“So not the time to get into this. Is Viv there? I’d call her but she usually ignores me. I have somebody who needs immediate help and can’t go anywhere else. And we don’t have much time.”

Her tone changes immediately. “One second.” Viv comes on the line.

“What’s going on?”

“Letitia’s wife has been gut shot and all the hospitals are going to be full up because of that fucking fire.”

“How far away are you?”

“Encino.”

“That’s at least an hour, probably more with traffic snarled this much. How’s she doing?”

“Badly.”

“Can you do that thing? Like you did with Gabriela?”

“Already planning to.”

“All right. That should give you enough time. Get her over here as soon as possible.”

“She’ll be there as quickly as she can. Tell Gabbie’s boys and girls not to shoot if a cop car shows up.”

“Got it. See you soon.” She hangs up.

I pull out a Sharpie and write an address onto Letitia’s hand. “You remember Vivian from high school?” She nods. “She’s a doctor now. Take her here. It’s a warehouse. Now I’m going to do something to Annie that will save her life. But she’s going to look dead. So don’t freak out. This’ll buy her the time she needs. Got it?”

“Do it.”

I pull the spell together and cast it at Annie, putting as much juice into it as I dare. I want her stable, but I don’t want a repeat of what happened to Gabriela. Her breathing slows, then stops. Blood stops pumping out of her. As far as anyone will be able to tell, she’s gone.

“Jesus. Did it—”

“Yes, it worked.” I help Letitia stand. She’s wobbly but not injured. I haul Annie up and Letitia and I head outside, Letitia with a heavy limp.

There are still cars in the driveway, including a blue Crown Vic that screams police. “That’s yours, right? Got sirens?”

“Yeah.”

“Then we might just save your wife, after all.”

Chapter 32

We head toward the car and my eye hangs on something sitting on the edge of the porch. “Hang on,” I say, and gently lay Annie down. I pick up a small bundle of pine sticks held together by twine. The ends have been dipped in pitch. The last time I saw one of these, Sastre was making hundreds of them in a factory in Vernon. I finally realize what they are and my blood goes cold.

“What are you looking at?” Letitia says. “We have to go.”

“Tlepilli,” I say. There’s a spell on the bundle. Sympathetic magic. This thing is connected to another somewhere else.

“What?”

“Never mind.” I pick Annie back up and run her to the Crown Vic. “You need to get her out of here.”