JК
The Laughing Corpse :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 137 из 213He was a big, friendly, eager-to-please bear. A lovable, cuddly bear. I didn't need a teddy bear for backup.
I needed someone who would be able to take any heat that Gaynor might send our way.
I had an idea.
"Go home, Charles. I won't go alone. I promise."
He looked uncertain. Like maybe he didn't trust me. Fancy that. "Anita, are you sure? I won't leave you hanging like this."
"Go on, Charles. I'll take backup."
"Who can you get at this hour?"
"No questions. Go home to your son."
He looked uncertain, but relieved. He hadn't really wanted to go to the Tenderloin. Maybe. Caroline's short leash was what Charles wanted, needed. An excuse for all the things he really didn't want to do. What a basis for a marriage.
But, hey, if it works, don't fix it.
Charles left with many apologies. But I knew he was glad to go. I would remember that he had been glad to go.
I knocked on the office door. There was a silence, then.
"Come in, Anita."
How had he known it was me? I wouldn't ask. I didn't want to know.
Jean-Claude seemed to be checking figures in a large ledger.
It looked antique with yellowed pages and fading ink. The ledger looked like something Bob Crachit should have been scribbling in on a cold Christmas Eve.
"What have I done to merit two visits in one night?" he said.
Looking at him now, I felt silly. I spent all this time avoiding him. Now I was going to invite him to accompany me on a bit of sleuthing? But it would kill two bats with one stone. It would please Jean-Claude, and I really didn't want him angry with me, if I could avoid it. And if Gaynor did try to go up against Jean-Claude, I was betting on Jean-Claude.
It was what Jean-Claude had done to me a few weeks ago. He had chosen me as the vampire's champion. Put me up against a monster that had slain three master vampires. And he had bet that I would come out on top against Nikolaos. I had, but just barely.
What was sauce for the goose was sauce for the gander. I smiled sweetly at him. Pleased to be able to return the favor so quickly.
"Would you care to accompany me to the Tenderloin?"
He blinked, surprise covering his face just like a real person. "To what purpose?"
"I need to question a prostitute about a case I'm working on. I need backup."
"Backup?" he asked.
"I need backup that looks more threatening than I do. You fit the bill."
He smiled beatifically. "I would be your bodyguard.
I needed someone who would be able to take any heat that Gaynor might send our way.
I had an idea.
"Go home, Charles. I won't go alone. I promise."
He looked uncertain. Like maybe he didn't trust me. Fancy that. "Anita, are you sure? I won't leave you hanging like this."
"Go on, Charles. I'll take backup."
"Who can you get at this hour?"
"No questions. Go home to your son."
He looked uncertain, but relieved. He hadn't really wanted to go to the Tenderloin. Maybe. Caroline's short leash was what Charles wanted, needed. An excuse for all the things he really didn't want to do. What a basis for a marriage.
But, hey, if it works, don't fix it.
Charles left with many apologies. But I knew he was glad to go. I would remember that he had been glad to go.
I knocked on the office door. There was a silence, then.
"Come in, Anita."
How had he known it was me? I wouldn't ask. I didn't want to know.
Jean-Claude seemed to be checking figures in a large ledger.
It looked antique with yellowed pages and fading ink. The ledger looked like something Bob Crachit should have been scribbling in on a cold Christmas Eve.
"What have I done to merit two visits in one night?" he said.
Looking at him now, I felt silly. I spent all this time avoiding him. Now I was going to invite him to accompany me on a bit of sleuthing? But it would kill two bats with one stone. It would please Jean-Claude, and I really didn't want him angry with me, if I could avoid it. And if Gaynor did try to go up against Jean-Claude, I was betting on Jean-Claude.
It was what Jean-Claude had done to me a few weeks ago. He had chosen me as the vampire's champion. Put me up against a monster that had slain three master vampires. And he had bet that I would come out on top against Nikolaos. I had, but just barely.
What was sauce for the goose was sauce for the gander. I smiled sweetly at him. Pleased to be able to return the favor so quickly.
"Would you care to accompany me to the Tenderloin?"
He blinked, surprise covering his face just like a real person. "To what purpose?"
"I need to question a prostitute about a case I'm working on. I need backup."
"Backup?" he asked.
"I need backup that looks more threatening than I do. You fit the bill."
He smiled beatifically. "I would be your bodyguard.