lhamilton.thekillingdance-第39节

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not　want　to　touch　it　again。
　Dolph　walked　through　the　circle　like　it　wasn't　there　and　knelt　beside　me；　part　of　him　still　in　the　circle。　〃Anita；　what's　wrong？〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I'm　not　sure。〃　I　stared　up　at　him。　〃It's　a　circle　of　power；　and　I　can't　cross　it。〃
　He　glanced　back　at　his　own　body　partially　inside　the　circle。　〃I　can。〃
　〃You're　not　an　animator。　I'm　not　a　witch；　and　I　don't　know　a　lot　of　official　magic；　but　some　of　the　symbols　are　either　death　symbols　or　maybe　symbols　of　protection　from　the　dead。〃　I　stared　up　at　him；　my　skin　still　shivering　from　trying　to　cross　the　line。　A　new　horror　spread　through　my　mind。　〃It's　a　spell　to　both　contain　and　keep　out　the　dead；　and　I　can't　cross　it。〃
　He　stared　down　at　me。　〃What　exactly　does　that　mean；　Anita？〃
　〃It　means；〃　said　a　female　voice；　〃that　she　didn't　create　the　circle。〃
　
　
　19
　
　A　woman　stood　just　inside　the　door。　She　was　tall；　slender；　dressed　in　a　purple　skirt　suit　with　a　white　man…tailored　shirt。　She　walked　into　the　room　with　an　eagerness　that　made　me　knock　about　ten　years　off　her　age。　She　looked　thirty；　but　she　wasn't。　Twenty…something　and　full　of　herself。　Probably　around　my　own　age；　but　there　was　a　shiny　newness　to　her　that　I'd　lost　years　ago。
　Dolph　stood；　offering　me　a　hand　up。　I　shook　my　head。　〃Unless　you　want　to　carry　me；　I　can't　stand　yet。〃
　〃Anita；　this　is　Detective　Reynolds；〃　he　said。　He　didn't　sound　entirely　happy　about　it。
　Reynolds　walked　around　the　edge　of　the　circle　as　I　had；　but　she　was　ing　for　a　better　view　of　me。　She　ended　up　on　the　opposite　side　from　Dolph。　She　stared　down　at　me；　smiling；　eager。　I　stared　up　at　her；　skin　still　jumping　from　trying　to　force　my　way　past　the　circle。
　She　leaned　down　and　whispered；　〃You're　flashing　the　room；　dear。〃
　〃That's　why　the　underwear　matches；〃　I　said。
　She　looked　surprised。
　There　was　no　way　for　me　to　stretch　my　legs　out　without　touching　the　circle　again；　so　if　I　wanted　to　quit　flashing　the　room；　I　had　to　stand　up。　I　held　my　hand　up　to　Dolph。　〃Help　me　up；　but　whatever　you　do；　don't　let　me　fall　into　that　thing。〃
　Detective　Reynolds　took　my　other　arm　without　being　invited；　but　frankly；　I　needed　the　help。　My　legs　felt　like　spaghetti。　The　moment　she　touched　me；　the　hair　on　my　body　stood　at　attention。　I　jerked　away　from　her　and　would　have　fallen　into　the　circle　if　Dolph　hadn't　caught　me。
　〃What's　wrong；　Anita？〃　Dolph　asked。
　I　leaned　into　him　and　tried　to　breathe　slowly　and　evenly。　〃I　can't　take　anymore　magic　right　this　moment。〃
　〃Get　her　a　chair　from　the　dining　room；〃　Dolph　said。　He　didn't　speak　to　anyone　in　particular；　but　a　uniform　left　the　room；　probably　to　get　the　chair。
　Dolph　picked　me　up　while　we　waited。　Since　I　couldn't　stand；　it　was　hard　to　protest；　but　I　felt　like　a　damn　fool。
　〃What's　on　your　back；　Anita？〃　Dolph　asked。
　I'd　forgotten　about　the　knife　in　the　spine　sheath。　I　was　saved　from　having　to　answer　by　the　uniform　bringing　one　of　the　straight…backed　chairs　into　the　room。
　Dolph　eased　me　into　the　chair。　〃Did　Detective　Reynolds　try　a　spell　on　you？〃
　I　shook　my　head。
　〃Someone　explain　what　just　happened。〃
　An　unhealthy　flush　crept　up　Reynold's　pale　neck。　〃I　tried　to　read　her　aura；　sort　of。〃
　〃Why？〃　Dolph　asked。
　〃Just　curious。　I've　read　about　necromancers　but　never　met　one　before。〃
　I　looked　up　at　her。　〃If　you　want　to　do　any　more　experiments；　Detective；　ask　first。〃
　She　nodded；　looking　younger；　more　unsure　of　herself。　〃I　am　sorry。〃
　〃Reynolds；〃　Dolph　said。
　She　looked　at　him。　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Go　stand　over　there。〃
　She　glanced　at　both　of　us　and　nodded。　〃Yes；　sir。〃　She　walked　over　to　stand　by　the　other　cops。　She　tried　to　be　nonchalant　about　it；　but　she　kept　looking　over　at　us。
　〃Since　when　do　you　have　a　witch　on　the　payroll？〃　I　asked。
　〃Reynolds　is　the　first　detective　ever　with　preternatural　abilities。　She　got　her　pick　of　assignments。　She　wanted　to　join　our　squad。〃
　I　was　happy　to　hear　him　call　it　〃our〃　squad。　〃She　said　I　didn't　draw　the　circle。　Did　you　really　think　I'd　done　that？〃　I　pointed　at　the　body。
　He　stared　down　at　me。　〃You　didn't　like　Robert。〃
　〃If　I　killed　everyone　I　didn't　like；　Saint　Louis　would　be　littered　with　bodies；〃　I　said。　〃Why　else　did　you　drag　me　down　here？　She's　a　witch。　She　probably　knows　more　about　the　spell　than　I　do。〃
　Dolph　stared　down　at　me。　〃Explain。〃
　〃I　raise　the　dead；　but　I'm　not　a　trained　witch。　Most　of　what　I　do　is　just；〃　I　shrugged；　〃sort　of　natural　ability。　I　studied　basic　magic　theory　in　college；　but　for　only　a　couple　of　classes；　so　if　you　want　feedback　on　a　detailed　spell　like　this　one；　I　can't　help　you。〃
　〃If　Reynolds　hadn't　been　here；　what　would　you　have　suggested　we　do？〃
　〃Find　a　witch　to　undo　the　spell　for　you。〃
　He　nodded。　〃Any　thoughts　on　who　or　why？〃　He　jabbed　his　thumb　behind　his　back　at　the　body。
　〃Jean…Claude　made　Robert　a　vampire。　That's　a　strong　bond。　I　think　the　spell　was　to　prevent　him　from　knowing　what　was　happening。〃
　〃Could　Robert　have　alerted　his　master　from　this　far　away？〃
　I　thought　about　that。　I　wasn't　sure。　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe。　Some　master　vampires　are　better　at　telepathy　than　others。　I'm　not　sure　how　good　Jean…Claude　is　with　other　vampires。〃
　〃This　setup　took　a　while；〃　Dolph　said。　〃Why　kill　him　like　this？〃
　〃Good　question；〃　I　said。　I　had　a　nasty　idea。　〃It's　a　weird　way　to　do　it；　but　this　might　be　a　challenge　to　Jean…Claude's　control　over　his　territory。〃
　〃How　so？〃　Dolph　had　his　little　notebook　out　now；　pen　poised。　It　was　almost　like　old　times。
　〃Robert　belonged　to　him；　and　now　somebody's　killed　him。　Could　be　a　message。〃
　He　glanced　back　at　the　body。　〃But　who　is　the　message　meant　for？　Maybe　Robert　pissed　someone　off；　and　it　was　personal。　If　it　was　a　message　for　your　boyfriend；　why　not　kill　him　at　Jean…Claude's　club？　That's　where　he　worked；　right？〃
　I　nodded。　〃Whoever　did　this　couldn't　have　pulled　off　something　so　elaborate　at　the　club；　with　other　vampires　around。　No　way。　They　needed　privacy。　They　might　have　needed　the　spell　just　to　keep　Jean…Claude　or　some　other　vamp　from　riding　to　the　rescue。〃　I　thought　about　it。　What　did　I　really　know　about　Robert？　Not　much。　I　knew　him　as　Jean…Claude's　flunkie。　Monica's　boyfriend；　now　husband。　A　soon…to…be　daddy。　Everything　I　knew　about　him　was　through　other　people's　perceptions　of　him。　He'd　been　killed　in　his　own　bedroom；　and　all　I　could　think　of　was　that　it　was　a　message　for　Jean…Claude。　I　was　thinking　of　him　like　a　flunkie　because　Jean…Claude　treated　him　that　way。　Because　he　wasn't　a　master　vampire；　no　one　would　want　to　kill　him　for　his　own　sake。　Geez；　I　was　actually　thinking　of　Robert　like　a　disposable　modity。　We　could　always　make　more。
　〃You've　thought　of　something；〃　Dolph　said。
　〃Not　really。　Maybe　I've　been　hanging　around　vampires　too　long。　I'm　beginning　to　think　like　one　of　them。〃
　〃Explain；〃　Dolph　said。
　〃I　assumed　that　Robert's　death　was　connected　to　his　master。　My　first　thought　was　that　no　one　would　kill　Robert　for　his　own　sake；　because　he　wasn't　important　enough　to　kill。　I　mean；　killing　Robert　won't　make　you　Master　of　the　City；　so　why　do　it？〃
　Dolph　looked　at　me。　〃You're　beginning　to　worry　me；　Anita。〃
　〃Worry；　hell；〃　I　said；　〃I'm　beginning　to　scare　me。〃　I　tried　to　look　at　the　murder　scene　fresh；　not　like　a　vampire。　Who　would　go　to　this　much　trouble　to　kill　Robert？　I　didn't　have　the　faintest　idea。　〃Except　for　this　being　a　challenge　to　Jean…Claude's　authority；　I　have　no　idea　why　anyone　would　kill　Robert。　I　guess　I　don't　really　know　that　much　about　him。　It　could　be　one　of　the　hate　groups；　Humans　First　or　Humans　Against　Vampires。　But　they'd　have　to　have　some　heavy　magical　knowhow；　and　either　group　would　stone　a　witch　as　fast　as　stake　a　vampire。　They　consider　them　both　devil　spawn。〃
　〃Why　would　the　hate　groups　single　out　this　vampire？〃
　〃His　wife's　pregnant；〃　I　said。
　〃Another　vampire？〃　Dolph　asked。
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Human。〃
　Dolph's　eyes　widened　just　a　fraction。　It　was　the　most　surprise　I'd　ever　seen　from　him。　Dolph；　like　most　cops；　doesn't　ruffle　easily。
　〃Pregnant？　And　the　vampire　is　the　father？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。
　He　shook　his　head。　〃Yeah；　that　might　earn　him　a　starring　roll　on　the　hate　group　hit　parade。　Tell　me　about　vampire　reproduction；　Anita。〃
　〃First；　I　need　to　call　Jean…Claude。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Warn　him；〃　I　said。　〃I　agree　this　probably　is　something　personal　to　Robert。　You're　right。　Humans　First　especially　would　kill　him　in　a　heartbeat；　but　just　in　case；　I　want　to　warn　Jean…Claude。〃　I　had　another　thought。　〃Maybe　that's　why　someone　wanted　me　dead。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃If　they　want　to　harm　Jean…Claude；　killing　me　would　be　a　good　way　to　do　it。〃
　〃I　think　half　a　million　dollars　is　a　little　steep　for　bumping　off　someone's　girlfriend。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃That　kind　of　money　is　personal；　Anita。　Someone's　afraid　of　you；　not　your　toothy　boyfriend。〃
　〃Two　hired　killers　in　two　days；　Dolph；　and　I　still　don't　know　why。〃　I　stared　up　at　him。　〃If　I　don't　figure　this　thing　out；　I'll　be　dead。〃
　He　touched　my　shoulder。　〃We'll　help　you。　Cops　are　good　for　some　things；　even　if　the　monsters　won't　talk　to　us。〃
　〃Thanks；　Dolph。〃　I　patted　his　hand。　〃Did　you　really　believe　Reynolds　when　she　said　I　could　have　done　this？〃
　He　straightened；　then　met　my　eyes。　〃For　a　second；　yes。　After　that；　it