"I'm not scared."
"That's the problem. You should be scared. You ain't equipped for this. You've been in that mansion for years. You don't know a thing of the outside world."
"That's what makes it so exciting!"
"No, it doesn't!"
She grinned. "Don't be such an old fart."
Out of sight, an engine roared to life. Kiara leapt down to the road and rushed toward the sound, but by the time she made it around the bend, the car was driving off. She ran, picking up speed, but the car pulled away.
Kiara slowed, and before the red taillights disappeared in the growing mist, she pointed her finger and said, "I will find you."
As the mist thickened into a drizzle, Butch appeared next to her, doubled over and wheezing. "And how are you going to do that? Stop the next vehicle and demand that they follow that car?"
"Great idea!"
Headlights came around a corner. From the side of the road, Kiara waved her arms. "Hello! Stop!"
"Quit that!" Butch yelled. "I was joking! This isn't like one of your movies!"
The car passed without slowing. The next two cars did the same, even though she tried various tactics. Smiling wide, sticking two thumbs up, showing them a peace sign, and even yanking up her skirt to show off her boots. When the third and fourth car came along, Kiara stomped several frustrated steps into the road, causing them to swerve and honk loudly, but they kept going.
"No one is going to stop on their own," Butch told her, looking up at the sky. "You look like a lunatic axe murderer. The rain is getting worse. You're getting soaked. It's time to go back."
"You're right," Kiara agreed.
"Finally." Butch turned back toward the mansion. "If we hurry, and if Bane keeps his mouth shut, no one will ever know that you left. Kiara? I said if we hurry … "
But Kiara was not listening. She chewed on her lip and, when the next set of headlights appeared, she walked into the middle of the road and stood in the rain, facing the oncoming car.
CHAPTER 7
The only thing louder than the screech of tires on wet pavement was the scream of the girl inside the car.
Skidding on the slick road, the car came closer and closer, fishtailing the final few yards as it headed straight for Kiara. At the last second, she slammed her hand down on the edge of the hood and brought the car to an abrupt halt that lifted the vehicle's rear end off the ground.
The tires landed back on the pavement with a pounding thud. Kiara rushed to the passenger side. The teenage girl's hands covered her face. Her screams subsided to shaky whimpers.
The young man in the driver's seat, with thick black-framed glasses askew on his face, had his eyes closed and his hands locked on the steering wheel as he muttered, "Oh my God, oh my God," over and over again.
Kiara knocked on the window.
Both occupants threw their hands in the air and shrieked.
Kiara cringed against the loud noise. She could smell their fear and adrenaline, hear their hearts pumping like jackhammers. She smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring manner and spoke calmly.
"Hello. Thank you for stopping. I could really use your help."
Eyes bugged, the girl stammered, "You-you-you're not dead?"
Kiara shrugged. "I'm a little dead. But that's a long story for another time." She opened the rear door and climbed into the backseat. "I need you to follow a car. I must apprehend an assassin."
The two teens stared at each other, then twisted around to stare at Kiara.
"What!" the girl said.
"Are you crazy?" cried the boy.
Kiara smiled. "Wow, you two are really killing it with the guesses tonight. But again, long story, another time. Now, if you wouldn't mind." She pulled something out of her boot and showed it to the two wide-eyed occupants. "I'm on a very important case, and we really need to go."
The boy stared at the gold badge and turned green. "Oh, God. I almost killed a cop."
CHAPTER 8
"She's climbing out! Jeez, Eddie. Out the roof. She's climbing out the roof!"
"What am I supposed to do, Daphne? I'm driving! Or trying to. She's letting the rain in, and it's getting on my glasses and I can hardly see! Why'd you let her open the moonroof anyway?"
"Because she's a cop! And I thought it was a sunroof."
"Not at night, duh." He took off his glasses and wiped them awkwardly on his jeans, then hunched over the wheel again, squinting through the smeared spectacles. "Get her back in here. But be careful. This car is vintage and my mom will freak if there's a scratch."