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A Stroke Of Midnight :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 157 из 293If what we’ve found is going to be used to execute someone without a trial, we want to be even more cautious.”
“What did you find?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Not yet.”
“You do realize that the murderer could be the one behind the attempts on my life. By not telling me what you suspect, or who you suspect, you could be signing my death warrant. By the time you’ve analyzed your data, it could be too late for me.”
His hands made fists, and he closed his eyes. “I told the doctor that in so many words. She won’t budge.”
“So you don’t know either,” I said.
“I know it’s a print of someone we took samples from, and the only ones we had access to were the ones in the hallway.”
“The guards,” I said.
“And the kitchen staff,” he said.
I looked at him. “One of the royal guards, that’s what you think, isn’t it?”
“It’s who I’d be afraid of, if I were you.”
“I could compel her to tell me what she knows, or have one of my guards do it.”
“Using magic on anyone connected with the police is a felony, Princess.”
“I’m immune to prosecution.”
“You’d never again get help out of my office, or anyone else on our side of the river. You might never get help from anyone. No other human law enforcement agency would trust you. Bringing us in here and mind-raping us.” He shook his head. “I may not agree with Polaski, but I’ll fight to keep her free will and choice.”
I looked into his pale eyes, and knew he meant it. I could maybe get something useful out of Polaski and never be able to trust or be trusted by the police again, or I could let them go and hope that the doctor knew what she was doing. If I hadn’t wanted their expertise, then why had I brought them into the sithen in the first place?
“I trust Dr. Polaski’s judgment, and your stubbornness. I’ll abide by the rules.”
Frost moved beside me, as if he would have disagreed. “We will all abide by the rules of my agreement, is that clear?”
Some nodded. Ivi was smiling as if he couldn’t quite believe me. Or maybe he was just amused at some private joke of his own. You never knew with Ivi.
“I understand,” Frost said. “I do not agree, but I will abide by it.”
Walters nodded. “I’ll try to hurry the doctor and her techs and get it to you as soon as I can, but a print out of place isn’t proof of murder. It isn’t proof enough to execute someone.”
“Not in a human court,” I said.
“What did you find?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Not yet.”
“You do realize that the murderer could be the one behind the attempts on my life. By not telling me what you suspect, or who you suspect, you could be signing my death warrant. By the time you’ve analyzed your data, it could be too late for me.”
His hands made fists, and he closed his eyes. “I told the doctor that in so many words. She won’t budge.”
“So you don’t know either,” I said.
“I know it’s a print of someone we took samples from, and the only ones we had access to were the ones in the hallway.”
“The guards,” I said.
“And the kitchen staff,” he said.
I looked at him. “One of the royal guards, that’s what you think, isn’t it?”
“It’s who I’d be afraid of, if I were you.”
“I could compel her to tell me what she knows, or have one of my guards do it.”
“Using magic on anyone connected with the police is a felony, Princess.”
“I’m immune to prosecution.”
“You’d never again get help out of my office, or anyone else on our side of the river. You might never get help from anyone. No other human law enforcement agency would trust you. Bringing us in here and mind-raping us.” He shook his head. “I may not agree with Polaski, but I’ll fight to keep her free will and choice.”
I looked into his pale eyes, and knew he meant it. I could maybe get something useful out of Polaski and never be able to trust or be trusted by the police again, or I could let them go and hope that the doctor knew what she was doing. If I hadn’t wanted their expertise, then why had I brought them into the sithen in the first place?
“I trust Dr. Polaski’s judgment, and your stubbornness. I’ll abide by the rules.”
Frost moved beside me, as if he would have disagreed. “We will all abide by the rules of my agreement, is that clear?”
Some nodded. Ivi was smiling as if he couldn’t quite believe me. Or maybe he was just amused at some private joke of his own. You never knew with Ivi.
“I understand,” Frost said. “I do not agree, but I will abide by it.”
Walters nodded. “I’ll try to hurry the doctor and her techs and get it to you as soon as I can, but a print out of place isn’t proof of murder. It isn’t proof enough to execute someone.”
“Not in a human court,” I said.