The Experimental Murders (Elysium #2)

Chapter Thirty-Three

 Panic clawed at Trinket's chest the closer they got to Primrose Street. Again, she was reminded of the police station nearby and how easy it would be for someone to call the authorities should this caper go wrong.

"You're not going to faint, are you?" Booker teased.

She shot him a glare as they slipped through the shadowy streets. Gin was in the lead, confident in her steps as they neared the apartment building. Trinket had never picked a lock before and did not even know where to begin. Daphne admitted that her skills were subpar at best. So instead, Booker called on Gin to help. She seemed to have forgiven him for abandoning her earlier that day when Trinket had feigned her faint, and she was now ready to use her abilities to once again assist Booker in less-than-legal activities.

And breaking into a person's home was most certainly illegal.

Someone stumbled out of one of the buildings to their left, and the three of them sank into the shadows. But it was only a drunk vomiting in a bush. After a few seconds, he passed out in the melting snow. Trinket let out a trembling breath as they continued on their way.

"Don't be so worried," Booker said. "We aren't going to get caught."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because we're all very clever people. Besides, if we do get caught, I doubt our friend will call the police. Snatching bodies is just as illegal as trespassing. If anything, he'll only try to kill us. Which, I might point out, is also very illegal."

"That is not as reassuring as you think."

He gave a soft chuckle and tightened his grip on her arm.

The apartment building came into sight. It looked bigger than before, looming over her like a beast in the night. It was no different from the other apartment buildings scattered about the city, but the knowledge that they were about to break into it and potentially anger a man who had viciously broken a tea shop girl's hand made it seem far more menacing.

The front door was open, and they walked in without a fuss. It was quiet, which made sense considering it was two in the morning. Still, Trinket was on high alert, knowing that this city never truly slept. The walls were whitewashed, and even in the dark, she could see a number of stains, likely from the water that was dripping from the roof, creating a small puddle in front of the stairs. Booker closed the door slowly and motioned for them to go up.

The steps creaked loudly, and the three of them froze for fear the sound would alert those in the rooms nearby. But it became clear after a few seconds that no one paid any attention to the noise outside their rooms. They continued on until they reached the third floor. There were several doors facing them, though none were numbered. Trinket turned to Booker and raised her eyebrows. He cleared his throat quietly and paced over to the first door. He held up one finger as he passed it, a second upon reaching the next, and then stopped at the third, flashing a smile and three fingers.

Gin wasted no time getting to work. She pulled out a set of pins and began fidgeting with the lock, her fingers moving expertly and her eyes focused.

"What if he's already in there?" Trinket whispered to Booker as they watched Gin.

"Good. Then we'll tie him up and get the information out of him."

There was a click from within the lock, and Gin pushed the door open. It let out a whiny creak as it revealed a pitch-black room. Trinket took a deep breath and held on tightly to Booker's arm. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before leading her inside.

It was a closet of a room. There was hardly space for the cot in the corner and the washstand beside it. Trinket was relieved to see that the cot was empty. In such a small area, she doubted there was anywhere someone could be hiding.