Free Villainous by Matthew Cody Page B

and eyebrows than Daniel could count. Both men were so huge that their expensive suit coats looked ready to split against their broad chests.
    They scanned the area for a few moments before walking to the back of the limo. Some of the tourists who’d nearly been run over stomped up to the limo, but when they caught sight of the two bruisers, they walked right on by.
    The dreadlocked one kept an eye on the crowd as the man with the neck tattoo opened the back door of the car.
    Out stepped a ghost. Daniel almost didn’t recognize him at first. Gone were the sagging patchwork sweaters and dusty glasses Daniel had grown accustomed to. He used to think the old man looked like a turtle when he was playing the part of the aged artist, but when he dropped that disguise, he reminded Daniel more of a snake. Now, as the man stepped out of the dark recesses of the limousine, Daniel was reminded of an old silent movie he’d once watched with his dad called
Nosferatu
. The villain of the film, a thin black-clad vampire, had given Daniel nightmares for years. But that blood-sucking monster was nothing compared to this old man.
    Herman Plunkett wore a long black coat that reached almost to his ankles, and despite the late-summer heat, he was bundled up to his chin in a dark silk scarf. The glasses he wore on his shriveled, liver-spotted face were thinner than his old plastic bottle frames, and these new ones had shaded lenses to hide his small, mean eyes. Though he stood taller than he had when he’d been playing the role of harmless invalid, he leaned heavily on a sturdy cane that he hadn’t needed the last time Daniel had seen him.
    Not that Daniel should have been surprised. He knew Herman well enough to realize that the oily villain would never stop popping up. The Shroud was gone forever, but Daniel had no illusions that that meant they were safe fromHerman Plunkett. Daniel had destroyed Herman’s Witch Fire pendant, and with it all of the man’s Shroud powers. But he was still dangerous, and always would be.
    What was surprising, however, was seeing Plunkett out in the open like this. For years he had stayed hidden, choosing to strike from the shadows. He’d never been one to flaunt his wealth or power.
    The bitter scowl on Plunkett’s face as he eyed the crowd was matched only by the venom in Mollie’s voice as she spoke to Daniel. “What’s he doing here?” she said. “I thought he was locked up in the loony bin.”
    “It looks like he got better,” said Daniel as he took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and forced himself to relax. He didn’t want to give Herman the satisfaction of catching him off guard when he finally spotted them standing there.
    “Ah!” croaked the familiar voice, one that sounded like a strangled bark. “Daniel Corrigan and Mollie Lee. Fancy meeting you here.”
    Plunkett was walking toward them, flanked by his two giant bodyguards. He was moving slower than usual, and really was leaning on that cane. From appearances he wouldn’t be able to get around without it. But with Herman, appearances were always deceiving.
    Mollie grabbed Daniel’s hand and gave it a squeeze for reassurance. He didn’t let it go.
    “I hadn’t expected to see you two here,” said Herman. “But I’m glad nonetheless.”
    “We don’t have anything to say to you,” said Daniel. Bantering with the old man was pointless and sometimes dangerous.
    Plunkett sighed heavily and peered down at them over the rims of his dark glasses. “I understand,” he said slowly. Then, to Daniel’s surprise, he turned and began hobbling away.
    “Daniel was just saying how criminals like to visit the scene of the crime,” said Mollie. “So fancy meeting you here too.” Daniel gave her hand a warning squeeze. Didn’t he just tell Herman they had nothing to say?
    Plunkett stopped. “So you think this is my handiwork, then? That I’ve taken up vandalizing schools?”
    “I wouldn’t put anything past you,” she said, and