Read Online Grand Theft Retro (Style & Error Mystery Series Book 5) by Diane Vallere - Free Book Online Page A

inside. I knew it didn’t matter. Pritchard had already been inside Retrofit when I’d arrived. Nancie had probably given him a set of keys. He could come and go as he wished.
    The idea that someone could get to me so easily ignited my nerve endings, sending a buzz to the surface of my skin. I’d been in tight situations before but never with someone so confident that they’d sought me out in plain sight. The risks I’d taken in the past had been life-threatening, but only because I’d actively pursued situations that put me face to face with killers.
    But this time, I had no choice. My curious streak had led me into the attic, and because I’d gone back, I was being roped into something dangerous, despite the fact that I’d called the police and cooperated with them. While I’d been chatting with Detective Loncar, a crazy man had demonstrated how easily he could get to me by abducting my cat.
    Before I stopped to process what I’d seen and tried to reconcile the pieces of fragmented truths, my brain went onto autopilot. Get out of here , a voice screamed inside my head. I put Logan in his carrier, grabbed my laptop, notes, and handbag, and left before I realized I didn’t have my car. It was still in Amity.
    I ran to Tradava. Logan yowled with the jostling and shifted from one side of his carrier to the other. Until I knew what I was going to do, I was going to stay in very public places. I entered the store by the prom dress department, cut directly through juniors and past costume jewelry to the door that led to the stairs that ended right in front of Eddie’s visual office. Eddie’s back was to me. I stood, framed out by the doorway, clutching Logan’s carrier to my chest, trying to figure out what to say.
    “Meeeeeeeoooooooow,” Logan said, making two syllables last about four beats.
    Eddie turned around. “Dude, what are you doing here? Is that Logan? New question. What is Logan doing here?”
    “I need a favor,” I said. “A really big, enormous favor with no questions asked.”
    “Fine, I’ll make you fried chicken for dinner.”
    “I need you to take Logan for a couple of days. Maybe more. I don’t know how long.”
    He looked at me and then at the carrier. “Is everything okay?”
    “Please. Don’t tell anybody. He’s a really nice cat. He’s supposed to be on a diet but he really likes the kind of cat food with that cat that eats out of the crystal bowl. He’ll need a litter box. I’ll pay you back for whatever you buy.”
    “Dude, I know how to take care of a cat. What’s up?”
    “Work is—work is a little off the charts crazy right now and you’re probably not going to see me all that much until I’m past some of these deadlines. So please, don’t come looking for me, don’t call me, don’t invite me over for dinner. Pretend I don’t exist.”
    “Is this a birthday thing? Just because you’re one step closer to death is no reason to shut out the world.”
    I started to deny the correlation but the fear of letting Eddie know and potentially putting him in danger stopped me. “I’m a little overwhelmed. Everything is going to go back to normal in a couple of weeks, okay?”
    “Okay, but considering both your lifestyle and the alternative, you should consider yourself lucky that you are still around to celebrate another birthday.”
    “Thanks for that.” I handed the cat carrier over to him and bent down, sticking my finger into the metal grid on the door. “Be a good cat,” I said. “Do whatever Uncle Eddie tells you to do. I’ll be back to get you as soon as I can.”
    Logan stretched his paw out and ran the little black pads on the bottom of it over the top of my finger. Tears sprung to my eyes and I choked back a sob. I swallowed hard and then stood up. “Thank you,” I said to Eddie. My throat constricted and the words came out in a rasp. Before I could regret what I’d done or Eddie could change his mind, I turned around and left.
    The taxi driver dropped