JК
The Lunatic Cafe :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 82 из 234"
"Marcus said youcould answer my questions. Do you actually know anything that I don't?"
"I would say that I know a great deal more about the shapeshifting community than you do," he said. He sounded a trifle offended.
"Sorry, I think it's just wishful thinking on Marcus's part that his rivals are the bad guys. Not your fault he's playing games."
"Marcus often tries to manage things. You saw that last night."
"His management skills haven't impressed me so far."
"He believes that if there were one ruler for all shapeshifters, we would be a force to rival the vampires."
He might be right on that. "He wants to be that ruler," I said.
"Of course."
The intercom buzzed. "Excuse me a minute." I hit the button. "What is it, Mary?"
"Richard Zeeman on line two. He says he's returning your message."
I hesitated, then said, "I'll take it." I picked up the phone, very aware that Kaspar was sitting there listening. I could have asked him to step outside, but I was getting tired of playing musical clients.
"Hi, Richard."
"I got your message on my answering machine," he said. His voice was very careful, as if he were balancing a glass of water filled to the very brim.
"I think we need to talk," I said.
"I agree."
My, weren't we being cautious this afternoon. "I'm supposed to be the one that's mad. Why does your voice sound so funny?"
"I heard about last night."
I waited for him to say more, but the silence just stretched to infinity. I filled it. "Look, I have a client with me right now. You want to meet and talk?"
"Very much." He said it as though he weren't really looking forward to it.
"I have a dinner break around six. You want to meet at the Chinese place on Olive?"
"Doesn't sound very private."
"What did you have in mind?"
"My place."
"I only get an hour, Richard, I don't have time to drive that far."
"Your place, then."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Just no."
"What we need to say to each other isn't going to go over well in public. You know that."
I did. Dammit. "All right, we'll meet at my place a little after six. Do you want me to pick up something?"
"You're at work. It'll be easier for me to pick up something. You want mooshu pork and crab ragoon?"
"Yeah." We'd dated enough that he could order food for me without asking. But he asked anyway. Brownie point for him.
"I'll see you at about six-fifteen then," he said.
"See you.
"Marcus said youcould answer my questions. Do you actually know anything that I don't?"
"I would say that I know a great deal more about the shapeshifting community than you do," he said. He sounded a trifle offended.
"Sorry, I think it's just wishful thinking on Marcus's part that his rivals are the bad guys. Not your fault he's playing games."
"Marcus often tries to manage things. You saw that last night."
"His management skills haven't impressed me so far."
"He believes that if there were one ruler for all shapeshifters, we would be a force to rival the vampires."
He might be right on that. "He wants to be that ruler," I said.
"Of course."
The intercom buzzed. "Excuse me a minute." I hit the button. "What is it, Mary?"
"Richard Zeeman on line two. He says he's returning your message."
I hesitated, then said, "I'll take it." I picked up the phone, very aware that Kaspar was sitting there listening. I could have asked him to step outside, but I was getting tired of playing musical clients.
"Hi, Richard."
"I got your message on my answering machine," he said. His voice was very careful, as if he were balancing a glass of water filled to the very brim.
"I think we need to talk," I said.
"I agree."
My, weren't we being cautious this afternoon. "I'm supposed to be the one that's mad. Why does your voice sound so funny?"
"I heard about last night."
I waited for him to say more, but the silence just stretched to infinity. I filled it. "Look, I have a client with me right now. You want to meet and talk?"
"Very much." He said it as though he weren't really looking forward to it.
"I have a dinner break around six. You want to meet at the Chinese place on Olive?"
"Doesn't sound very private."
"What did you have in mind?"
"My place."
"I only get an hour, Richard, I don't have time to drive that far."
"Your place, then."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Just no."
"What we need to say to each other isn't going to go over well in public. You know that."
I did. Dammit. "All right, we'll meet at my place a little after six. Do you want me to pick up something?"
"You're at work. It'll be easier for me to pick up something. You want mooshu pork and crab ragoon?"
"Yeah." We'd dated enough that he could order food for me without asking. But he asked anyway. Brownie point for him.
"I'll see you at about six-fifteen then," he said.
"See you.