Free a Touch of Ice by L. j. Charles

icy calm that fast. Something to keep in mind if I planned to continue springing things like this on her.
    Her voice was steady. “Tell me exactly why you think you have to do this.”
    “If I had a logical reason,” I said, scrunching up my face, “I probably wouldn’t be doing it. No, this is more like a compulsion. You know, like I don’t have a choice.”
    “You’ve said that.”
    The more I tried to explain, the worse it got. It didn’t make sense. Even to me, it didn’t make sense. Finally, I settled on the obvious. “It must have happened when he kissed me.”
    Violet didn’t say anything, didn’t even ask about the kiss, so I continued. “I’m going to follow my gut on this. Have to. I’m the one—” I hooked my thumb toward my chest— “who walks around trying not to touch anything, and I need to do this. I’m going to break into someone’s home, someone who’s been murdered, for the sole purpose of touching his stuff.”
    Violet didn’t say a word.
    I ran my tongue along my lips while I thought. “So, bottom line, I’ve temporarily lost my mind. It happens to the best of us. Hand over the address.”
    She looked me over. “Catwoman. Halloween.”
    I smiled, remembering when she talked me into buying the costume. “Your dare. Breaking into Tony’s, that one’s all mine.”
    “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you’re on.”
    The Bobbsey Twins dressed in black and ready to roll. What more could I say about our exit from everyday life into the dark and twisty world of crime?
    “Let’s move.” Violet settled into the driver’s seat of her black (naturally) Acura sedan.
    “I’m ready.” Who was I kidding?
    Laughter danced in her eyes. “This is the worst idea either of us has ever had in the six years we’ve known each other, but if I hang around the house any longer, Jayne is sure to call for a report on why Mitch was abducted. Honestly, I don’t have a thing to tell her. She’s into late night calls, and escape is the only answer.”
    I choked on a bubble of laughter. So not graceful. “You could just turn your phone off.”
    “No. I’ve tried. Can’t fall asleep with it off.” She shifted her hips, fingers tapping a fast beat on the steering wheel.
    “Seriously? Where’d that come from?”
    She shrugged. “It’s just a thing I have.”
    Time to change the subject. “So, where does Tony live?” I asked, trying to get my mind out of Violet’s quirkiness and back on the task at hand.
    “Over on the North Side, shouldn’t take too long to get there since its Sunday night and rainy. No one wants to be out.”
    As we sped along I-40, I worked on the best way to ask Violet if she knew how to break and enter. Not wanting to insult her by implying that she didn’t have the skill, or maybe it would be worse to assume that she did—what’s a girl to do?—I tried a question. “You have any ideas how to gain access without setting off an alarm?”
    “I’m pretty good with illegal entry, but you didn’t hear that if anyone asks.” Her grin showed a perfect row of pearly white teeth.
    In the back of my mind there was a thought rolling around about the secrets friends keep from each other. Secret desires, wishes… private stuff. Even so, what came out of my mouth next surprised the heck out of me. “Will you teach me how to do that?”
    My question hung in the air between us. And there it was again, for all to see, words coming out of my mouth that had not passed through my brain.
    Violet was cool, not even bothering to glance in my direction. “And why would you want to acquire this particular skill?”
    “So if I get locked out of my house I can get back in without calling a locksmith.” Would she accept such a lame statement? Not a chance.
    Her fingers were tapping on the steering wheel again. “You want to be able to do this without involving me. What’s up? What aren’t you telling me? There’s no way I’m going to open that door for you without a