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A Stroke Of Midnight :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 108 из 293Dark glasses cut a pretty face so that it took you a moment to notice her eyes were large and long-lashed. “I’m Dr. Caroline Polaski, head medical examiner for St. Louis County, and I take exception to that.”
“You can’t compare your lab with ours,” Marquez said.
“I did my internship with you, so yes, actually, I can.”
“Internship, then you weren’t good enough to make the grade.”
She gave him a very unfriendly look. “Check your own records. I left because my husband got a better job here, and I got offered the run of the place. At your shop I’d have been someone’s flunkie.”
“Because you weren’t good enough to be head of our shop,” Marquez said.
This was getting us nowhere. “Stop it,” I said.
They looked at me. “You want to know who is in charge here, that’s what all the arguing is about, correct?”
Polaski and Marquez nodded. Walters just looked at me.
I smiled. “That’s an easy question, ladies and gentlemen. I am.”
Marquez gave me a look that, even in the dim light, said plainly that I was a little girl and shouldn’t try to play with the big boys. “Now, Princess, your call for help indicates that you don’t think you and your people are capable of handling a double homicide.”
“I am in charge of this investigation, Agent Marquez. I am glad for your offer of assistance, and I will gladly accept, but let there be no confusion among any of us.” I let my gaze take in Walters and the medical examiner. “I am in charge, and anyone who has a problem with that doesn’t step one foot onto our land.”
Marquez argued, as I’d expected him to. “You are not an officer of any kind, Princess. No offense, but this investigation needs more than just a private detective in charge of it.”
“My private detective license isn’t valid outside of California, Agent Marquez.”
“Then you have no legal standing to take control.”
I stepped into him so fast and unexpectedly, that he actually took a step back before he caught himself. I looked up at him, inches taller, and let him look into the delicate oval of my face framed by all that soft fur. “No legal standing, Marquez? I am Princess Meredith NicEssus. The only person who outranks me here on this land is the Queen of Air and Darkness herself. You and your people are here on my sufferance, and I think I’ve suffered enough.”
“You can’t mean that you’re going to send us all away because I hurt your feelings.” Goddess, he had an attitude.
“Not at all.
“You can’t compare your lab with ours,” Marquez said.
“I did my internship with you, so yes, actually, I can.”
“Internship, then you weren’t good enough to make the grade.”
She gave him a very unfriendly look. “Check your own records. I left because my husband got a better job here, and I got offered the run of the place. At your shop I’d have been someone’s flunkie.”
“Because you weren’t good enough to be head of our shop,” Marquez said.
This was getting us nowhere. “Stop it,” I said.
They looked at me. “You want to know who is in charge here, that’s what all the arguing is about, correct?”
Polaski and Marquez nodded. Walters just looked at me.
I smiled. “That’s an easy question, ladies and gentlemen. I am.”
Marquez gave me a look that, even in the dim light, said plainly that I was a little girl and shouldn’t try to play with the big boys. “Now, Princess, your call for help indicates that you don’t think you and your people are capable of handling a double homicide.”
“I am in charge of this investigation, Agent Marquez. I am glad for your offer of assistance, and I will gladly accept, but let there be no confusion among any of us.” I let my gaze take in Walters and the medical examiner. “I am in charge, and anyone who has a problem with that doesn’t step one foot onto our land.”
Marquez argued, as I’d expected him to. “You are not an officer of any kind, Princess. No offense, but this investigation needs more than just a private detective in charge of it.”
“My private detective license isn’t valid outside of California, Agent Marquez.”
“Then you have no legal standing to take control.”
I stepped into him so fast and unexpectedly, that he actually took a step back before he caught himself. I looked up at him, inches taller, and let him look into the delicate oval of my face framed by all that soft fur. “No legal standing, Marquez? I am Princess Meredith NicEssus. The only person who outranks me here on this land is the Queen of Air and Darkness herself. You and your people are here on my sufferance, and I think I’ve suffered enough.”
“You can’t mean that you’re going to send us all away because I hurt your feelings.” Goddess, he had an attitude.
“Not at all.