[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
a firm edict. There was to be no cooperation of any sort with humans
when it came to researching vampire physiology. It was the one thing,
possibly the only thing, every council member agreed upon
wholeheartedly, and they enforced that edict absolutely. The penalty
was death permanent and instant death for any vampire caught
breaking the edict. No trial, no appeal. Vampire justice had its own
code, and it was uncompromising.
I d like to make something clear right now, Cowens said, his
tone suggesting he was accustomed to having strict attention paid to
everything he said. And indeed, silence fell as everyone in the room
turned to look at him. My daughter is missing. He breathed deeply in
and out through his nose, his jaw clenched, visibly struggling to bring his
emotions under control. I know how this works, he said bluntly. I
know you all think she s dead already. His eyes grew hard and he
stared at Felder and Scavetti. I don t believe that. I won t believe that
until I have a body to take home. I want a full investigation, do you
understand me? I don t care if you resent me talking to you this way.
You can complain to your Union, to the Commissioner, to God himself.
I don t care. I want my daughter found. Dead . . . He closed his eyes
against the pain. Dead or alive, he continued hoarsely. Or heads will
roll. Do you understand me?
Felder and Scavetti returned his stare and Raj gave them credit for
not being cowed by the explicit threat. Cowens had more than enough
influence to get a couple of city detectives broken down to street cops
if they failed him, and they had to know that.
And you, Cowens said, turning his angry gaze on Raj, who
regarded him impassively. I don t give a fuck who you are or who
your so-called master is. If one of you monsters has my daughter, if
you ve harmed a single hair on her head. Cowens rose and leaned
forward across the table. I have resources you cannot imagine, vampire.
No hole will be deep enough to hide you. He kicked his chair out of
the way suddenly, raked all of them with an angry glare and strode
from the room, his bodyguard racing to hit the doorway before he did.
Blackwood scrambled to his feet only steps behind, but the
Commissioner merely stood and watched them leave.
When he turned back, his expression was somber. This is a difficult
case, gentlemen. Not just for you, but for the Department. I m trusting
you to take care of it. And he, too, departed, leaving just the three of
them once again.
Well. That was useful, Raj commented dryly. He straightened
from his casual slouch to put both elbows on the table. So tell me,
gentlemen, why exactly was Sarah Stratton here tonight?
Scavetti swung around and stared at him for a few silent minutes,
68 D. B. Reynolds
and then shook his head, chuckling in disbelief. She called, said she
had an in with the local honcho. He gave Raj a skeptical look. Your
boss, I assume.
One would think. What s Blackwood s involvement?
Fuck if I know. He seems to like you well enough. Maybe you
should ask him yourself, Raj.
Raj studied Scavetti lazily, thinking how easy it would be to grab
the foulmouthed detective some night and make him disappear. Would
anyone miss him, he wondered. Could even a Neanderthal like Scavetti
have people who loved him?
Are you married, Detective? he asked. You have a wife? A
family?
Scavetti regarded him suspiciously. What the hell do you care?
Raj shrugged. Just curious.
Well, leave me the fuck out of your curiosity. And if you want to
know more about Stratton, you can ask her yourself. Asshole.
Felder rolled his eyes. How about we get on with the briefing,
Tony? Raj here isn t the only one with a social life. I ve got a late date
with my next ex-wife.
Scavetti brooded a few minutes longer, staring blankly at the wall.
And then with no outward warning, both hands slapped the table, rattling
Felder s already chipped coffee cup and knocking over a couple of
unopened water bottles. Fuck, yeah! he announced. Let s do this.
He stood and stomped over to a whiteboard which ran along the
entire far wall. There was a roughly five by six foot piece of thick
poster stock leaning against the board, and Scavetti moved it aside to
reveal a series of photographs and notes taped to the whiteboard itself.
We ve got three women over the last month who match the profile,
he said, suddenly all business. All three missing, no bodies found yet.
What is the profile, Raj asked curiously.
Scavetti gave him a dirty look, but said, We re going on the
assumption that there s a vampire link for now, so that s fucking number
one. The rest is the usual age, appearance, access. William Cowens s
daughter, Patricia, eighteen and single, was last seen at a vamp party.
It was an open affair, advertised in the dorms and various places on
campus, on bulletin boards and so on. We spoke to her airhead roommate
who says she persuaded Cowens to go to the party at the last minute,
that she d never been to one before. At this point, we don t think she
was specifically targeted. There ve been no calls to her father, no ransom
demand, not even with all the publicity which doesn t say much for
her fucking chances. Unless one of you guys has her? he asked with
faked curiosity. I understand you keep em alive for a few days.
Raj didn t bother to respond, and Scavetti continued with a grunt. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl fopke.keep.pl
a firm edict. There was to be no cooperation of any sort with humans
when it came to researching vampire physiology. It was the one thing,
possibly the only thing, every council member agreed upon
wholeheartedly, and they enforced that edict absolutely. The penalty
was death permanent and instant death for any vampire caught
breaking the edict. No trial, no appeal. Vampire justice had its own
code, and it was uncompromising.
I d like to make something clear right now, Cowens said, his
tone suggesting he was accustomed to having strict attention paid to
everything he said. And indeed, silence fell as everyone in the room
turned to look at him. My daughter is missing. He breathed deeply in
and out through his nose, his jaw clenched, visibly struggling to bring his
emotions under control. I know how this works, he said bluntly. I
know you all think she s dead already. His eyes grew hard and he
stared at Felder and Scavetti. I don t believe that. I won t believe that
until I have a body to take home. I want a full investigation, do you
understand me? I don t care if you resent me talking to you this way.
You can complain to your Union, to the Commissioner, to God himself.
I don t care. I want my daughter found. Dead . . . He closed his eyes
against the pain. Dead or alive, he continued hoarsely. Or heads will
roll. Do you understand me?
Felder and Scavetti returned his stare and Raj gave them credit for
not being cowed by the explicit threat. Cowens had more than enough
influence to get a couple of city detectives broken down to street cops
if they failed him, and they had to know that.
And you, Cowens said, turning his angry gaze on Raj, who
regarded him impassively. I don t give a fuck who you are or who
your so-called master is. If one of you monsters has my daughter, if
you ve harmed a single hair on her head. Cowens rose and leaned
forward across the table. I have resources you cannot imagine, vampire.
No hole will be deep enough to hide you. He kicked his chair out of
the way suddenly, raked all of them with an angry glare and strode
from the room, his bodyguard racing to hit the doorway before he did.
Blackwood scrambled to his feet only steps behind, but the
Commissioner merely stood and watched them leave.
When he turned back, his expression was somber. This is a difficult
case, gentlemen. Not just for you, but for the Department. I m trusting
you to take care of it. And he, too, departed, leaving just the three of
them once again.
Well. That was useful, Raj commented dryly. He straightened
from his casual slouch to put both elbows on the table. So tell me,
gentlemen, why exactly was Sarah Stratton here tonight?
Scavetti swung around and stared at him for a few silent minutes,
68 D. B. Reynolds
and then shook his head, chuckling in disbelief. She called, said she
had an in with the local honcho. He gave Raj a skeptical look. Your
boss, I assume.
One would think. What s Blackwood s involvement?
Fuck if I know. He seems to like you well enough. Maybe you
should ask him yourself, Raj.
Raj studied Scavetti lazily, thinking how easy it would be to grab
the foulmouthed detective some night and make him disappear. Would
anyone miss him, he wondered. Could even a Neanderthal like Scavetti
have people who loved him?
Are you married, Detective? he asked. You have a wife? A
family?
Scavetti regarded him suspiciously. What the hell do you care?
Raj shrugged. Just curious.
Well, leave me the fuck out of your curiosity. And if you want to
know more about Stratton, you can ask her yourself. Asshole.
Felder rolled his eyes. How about we get on with the briefing,
Tony? Raj here isn t the only one with a social life. I ve got a late date
with my next ex-wife.
Scavetti brooded a few minutes longer, staring blankly at the wall.
And then with no outward warning, both hands slapped the table, rattling
Felder s already chipped coffee cup and knocking over a couple of
unopened water bottles. Fuck, yeah! he announced. Let s do this.
He stood and stomped over to a whiteboard which ran along the
entire far wall. There was a roughly five by six foot piece of thick
poster stock leaning against the board, and Scavetti moved it aside to
reveal a series of photographs and notes taped to the whiteboard itself.
We ve got three women over the last month who match the profile,
he said, suddenly all business. All three missing, no bodies found yet.
What is the profile, Raj asked curiously.
Scavetti gave him a dirty look, but said, We re going on the
assumption that there s a vampire link for now, so that s fucking number
one. The rest is the usual age, appearance, access. William Cowens s
daughter, Patricia, eighteen and single, was last seen at a vamp party.
It was an open affair, advertised in the dorms and various places on
campus, on bulletin boards and so on. We spoke to her airhead roommate
who says she persuaded Cowens to go to the party at the last minute,
that she d never been to one before. At this point, we don t think she
was specifically targeted. There ve been no calls to her father, no ransom
demand, not even with all the publicity which doesn t say much for
her fucking chances. Unless one of you guys has her? he asked with
faked curiosity. I understand you keep em alive for a few days.
Raj didn t bother to respond, and Scavetti continued with a grunt. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]