“Um, my car is in the back,” Syd says. “The Audi.”
I make a sharp turn and follow her around the mansion. In the distance looms the ten-car garage. Syd's beast is parked next to it. I clamor into the passenger side, dropping onto the clean leather seats. Syd slides behind the wheel and jams the key from her pocket into the ignition.
She bites her lip and stares up at the mansion, then shakes off her thoughts. She steps on the gas and throws the Audi into reverse. The Audi skids past the gate, onto the road.
I lull my head against the back of the seat and try to think where Karl hid Zoe. She is definitely not in the mansion. Chances are, he had her evacuated when he realized Syd was prowling around, but where did he send her? He has warehouses and properties across the nation, but they would be staffed by common workers. No way he is keeping a hostage there.
I jerk out of my thoughts as we pass a car parked to the side, in the desert.
“Wait a sec.” I tug on Syd's shirt. “Pull over.”
She slows the Audi. I climb out and hop down from the road to the dirt. Syd remains with her vehicle, shielding her eyes with her hand, as I make my way to the abandoned white car. I press my hands against the roof, ignoring the fact it feels like a just-used cookie sheet, and squint to see into the window.
The passenger seat holds a large roll of magnesium ribbon wrapped in plastic.
I turn back to Syd. “Is this Larry's car?”
“Seems like it.” She glances down the road. “Can we go?”
I turn back to the car, yank open the driver side door, and lean in to grab the ribbon.
Syd raises her voice. “What are you doing?”
I jog back toward her, the package tucked under my arm.
“There are a lot of things in that mansion no one should ever see.” I wipe my jacket sleeve across my forehead. “I think we should finish what Larry started.”
Syd scowls, then nods. We climb back into the Audi and U-turn to the mansion, my mind reeling on how long I need to delay the fuse so we aren't caught in the aftermath.
As long as possible, I decide.
We pull into the driveway.
I lean over and kiss Syd on the cheek. “I'll be right back. Stay here and keep the car running, okay?”
She gives me a hesitant look, then exhales and grips the steering wheel. I know she is worried about more than just outrunning the explosion. Larry is probably still in the mansion and, even if he is an asshole, he's the last of her uncles. I know she loved them. Maybe they had been good people once.
I burst through one set of front doors and haul ass to the summoning chamber. Larry had dropped his blowtorch there when I made a pretzel out of his arm. Between that and the magnesium ribbon, we'll be ready for an early Fourth of July.
The chamber door is open. Thermite billows around my legs as I hurry to the blowtorch laying right where we left it.
I swoop down to pick it up. Something moves in the corner of my eye. I snap upright just as Larry barrels me over. My back slams against the ground, knocking the air from my lungs. The torch slips from my fingers and rolls away.
Larry has his hands around the neck. I try to get a knee up, but he might as well be a sumo wrestler. I can't budge. My throat chokes. My vision darkens. I twist and try to pull free, but he tightens his hold.
Then he slumps forward on top of me. Syd is standing over us. I shove him off and scramble to my feet. She drops her purse with a thunk and heads for the blowtorch.
“What the hell is in that thing?” I glance at her Purse of Annihilation. “Rocks?”
She grabs the torch, glancing at Larry, and then frowns. “Yes, actually.”
I laugh, because I don't know if she's serious or not.
“Well, it works.” She hands me the blowtorch.
I tuck the torch into my jacket pocket. “Ya know, Syd, there's this thing called mace … ”
“Yeah, there's also a little thing called magnesium ribbon, and you left it in the car, dork.” She hurries over to the door and picks up the package. “You really are kind of a lousy genie, aren't you?”
“Hush.” I take the roll and hold it up. “Look, I'm going to run this from the front door, then light it, and vámonos.”
“Make like an atom and split,” Syd says. “Got it. How long do we have?”
“If I did the math right, about ten minutes. Be ready to floor it.”
Her face tightens. “Are you sure there's no other rooms?”
“Positive.” I squeeze her arm. “She's somewhere else. We'll figure it out.”
Syd follows me outside, then hurries across the lawn and slides into the Audi. She leans out the driver window to watch as I rip open the magnesium ribbon and start rolling it along the cement porch. According to the package, I have twenty-five feet. It should be just enough to get us out of here before destroying my final crime scene.
I don't need Karl to dig me out of this one.