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The Lunatic Cafe :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 218 из 234He fumbled for his gun.
"If that gun clears your holster, I will shoot you myself," Titus said.
Aikensen was breathing fast and heavy through his mouth. Little bubbles of blood showed at his nose when he tried to breathe through it. It was definitely broken. It wasn't as good as eviscerating him, but it was a start. He kept his hands on his gun, but he didn't pull it. He stayed on his knees for a long time. You could see the struggle in his eyes. He wanted to shoot me almost enough to try for it. Great. The feeling was mutual.
"Aikensen," Titus said softly. His voice was very serious, as if he were just realizing that Aikensen might go for it. "I mean what I say, boy. Don't you be toying with me."
He got to his feet, spitting blood, trying to get it away from his mouth. "You're going to die tonight."
"Maybe, but it won't be you."
"Ms. Blake, if you could refrain from teasing Aikensen long enough for me to get him away from you, I'd appreciate it."
"Always glad to cooperate with the police," I said.
Titus laughed. The bastard. "Well, now the criminals pay better, Ms. Blake."
"Fuck you."
"No need to get abusive." He tucked his own gun into his side holster. "Now, I'm not going to do a thing but search you for weapons. Any more of this nonsense and we're going to have to shoot one of you to prove we're serious. You don't want to lose your sweetheart here. Or your friend here." He smiled. Just good ol' Sheriff Titus. Friendly. Jesus.
He found both guns, then patted me down a second time. I must have winced, because he said, "How'd you hurt your arm, Ms. Blake?"
"I was helping the police on another case."
"They let a civvie get hurt?"
"Sergeant Storr and Detective Zerbrowski are in the hospital. They were injured in the line of duty."
Something passed over his chubby face. It might have been regret. "Heroes don't get anything but dead, Ms. Blake. You best remember that."
"Bad guys die, too, Titus."
He pushed the sleeve of the red coat up and took the knife. He hefted it, testing its balance. "Custom made?"
I nodded.
"I do admire good equipment."
"Keep it. I'll get it later."
He chuckled. "You have guts, girl, I'll give you that."
"And you're a fucking coward."
The smile vanished. "Always needing to have the last word is a bad trait, Ms. Blake. Pisses people off."
"That's the idea."
He moved to Edward. I'd give Titus one thing, he was thorough.
"If that gun clears your holster, I will shoot you myself," Titus said.
Aikensen was breathing fast and heavy through his mouth. Little bubbles of blood showed at his nose when he tried to breathe through it. It was definitely broken. It wasn't as good as eviscerating him, but it was a start. He kept his hands on his gun, but he didn't pull it. He stayed on his knees for a long time. You could see the struggle in his eyes. He wanted to shoot me almost enough to try for it. Great. The feeling was mutual.
"Aikensen," Titus said softly. His voice was very serious, as if he were just realizing that Aikensen might go for it. "I mean what I say, boy. Don't you be toying with me."
He got to his feet, spitting blood, trying to get it away from his mouth. "You're going to die tonight."
"Maybe, but it won't be you."
"Ms. Blake, if you could refrain from teasing Aikensen long enough for me to get him away from you, I'd appreciate it."
"Always glad to cooperate with the police," I said.
Titus laughed. The bastard. "Well, now the criminals pay better, Ms. Blake."
"Fuck you."
"No need to get abusive." He tucked his own gun into his side holster. "Now, I'm not going to do a thing but search you for weapons. Any more of this nonsense and we're going to have to shoot one of you to prove we're serious. You don't want to lose your sweetheart here. Or your friend here." He smiled. Just good ol' Sheriff Titus. Friendly. Jesus.
He found both guns, then patted me down a second time. I must have winced, because he said, "How'd you hurt your arm, Ms. Blake?"
"I was helping the police on another case."
"They let a civvie get hurt?"
"Sergeant Storr and Detective Zerbrowski are in the hospital. They were injured in the line of duty."
Something passed over his chubby face. It might have been regret. "Heroes don't get anything but dead, Ms. Blake. You best remember that."
"Bad guys die, too, Titus."
He pushed the sleeve of the red coat up and took the knife. He hefted it, testing its balance. "Custom made?"
I nodded.
"I do admire good equipment."
"Keep it. I'll get it later."
He chuckled. "You have guts, girl, I'll give you that."
"And you're a fucking coward."
The smile vanished. "Always needing to have the last word is a bad trait, Ms. Blake. Pisses people off."
"That's the idea."
He moved to Edward. I'd give Titus one thing, he was thorough.