High-Caliber Concealer Read Online Free PDF

happen. Nikki took
another deep breath and settled herself in a relaxed position on
the blanket. She was concentrating so hard on being calm that she
didn’t realize Z’ev was back until he dripped ice cream on her
stomach.
    Nikki sat up with a small gasp as the cold
ice cream made contact with her skin.
    “Oh, not funny, mister,” said Nikki reaching
for her towel.
    “I didn’t do it on purpose,” protested Z’ev,
but laughing while he did so.
    “Sure, you didn’t,” said Nikki shooting him
an angry look over the top of her sunglasses.
    “It was an accident, I swear,” said Z’ev
sitting down and handing her a vanilla cone with sprinkles and a
cherry. He was working on something with chocolate and covered in
whip cream. Nikki bit back an angry retort and accepted the ice
cream cone.
    “What do you want to do about dinner?” asked
Nikki when the soothing balm of ice cream had been applied to her
tongue.
    “It’s not even two yet and you’re worried
about dinner?”
    “I like to plan ahead.”
    “I don’t know. What do you want to do about
dinner?”
    “There’s this cute little Indian place over
on West Sixth I’ve been wanting to try.”
    “West Sixth, where’s that at?”
    “LA proper, over by MacArthur Park.”
    “Oh. Sure, sounds good.”
    Nikki congratulated herself on the ease of
her maneuvering and finished off her ice cream, saving the cherry
for last.
     

July V
Dinner
    Nikki checked her watch. She had thirty
minutes before she had to meet Z’ev. She’d lucked out when he’d
gone off to meet an old friend for “drinks.” Nikki had nodded and
pretended she believed him. Z’ev did not have old friends. Or if he
did, they certainly didn’t have his phone number or know where he
lived. He was totally, totally working. Nikki knew it shouldn’t
bother her as much as it did. After all, she was working. Why
shouldn’t he? But it grated. It grated on her that she was lying.
It grated on her that he was lying. She wondered how long they
could keep this up. She loved him, she thought he loved her, but
really… how long until their relationship became an impediment to
their jobs?
    Nikki peeked through her binoculars. She was
parked across the street from the park on Alvarado. MacArthur Park
was split in two by Wilshire Boulevard and the southern half of the
park was mostly taken up by a small lake, while the northern
portion had play areas, a band stand, and a soccer field. The Red
Candy sculpture protruded from the tree line like a pink UFO.
Installed in 1987, the original bright red had faded in the sun
over the years. The park had a history of gang violence, but
stepped up police patrols in recent years had put a damper on the
violence and currently the park was filled with families, roller
skaters and dog walkers for L.A.’s lazier dog owners. The closest
group to the sculpture was a child’s birthday. One child, who
appeared to be about six, whacked away at a piñata that was almost
the same size as the little girl was and shaped like Snow White.
The family cheered her on, their claps punctuated by the sound of
the boombox pumping out Ariana Grande’s latest single.
    Nikki got out of the car and began her
approach. The restaurant Z’ev had picked for dinner was only a few
blocks away. With any luck she could scoop up Donny, or at least
make sure he was all right, and be having appetizers with Z’ev in
thirty minutes.
    She walked past the drinks table of the
birthday party and scooped up a six pack of soda—just in case, then
spotted Donny’s group through the trees. They were loud and
boisterous. Apex predators of the human world didn’t need to wear
camouflage, in fact it paid to advertise. They quieted down as they
approached the candy sculpture. Another group was already waiting
for them. Nikki couldn’t say for sure, but from the tattoos she
suspected they were Crazy Town Locos. She slipped a little closer,
comforted by the heavy weight of the Sig Sauer on her hip.
    The