Chapter Ten

Sneaky Regan is Sneaky

The mysteries of Ira wouldn’t be sussed out right away, and I had other stuff to do. For the first time since I’d gotten them, I pulled out the papers the school secretary had given me. I filled in all the personal information, and everything I knew off the top of my head. There was a section for transcripts or whatever, but I’m sure my dad had already taken care of that. I’d just take the copy he sent the school and fill in the few blanks left.

My mind kept coming back to Zo and Ira, and I had to refocus on the papers constantly. Finally I had done everything I could do and happily tossed them aside. They wouldn’t be needed until Monday. That meant I had the whole weekend to hang with Milly and just chill. That would be good. There was some things I still needed to tell her.

I glanced at the time on my phone and figured that it would probably be around lunch time at Milly’s school. That left me with a whole mess of time to kill. I could always go cruise around, but it’s not like there was anywhere to go. Or was there? I flipped my laptop back open and pulled up the information Espy sent me.

Apparently Zo was living in a campus-approved apartment a block from the college. It could be in my best interest to go poke around and see what I could see. The only problem was my car. It was pretty distinctive and she’d gotten up close and personal with it. I’d have to park a ways away and get closer on foot. It presented an opportunity for her to smell me, but parking just down the street in my car was out. Besides, I didn’t want to confront her, anyway. If she was in, I’d just leave.

That settled, I got up, strapped my boot knife back in place, and headed to Milly’s room. There was a bottle of some girly body spray crap that I spritzed myself in. Hopefully it would help cover my scent some. I smelled like a flower-shop by the time I was done, so it had better.

On my way out, I swung back by my room to grab some small, bird-watcher-type binoculars. I pulled up my email and checked the address one more time before picking up the phone.

“Hey, Espy,” I said when I’d gone through the ritual and she’d answered. “There’s something else. I need a copy of Zo Williams’ class schedule.”

Williams’ apartment building was a block from the college. It was a squat little fake-brick building identical to thousands just like it all over the country. If the outside was any indication, Zo’s whole apartment would probably fit inside my bedroom back home. I allowed myself a small tingle of satisfaction at that before I got back to work.

According to Espy’s files, I had about twenty minutes to get in, toss the place up a little, and get out. From where I was parked down the street, I couldn’t see much. Even with my binoculars, I just wasn’t in a good position for recon.

I slipped out of my car and casually made my way a little closer. A big part of recon was simply being nonchalant about it. People see what they expect to see, and if you don’t look out of place people won’t notice you. It seems a bit simplistic, but perception is reality a good chunk of the time.

When I was close enough to the door, I watched it for several minutes. There wasn’t a lot of traffic in and out, but people would be heading out for lunch soon, probably, so things were starting to pick up. As if on cue, a pizza delivery guy pulled up to the curb. I started walking toward the building fast enough to get there behind him, but not so fast it would draw attention. I walked in right behind him and headed straight for the elevators.

Her apartment was on the sixth floor, so thankfully I had an elevator to myself. There are few things more disgusting than cramming in close to people on an elevator. At least there was no lame instrumental music playing. Small favors, I guess.

As the doors slid open, I waited a few seconds before getting out. There wasn’t any body currently in the hall, so I made my way quickly to Zo’s door. There was no way of knowing when somebody might come out of the apartment, or if that pizza guy was coming to this floor.

In my pocket was a nifty little device called a skeleton key. It was shaped like a normal key, but putting pressure on the end of it caused a small lock pick to slid out of it. I used it to get into places I shouldn’t by looking totally natural about it. My fingers covered up the bulk of the key, while the pick went into the lock. I jimmied it around for a second before it clicked.

Once inside I had to re-evaluate my guess-timation of its size. It would fit in my closet back at HQ. My smugness turned a little vicious. I never claimed I was a perfect person.

The living room was directly inside the door, with the small kitchen off to the left. I saw her bedroom down the hallway, and a closed door I assumed was the bathroom. I started in the kitchen. With an efficiency born of years of practice, I opened every drawer and cabinet in record time. Actually it wouldn’t have taken me that long anyway. They were all empty.

On impulse, I opened the fridge. Empty. I headed to the bathroom next. Besides a few hair products and brushes, there wasn’t much in here either. There was a single towel hanging on the bar across from where the toilet and shower were. Closing the door behind me, I headed to the bedroom.

The closet was first, of course. There were a few t-shirts, some long sleeved ones, a button down, some skirts, and a pair of slacks. I had to arch my brow at that. Six outfits, total. Maybe seven or eight if she was creative enough. I crouched down to peer under the bed, already knowing there would be nothing there. Next, I ran my hands over the mattress, but I didn’t feel anything out of place.

There was a can of orange-scented air spray on the little night-stand next to the bed. I grabbed it and went back to the living room. Making my way back to to the bedroom, I sprayed a citrus trail behind me. Hopefully the combination of Milly’s perfume and the air freshener would be enough to disguise my scent. I replaced the canister on the stand, and left.

I took the stairs on the way out. Retracing your steps was usually not a good idea as it helped reinforce your scent. Of course, the noise of clambering down steps made me cringe a little. Finally I was at the bottom. I hit the doors and returned to my car, only fractionally more enlightened than I had been when I started.