JК
The Lunatic Cafe :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 198 из 234"
"Look, Dolph, I'll tell you everything I know when they give me the okay. I may tell you anyway because they're being stupid, but I won't tell you shit because you bullied me."
He took a deep breath through his nose and let it out slow. "Fine, let's go talk to our witness."
I appreciated the naga still being «our» witness. "Yeah, let's go." Dolph motioned me out of the waiting room. We walked down the hallway together in silence. But the silence was companionable. No need to fill it with idle chitchat or accusations.
A doctor in a white coat with a stethoscope draped over his shoulders like a feather boa opened the door. Officer Kirlin was still at her post, ever vigilant. She gave me her best flinty steel look. It needed work. But when you're small, blond, female, and a cop, you have to at least try to look tough.
"He can talk for a very short time, It's a miracle that he's alive, let alone talking. I'll monitor the questioning. If he gets upset, I'll stop the interview."
"That's fine with me, Dr. Wilburn. He's a victim and a witness, not a suspect. We don't mean him any harm."
The doctor didn't look completely convinced but he stepped back into the room, and held the door for us.
Dolph loomed up behind me. He was like an immovable force at my back. I could see why the doctor thought we might browbeat the witness. Dolph couldn't look harmless if he tried, so he just didn't try.
The naga lay in the bed, thick with tubes and wires. His skin was growing back. You could see it spreading in raw, painful patches, but it was growing back. He still looked as though he'd been boiled alive, but it was an improvement.
He turned his eyes to look at us. He moved his head very slowly, the better to see us. "Mr. Javad, you remember Sergeant Storr. He's brought some people to talk with you."
"The woman. ." he said. His voice was low and sounded painful. He swallowed carefully and tried again. "The woman at the river."
I walked forward. "Yes, I was at the river."
"Helped me."
"I tried."
Dolph stepped forward. "Mr. Javad, can you tell us who did this to you?"
"Witches," he said.
"Did you say 'witches'?" Dolph asked.
"Yes."
Dolph looked at me. He didn't have to ask. This was my area. "Javad, did you recognize the witches? Names?"
He swallowed again and it sounded dry. "No."
"Where did they do this to you?"
He closed his eyes.
"Do you know where you were when they. . skinned you?"
"Drugged me.
"Look, Dolph, I'll tell you everything I know when they give me the okay. I may tell you anyway because they're being stupid, but I won't tell you shit because you bullied me."
He took a deep breath through his nose and let it out slow. "Fine, let's go talk to our witness."
I appreciated the naga still being «our» witness. "Yeah, let's go." Dolph motioned me out of the waiting room. We walked down the hallway together in silence. But the silence was companionable. No need to fill it with idle chitchat or accusations.
A doctor in a white coat with a stethoscope draped over his shoulders like a feather boa opened the door. Officer Kirlin was still at her post, ever vigilant. She gave me her best flinty steel look. It needed work. But when you're small, blond, female, and a cop, you have to at least try to look tough.
"He can talk for a very short time, It's a miracle that he's alive, let alone talking. I'll monitor the questioning. If he gets upset, I'll stop the interview."
"That's fine with me, Dr. Wilburn. He's a victim and a witness, not a suspect. We don't mean him any harm."
The doctor didn't look completely convinced but he stepped back into the room, and held the door for us.
Dolph loomed up behind me. He was like an immovable force at my back. I could see why the doctor thought we might browbeat the witness. Dolph couldn't look harmless if he tried, so he just didn't try.
The naga lay in the bed, thick with tubes and wires. His skin was growing back. You could see it spreading in raw, painful patches, but it was growing back. He still looked as though he'd been boiled alive, but it was an improvement.
He turned his eyes to look at us. He moved his head very slowly, the better to see us. "Mr. Javad, you remember Sergeant Storr. He's brought some people to talk with you."
"The woman. ." he said. His voice was low and sounded painful. He swallowed carefully and tried again. "The woman at the river."
I walked forward. "Yes, I was at the river."
"Helped me."
"I tried."
Dolph stepped forward. "Mr. Javad, can you tell us who did this to you?"
"Witches," he said.
"Did you say 'witches'?" Dolph asked.
"Yes."
Dolph looked at me. He didn't have to ask. This was my area. "Javad, did you recognize the witches? Names?"
He swallowed again and it sounded dry. "No."
"Where did they do this to you?"
He closed his eyes.
"Do you know where you were when they. . skinned you?"
"Drugged me.