Page 121 of Moonlight Hearts

Echo snorted but said nothing.

We got to the door of the other apartment.There was a metal sign with a B on the door.There’d never been any noise from here, nor had I ever seen anyone.I’d never paid it that much mind, assuming the tenant was just really quiet.

“When you say no one lives here—”

“He’s dead.”Echo turned the key, and the door swung open on well-oiled, silent hinges.It smelled a little stuffy in there, but not unlived in, not outright.“I shouldn’t say too much, because that would make your Black Shuck rage at me.He’s still taking care of this apartment, that’s why he has the key.It’s nothing illicit at all, just something he keeps quiet.”

The apartment wasn’t like Soyer’s, which stretched over two floors, it was just the one, and it was full of things.The smooth wooden floorboards were broken up by colorful carpets, and dark furniture gave the space an old-fashioned, cozy feel, as if this was the home of a literature professor.

Echo closed the door behind us and locked it again, then led us deeper into the apartment.The kitchen was in its own room, unlike Soyer’s, and it looked like it was from the sixties, the color a sort of pastel teal green.I spotted an old toaster and a coffee maker, the plastic parts of which had yellowed with age.

“How long…”

Echo shook his head.“You’ll have to ask your Lord Shuck.I don’t know all the details.”

“This is like a pleasant dream of the past!Oh!”The Sandman pirouetted and touched the leaf of a huge rubber tree that had grown almost to the ceiling.

I looked at a painting on a wall.It was a view of the city…or a city.It was almost familiar, but not quite, and it reminded me of some of the paintings in the lobby downstairs.“Why are we here?”

Echo pointed to a smaller hallway that branched off from a dining room that had a round table much too small for it.A crystal ball sat on it, and one of the chairs didn’t match the other three.It was more scuffed, looked like it had seen the most use.A big notebook, like a sketchbook, was set out there, though it was closed, and next to it, a pencil case was open, one of those tubular ones.This one was made from cotton or a similar material, and a black ink stain had spread in one corner.The stain was almost a perfect circle, the edges feathering out like the brightness of an explosion against your retina.

“This is an older unit and it still has the back exit.Like a staff exit.They won’t be watching that.”

“You guys came in through the front.Jules is downstairs.”

Echo was already busy unlocking the back exit.“Yeah.Timing.They didn’t want to be seen idling, but they were planning on getting you right in the car.They had everything ready to get you on a plane and fly you out of the country, too.”

Right in the car.Then a plane.To…be taken out of the country?Those words brought back the memory of being taken by the witch, of the witch breaking my finger, taking my ring, drinking my blood.I shivered.I looked at my watch, doing my best to count the seconds.

“No reason to fret now,” the Sandman said.“Although, in fairness, the lawyer and the narcissan will wake sooner rather than later.”

Echo nodded.“Yeah, we should hurry.Amory, it’s fine.Come on.”

I tore my eyes off the watch face.It didn't feel great to look elsewhere, but nothing did right now.

The door Echo had unlocked opened to a narrow stairwell that was empty, though clean.Harsh fluorescent lights illuminated it.It was oddly shaped, as well, the stairs heading up just ending in the ceiling.The banister in that area had been removed, and it made for awkward corners, all of which had collected dust and dirt that formed gray shadows here.

“Perfectly charming.”The Sandman looked over the banister as he headed down.“I hate that there is no elevator here, however.Echo, I’m not sure the one favor covers all these stairs.You shall have to buy me a daiquiri or six to make up for all this unwelcome exercise.”

Echo locked the door.“I don’t like bars, but I’ll throw in a voucher or something.”He handed me the apartment key.“Here.Return this to him, will you?Tell him I’m sorry, but that it was the safest way to get you out of there.”

I looked at the keyring.It was unremarkable, just had 19B engraved on a bronze tag that had gone dull with age.

“Who lived here?”

Echo just shook his head.“I can’t actually answer that.Come on, let’s go.”

I pocketed the key and followed the Sandman and Echo down those nineteen flights of stairs.

“…no, really, I amnotmade for this,” the Sandman huffed when we were finally at the bottom, finally outside where the air was icy in my lungs.I’d not even thought to take a jacket.

“Yeah, well…” Echo was breathing heavily too.He glanced at me as we walked down a narrow street that led to a wider one behind Sundial Tower.“How are you doing so well?”

I was trembling, from the cold, but my thighs were on fire.“I’m not, I’m just on my feet all day.”

He nodded.“Fair.Very fair.Maybe I should work out more.”

The Sandman threw up his hands.“Are you mad!Exercise ruins all the soft, cuddly parts of you.”