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Bloody Bones :: Гамильтон Лорел
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"I don't know if I'll be able to keep Freemont out of the second case or not, but I'll try to give you some lead time, so you can look around without her breathing down your neck."
"Much appreciated."
"She said you had your assistant with you at the crime scene. Had to be Larry Kirkland, right?"
"Right."
"What are you doing bringing him to crime scenes?"
"He'll have a degree in preternatural biology this spring. He's an animator and a vampire slayer. I can't be everywhere, Dolph. If I think he can handle it, I thought it might be nice to have two monster experts."
"It might. Freemont said Larry lost his lunch all over the crime scene."
"He didn't throw up on the crime scene, just near it."
There was a moment of silence. "Better than throwing up on the body."
"I'm never going to live that down, am I?"
"No," Dolph said, "you aren't."
"Great. Larry and I will get out there as soon as we can. It's about a thirty-minute drive, maybe more."
"I'll tell Sheriff St. John you're on your way." He hung up.
I hung up. Dolph was training me never to say good-bye over the phone.
11
Larry slumped in the seat as far as the seat belt would let him. His hands were clenched tight in his lap. He stared out into the dark like he was seeing something besides the passing scenery. Images of butchered teenagers dancing in his head, I bet. They weren't dancing in mine. Not yet. I might see them in my dreams, but not awake, not yet.
"How bad will this one be?" he asked. His voice sounded quiet, strained.
"I don't know. It's a vampire victim. Could be neat, just a couple of puncture wounds; could be carnage."
"Carnage like the three boys?"
"Dolph said no, said it's classic, just bite marks."
"So it won't be messy?" His voice was squeezed down to a near whisper.
"Won't know until we get there," I said.
"You couldn't just comfort me?" His voice sounded so small, so uncertain that I almost offered to turn the Jeep around. He didn't have to see another murder scene. It was my job, but it wasn't his job, not yet.
"You don't ever have to see another murder scene, Larry."
He turned his head and looked at me. "What do you mean?"
"You've had your quota of blood and guts for one day. I can turn around and drop you back at the hotel."
"If I don't come tonight, what happens next time?"
"If you aren't cut out for this kind of work, you aren't cut out for it. No shame in that.
"I don't know if I'll be able to keep Freemont out of the second case or not, but I'll try to give you some lead time, so you can look around without her breathing down your neck."
"Much appreciated."
"She said you had your assistant with you at the crime scene. Had to be Larry Kirkland, right?"
"Right."
"What are you doing bringing him to crime scenes?"
"He'll have a degree in preternatural biology this spring. He's an animator and a vampire slayer. I can't be everywhere, Dolph. If I think he can handle it, I thought it might be nice to have two monster experts."
"It might. Freemont said Larry lost his lunch all over the crime scene."
"He didn't throw up on the crime scene, just near it."
There was a moment of silence. "Better than throwing up on the body."
"I'm never going to live that down, am I?"
"No," Dolph said, "you aren't."
"Great. Larry and I will get out there as soon as we can. It's about a thirty-minute drive, maybe more."
"I'll tell Sheriff St. John you're on your way." He hung up.
I hung up. Dolph was training me never to say good-bye over the phone.
11
Larry slumped in the seat as far as the seat belt would let him. His hands were clenched tight in his lap. He stared out into the dark like he was seeing something besides the passing scenery. Images of butchered teenagers dancing in his head, I bet. They weren't dancing in mine. Not yet. I might see them in my dreams, but not awake, not yet.
"How bad will this one be?" he asked. His voice sounded quiet, strained.
"I don't know. It's a vampire victim. Could be neat, just a couple of puncture wounds; could be carnage."
"Carnage like the three boys?"
"Dolph said no, said it's classic, just bite marks."
"So it won't be messy?" His voice was squeezed down to a near whisper.
"Won't know until we get there," I said.
"You couldn't just comfort me?" His voice sounded so small, so uncertain that I almost offered to turn the Jeep around. He didn't have to see another murder scene. It was my job, but it wasn't his job, not yet.
"You don't ever have to see another murder scene, Larry."
He turned his head and looked at me. "What do you mean?"
"You've had your quota of blood and guts for one day. I can turn around and drop you back at the hotel."
"If I don't come tonight, what happens next time?"
"If you aren't cut out for this kind of work, you aren't cut out for it. No shame in that.