Мишель Роуэн - The Demon in Me

His eyes flicked to Darrak, who stood next to Eden. “Thanks for the heads-up. I don’t have a key for it. I’ve been trying to call your cell phone for a half an hour.”

Her cheeks flushed. “Sorry. I totally forgot. And my phone’s off.”

She grabbed her key, handed Andy the spare, and opened the shiny new door. It was symbolic, really. If a door could be fixed soon after it had been broken, then so could she. A positive attitude was all it took. She’d ask the universe for what she wanted — easy as that. The law of attraction would work to do her bidding.

I don’t want to be possessed anymore. I want Darrak to go away and I never want to see him again. Ciao, demon.

There. That should be more than enough to get the universe working.

“Andy—” she said as they went inside the office. He was totally the key to getting the answers — she knew it.

“Are you going to tell me what the hell happened to the door?” He’d picked up the invoice she’d left on his desk.

“Uh… a little accident.”

His pale brows drew together. “Rush service? Do you know what this cost?”

“Well, I figured it was better to fix it right away than leave a gaping hole there all night so anyone could just walk in and make themselves at home.”

His attention moved to the tall man standing silently behind her and he thrust his chin in that direction. “Who’s he? The reason why you’re late this morning?”

In a word, yes , she thought. He’s my own personal demon. And he has to stay within approximately eighty feet of me at all times or it causes both of us excruciating pain. And he’s going to inadvertently kill me in a year if I don’t find a way to get rid of him. Also, FYI, he enjoys crunchy peanut butter and is comfortable with nudity.

But she didn’t say that out loud, of course. “This is… Darrak. He’s… my brother .”

Oh, sure. That sounded plausible enough, didn’t it?

“Your brother?” Andy repeated. “I thought you were Caroline’s only kid?”

Eden looked over her shoulder at Darrak, who had his arms crossed, and he raised a dark eyebrow at her to show his amusement.

“I’m her brother from a different mother,” he offered.

Kill me , she thought.

She moistened her lips. “He’s staying with me for a few—” Hours? Days? Months? Another wave of nausea surged through her. “For a little while.”

“Really?” Andy seemed surprised. “I got the impression you were a total loner who hates company.”

She forced a smile. That was his impression of her? Very accurate, actually. Uncomplimentary, but accurate. “For family it’s different, of course.”

Darrak snorted at that. “Sorry. I know… sis… likes her privacy, but she’s been very accommodating so far. If you ignore the screaming. Ha. Just kidding, of course. Mostly.”

“Good to meet you, Darrak. Any brother of Eden’s is… well, you know.” Andy stood up from his desk and thrust out his hand.

Darrak eyed it for a moment before tentatively shaking it. He looked at Eden with a half grin. “Having a body sure is hard to get used to, isn’t it?”

She forced the smile to remain plastered on her lips. “It sure is.”

Andy was looking at her strangely. “What does he mean by that?”

She coughed nervously. “Don’t mind Darrak. He’s a little… well”—she lowered her voice—“ slow is a good word. He’s not used to being out and about from the, uh… special home he normally lives in down south.”

To say the least.

“Oh.” Andy nodded. “I think I understand. I have a cousin like that, too.” He punched Darrak playfully in the shoulder. “You have a very nice sister to let you stay with her and hang out at her job. It’s fun being on vacation, isn’t it, sport?”

Darrak looked at Eden dryly. “I just hope I don’t hurt myself with my enthusiasm.”

Eden pressed her lips together. The day had not started well.

“Andy, I need to ask a favor,” she said.

He looked at her skeptically. “I don’t have any money for a loan right now.”

“You immediately assume I want money?”

He sat down in his chair, leaned back, and rubbed his temples. “Look, Eden, I have some bad news. I may as well tell you now and get it over with.”

Her mouth went dry. More bad news? “What is it?”

“Triple-A is going out of business. I’m declaring bankruptcy.” His voice broke and his face crumpled. “I’m such a pathetic failure.”

“What are you talking about?” This was the first news she’d heard of this.

“I’m broke.” He looked at Darrak. “That means that I have no money. Having no money makes it hard to be happy, chum.”

“ Chum ?” Darrak repeated.

“Andy,” Eden said. “It can’t be that bad.”

“Trust me, it is. The bills have been piling up for months now. I’ve been going to the racetrack to try to make some quick cash, but that’s only sunk me in deeper. I haven’t had a new client in forever. I’ve been keeping you busy just so you wouldn’t figure out how much of a loser I am.”

She let out a long breath. “We can figure this out.”

He shook his head. “I’ve tried. Nothing has worked.”

She didn’t like seeing him so upset, but a fresh burst of annoyance filled her. “Well, you can’t just make this decision by yourself. I own half this business.”

“Actually, you own 49 percent of it. Check your papers. Which makes me the deciding partner. And I’ve decided to cut my losses.” He looked over at a framed picture of a bikini-clad babe on a beautiful beach on the wall next to the bookcase. “And I’m moving to Hawaii. Even though I’m not really welcome in the U.S. anymore for reasons I’d rather not get into right now, I’ll figure out a way to get to the glorious fiftieth state.”

“Andy—”

“And I’ll have to get rid of Rhonda,” he said sadly.

“Who’s Rhonda?”

He looked up and his face paled. “That’s what I call my Porsche. I’m going to miss her so much.” He exhaled shakily. “My beautiful Rhonda.”

Eden had counted on Andy helping her find the witch. If he was busy feeling sorry for himself while getting a suntan in Hawaii, that wouldn’t exactly help, would it?

Andy blinked slowly, rubbed at his eyes, and looked at her. “What was it you wanted to ask?”

She looked at Darrak. She couldn’t talk. Her throat felt thick.

“I’m looking for somebody,” Darrak said. “An old… friend. She’s in the area, but I have no idea how to find her.”

“I’d love to help you out, sport, but I don’t think I can.”

“I know you were in the FBI.” Eden pushed the words out. “And it might be easy for you to locate somebody. A missing person case. My — my brother … he has his heart set on finding this woman. He doesn’t take disappointment very well, especially when he’s… um… off his medication. He might have a tantrum.”

Darrak nodded gravely. “It’s very likely, actually.”

Andy frowned at her. “Did I tell you I was with the Bureau?”

“Not in so many words. But I’d have to be blind not to notice your Distinguished Service Award.” She nodded at the framed document on the wall next to his Hawaiian beach fa ntasy.

He followed her gaze. “I got that a long time ago.”

“So can you help Darrak?” Help me , she added internally.

Andy’s bottom lip wobbled. “I can’t even help myself.”

“Andy, please—”

He held up a hand. “I’m sorry, Eden. Really, I am. But it’s over. This whole façade of a business. I gave it my best shot.”

“There’s got to be a way,” Eden said again and hated the tone of desperation in the words. She knew she sounded like a broken record, but at the moment stubbornness seemed to be the life preserver she was clinging onto as her life sank to the bottom of the proverbial ocean.