long ends of his hair brushing over his shoulder as he gazed somewhere over the guy’s shoulder.

  “You have two separate phones on you. One is for work. The other is… oh, well, that’s interesting.”

  The color drained out of the guy’s face, and his hand flew reflexively to the breast pocket of his suit.

  Henner smiled, all nice and friendly like. “Leave. Now. Just turn and walk away. Or I’ll send your entire internet history to the contact labeled ‘Big Boss’.”

  That was apparently enough of a threat, because after a moment of sweaty hesitation, the guy turned and took to his heels, walking away from us a whole lot faster than he’d approached. We both watched until he got into a black sedan parked on the curb and peeled away.

  Come to think of it, that car looked really familiar.

  He was the one following us last night, Cain said, echoing my own suspicions.

  Great. So, not only did I have my client and my boss to worry about, but a guy with a lot to lose who didn’t take no for an answer, it seemed. It was hard for me to focus on that as Henner turned around, having made sure that Manos’ hired goon had really left.

  “Wow,” I breathed. I couldn’t believe he’d made the big ape back down without even raising a hand. It had been so swell. I was carrying such a torch for him. “You’re really the bee’s knees, you know that?”

  Henner, adorably, got a little flushed. He smiled, sheepish, one hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. “I was bluffing, actually. There aren’t any security cameras in this area. The internet stuff was true, though,” he added after a pause.

  I couldn’t believe he’d just stepped in front of me like that. Talk about a knight in shining armor... well, a knight in a skeleton hoody. I could barely see the stars in my eyes because they were so bright.

  Cain grumbled, stepping back.

  “Okay, now, what was that all about?” Henner made a gesture towards where the goon’s long departed car had been. “I’m not just imagining things. He was actually threatening you, wasn’t he?”

  My sigh came out pretty gusty. I didn’t want to lie to Henner, but I also couldn’t tell him everything. A client’s privacy was important, and just because it was about a knick-knack this time and not a dearly departed, that didn’t really change things.

  So, part of the truth. I could live with that.

  “I was hired to find something for a client.” That was pretty safe and neutral, if I did say so myself. “Unfortunately, there are other people who also want that something. And they want it bad. Bad enough that they also apparently don’t know when to buzz off when someone tells them to.”

  Henner’s brows pulled together until they almost touched above the bridge of his nose. “Are you in danger?”

  Was I? That made me pause. I hadn’t thought Manos would get so pushy, especially in a physical way—like having someone confront me. I thought he might hire his own professional snoop, and it might become a kind of race to the treasure. This was something else entirely.

  “I have Cain with me. I’m not alone.” I’d filled Henner in a long time ago with the whole ‘possessed’ thing. It wouldn’t have been fair not to tell him.

  Arms crossed over his chest, Henner shook his head. “No offense to the late Chief Morgan, but I’m not sure that he’s the best backup or you. For one thing, he can only fight through your body, and that won’t exactly keep you from getting hurt, Darla.”

  Cain bristled up. Oh, like an amateur ghost-hunter is better backup? At least I know how to throw a punch. What’s he going to do, design a spread sheet at it?

  I kept Cain’s snarky thoughts firmly locked behind my teeth. “I’ll be okay. I’m sorry I worried you.”

  Henner didn’t look convinced. “You’re doing something for your case tonight, aren’t you? That’s why you can’t make it to the movies.”

  I fiddled with the straps of my shopping bags, not sure what to say. I thought it was swell how dang smart Henner was. But in this one instance, I did wish he were just a little bit less clever.

  “Darla.”

  “It’s just to look around. What’s the word they use on those copper shows? Renaissance?”

  Henner chuckled. “Reconnaissance?”

  “Yeah, that one. I just need to see if they’ve got what I’m looking for. Then it might turn into a heist.” The last I added in a mutter, forgetting how close Henner was standing.

  But he didn’t yell, or tell me I was being a dumb Dora. He just looked at me with that furrow on his forehead that told me he was worried. I hated to worry him, but a gal had to make a living.

  “Let me come with you.”

  I blinked, sure I hadn’t heard him right. “What was that?”

  “I don’t want you to go alone.”

  “Well, it’s a work thing.”

  “So, don’t you think you could use a computer guy? Especially if it turns into a heist?” He smiled, but his eyes were still worried.

  A computer guy? Of course, someone who could control alarms and cameras and all kinds of other stuff with his magic would come in handy. But more than that, I would love to have Henner with me just to have him with me. Cain was great, but he didn’t exactly have a hand for me to hold. Unless I was just holding my own, which would be weird. The only problem was…

  “It might be dangerous,” I said, all apologetic. I didn’t want to see Henner get hurt just because he got roped into my business.

  “I know.” Gently with just one finger, he smoothed a lock of my hair back and tucked it behind my ear. “That’s why I want to go.”

  Little shivers traveled from my ear all the way down my neck, and my tongue darted out to swipe over my bottom lip.

  He’s a distraction, Cain warned, from the peanut gallery in the back of my head. You can’t afford for him to get in the way.

  Honestly, how a big man in a Police Chief’s uniform could be such a Mrs. Grundy was beyond me.

  Maybe he is a distraction, I thought back, irritated. I had to focus to keep my lips from twitching. But you can’t think of any way a guy with Technomancy might be useful to us? If Henner can get into the building’s security cameras, we’d be able to tell if the idol is there without ever even stepping into the building.

  Well, that shut Cain up. I could tell he wasn’t very happy having Henner along on our caper still, but he also didn’t have any arguments that weren’t based on him being worried we might smooch or something with him in tow, so I took it as me winning.

  I tapped my finger to my lower lip, giving Henner an elaborate once over. He was dressed as usual, in black cargo pants, his beloved battered sneakers, and his favorite hoodie with a pattern of bones on it, rib cage, pelvis, and arm bones. It even had a little red heart nestled among the ribs. He looked comfortable and casual, and I loved the look for him, but we’d need something a little different for this.

  “I don’t know.” I pretended to think about it for another few seconds. “Do you have a tux?”

  The smile was slow to creep across Henner’s face, but it was still blinding. “I’ll see what I can come up with.”

  I knew it was dumb. We were heading into a sticky situation, maybe even a dangerous one. The kinds of people who ran underground art auctions didn’t seem like the type to let go of grudges easy. But part of me couldn’t help but be a little excited for it all. It was kind of our first dress up date.

  “Pick me up at eight,” I told him with a smile.

  Chapter Twelve

  When Henner picked me up, right on time, I almost didn’t recognize him.

  “Holy smokes!” I looked him up and down, and hoped I wasn’t drooling.

  Henner had not only found a black suit somewhere, but also a shirt and tie. Also black, and he reminded me a bit of the funereal chic of Magda’s wake, but he looked like a million bucks. He’d also smoothed his hair back into a tail, so it made him look a bit like he had really short hair.

  It wasn’t that Henner didn’t look spiffy on the normal, it was just that he tended to prefer casual and comfortable attire and I’d never seen him in anything but. The change was a little eye-catching.

  Henner smiled, wide enough that the corners of his eyes wrinkled. “You look amazing.”

  I was pretty sure that was my line, but I still did a little twirl to make the throw and wide leg of my glad rags flare a little. I’d taken some time with my makeup, too. Nothing too bold, everything tasteful and understated, to go with the gold jewelry. It wasn’t exactly my own style, the old money look, but that was what a disguise was supposed to be, wasn’t it? Make you look like not you?

  Can we get going already?

  I didn’t exactly ignore Cain, but I didn’t answer him either. Instead, I made sure his class ring was turned so that only the band was showing, and I grabbed up my coat.

  “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.” I took the arm Henner held out to me, and let him lead me to the car.

  “Wowzers! Where’d you get this number?”

  The sleek black sports car was not what I’d been expecting at all. I’d never seen it before. Usually, the car Henner drove was a mid-eighties, black Lincoln Continental—something a lot more down to earth.

  He winked at me as he opened the passenger door. “It’s probably best if I don’t tell you.”

  I had to laugh. Yes, we were maybe heading into danger. But at least we could have a little fun while we were doing it.

  ***

  Calliope was as good as her word and had texted me the address as soon as she got it herself. I didn’t really have much to go on about the location itself. I tried looking the place up online, but there didn’t seem to be any information available, which was probably on purpose once I thought about it.

  It meant that I was pretty surprised when, after Henner parked a few blocks away in case we needed to am-scray in a hurry, to find us walking up to a ritzy looking movie theater.

  A few people were drifting in, looking like fancy people out for an evening of entertainment. The box office was all lit up, and there was a woman in a white shirt and black vest manning the booth. Instead of selling tickets, she had a clipboard.

  One guy in a t-shirt and jeans with his arm around a girl in leggings, tried to buy tickets for a show, and he was told politely that the theater was closed for a private event. At least we knew we were probably in the right place.

  Henner nudged me with his shoulder. “I guess we ended up going to the movies tonight after all.”

  It startled a laugh out of me. I hadn’t realized how tense I was until I relaxed. This all wasn’t like anything I’d ever done before, but Henner was with me, and Cain, too. Really, it was an act. I could do that. I could be ‘Lillian Gold’, who had more money than she knew what to do with and a love of beautiful things she wanted to horde away from the world.

  I squeezed Henner’s arm where I’d threaded mine around it. Then I tilted my head back and lengthened my stride. Put a tiny bit of a roll into each step, until it was almost a strut. Lillian Gold didn’t creep, she moved like she had lots in common with Moses—like she expected the seas to part in front of her.

  Henner matched me, stride for stride, but somehow, he managed to feel like he was a half step behind me. Like he was there as set dressing for me. There to carry my things and escort me, but otherwise blend into the background.

  “Don’t look now, but there are three cameras directed towards the front entrance. Act like you don’t notice them. I’ll make sure they don’t get a good image of us.”

  I gave Henner a grateful squeeze but didn’t look at him. Lillian Gold wouldn’t have looked.

  Though, I couldn’t resist a comment to Cain. I told you he’d be useful.

  He grunted, which was his way of admitting I was right without actually having to say it.

  The woman in the booth was all smiles as we approached, but I caught sight of her hand hovering close to a discrete black button. Whoever was behind all this, they weren’t playing around.

  “I’m so glad you could join us tonight,” the young woman chirped. “Miss…?”

  “Gold.” I looked away, like I was bored. “Lillian Gold.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the girl give her list a discrete look. She looked back at us, and if anything, her smile was wider. She could have done toothpaste commercials, with chompers like that.

  “It’s lovely to have you with us. Please enjoy the show.”

  We sailed through the front doors and into the lobby of the theater. Modern theaters tended to have easy to clean carpeting, big posters on the walls, with the smell of buttered popcorn and burnt sugar hanging in the air. Not this place. The rugs were deep red with a subtle gold pattern, and all the doorways had heavy red velvet drapes blocking them.

  The whole lobby looked like it had been stripped of posters, and instead there were stands set up with little cards placed on them. I managed to catch a glance of one as we joined the small crowd of people waiting for things to shake a leg already. In beautifully neat calligraphy, the card said, white and blue porcelain vase, Ming dynasty.

  Each stand included something different, some priceless object that was up for sale, and people moved around them, reading the cards and speaking quietly to each other.

  I tipped my head towards Henner until my lips almost brushed his ear. “These must be all the things for sale.”

  “No pictures,” he murmured back. “No record of the things they have, no proof anything ever passed through their hands.”

  It was sneaky, and it felt weird that this kind of thing was just happening underneath everyone’s noses like it was. Even back in Hollywood it would have made more sense, with all the pretty young things with too much dough looking for a thrill, but then I guess people are people everywhere.

  We finally found the right card set up next to the only open doorway. That must have been the place where everyone went for the auction itself, into the largest theater. The doorway was dark, flanked by a pair of golden lion statues.

  Golden figure of woman and snakes, third century Greece. And didn’t that just sound like the Erepto family’s missing idol? I got a little thrill in the pit of my stomach. Look at me, tracking it down like a real live gumshoe. I could have given any of them lady Pinkertons a run for their money.

  Now, the trouble was this; the people around me were all dressed up like the fanciest Hollywood party I’d ever been to. Women in evening gowns, dripping with the kind of jewelry that looks elegant and understated and probably cost a fortune and a half. Men in tuxedos and suits with watches that cost more than my car had. This was the kind of crowd that knew what it meant when clothing was ‘bespoke’.

  Add that to the fact that none of the elegant little hand-written cards had anything resembling a price tag, and it came up to a less than a stellar total. There weren’t even starting bids written down, which meant more zeros than most phone numbers.

  Lillian Gold might have a pile of clams, but Darla Rowe not so much. There was no way I could come up with the kind of cash these people threw around. I was pretty sure my credit card capped at twenty thousand buckeroos. And this place was probably a cash only kind of joint.

  But I had a job to do, and everything was riding on me getting that idol back. If I let it get sold at the auction, it would disappear into some fat cat’s private collection and we’d probably never find it again.

  Which meant that we only had one option left to us; a heist. I’d have to cat burglar the thing.

  Are you insane? Cain growled from the back of my head where he’d been watching the crowd. We’re not thieves, we’re investigators.

  Well, technically, I’m a medium and you’re a ghost, and we ain’t investigators at all. I had to work to keep my face still looking bored and a little aloof. It was harder than normal, what with having a whole silent conversation going on in my head. Besides, stealing something that’s stolen isn’t really stealing. It’s recovering our client’s property.

  Darla, how in the world do you think you’re going to steal this thing?

  I don’t know, but I’ll figure it out.

  And, furthermore, this isn’t the type of place that’s going to react well.

  Well, what other choice do we have? It’s not like I can afford to buy the darn thing.

  Cain mulled it over for a few minutes before he spoke up again, his voice begrudging. I don’t like it. Not one bit.

  I managed to not roll my eyes. Okay, stick in the mud. If you’ve got another idea, I’m all ears.