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Circus of the Damned :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 15 из 210Never know when apesky vampire is going to try to take a bite out of you. Always prepared, that was my motto, or was that the Boy Scouts? I shrugged and dialed work. Mary, our daytime secretary, answered on the second ring. "Animators, Incorporated. How may we serve you?"
"Hi, Mary, it's Anita."
"Hi, what's up?"
"I need to talk with Bert."
"He's with a prospective client right now. May I ask what this is pertaining to?"
"Him rescheduling my appointments for tonight."
"Ooh, boy. I'll let you tell him. If he yells at someone, it should be you." She was only half-kidding.
"Fine," I said.
She lowered her voice and whispered, "Client is on her way to the front door. He'll be with you in a jiffy."
"Thanks, Mary."
She put me on hold before I could tell her not to. Muzak seeped out of the phone. It was a butchered version of the Beatles' "Tomorrow." I'd have rather listened to static. Mercifully, Bert came on the line and saved me.
"Anita, what time can you come in today?"
"I can't."
"Can't what?"
"Can't come in today."
"At all?" His voice had risen an octave.
"You got it."
"Why the hell not?" Cursing at me already, a bad sign.
"I got beeped by the police after my morning meeting. I haven't even been to bed yet."
"You can sleep in, don't worry about meeting new clients in the afternoon. Just come in for your appointments tonight."
He was being generous, understanding. Something was wrong.
"I can't make the appointments tonight, either."
"Anita, we're overbooked here. You have five clients tonight. Five!"
"Divide them up among the other animators," I said.
"Everybody is already maxed."
"Listen, Bert, you're the one who said yes to the police. You're the one who put me on retainer to them. You thought it would be great publicity."
"It has been great publicity," he said.
"Yeah, but it's like working two full-time jobs sometimes. I can't do both."
"Then drop the retainer. I had no idea it'd take up this much of your time."
"It's a murder investigation, Bert. I can't drop it."
"Let the police do their own dirty work," he said.
He was a fine one to talk about that. Him with his squeaky-clean fingernails and nice safe office. "They need my expertise and my contacts. Most of the monsters won't talk to the police."
He was quiet on the other end of the phone. His breathing came harsh and angry. "You can't do this to me.
"Hi, Mary, it's Anita."
"Hi, what's up?"
"I need to talk with Bert."
"He's with a prospective client right now. May I ask what this is pertaining to?"
"Him rescheduling my appointments for tonight."
"Ooh, boy. I'll let you tell him. If he yells at someone, it should be you." She was only half-kidding.
"Fine," I said.
She lowered her voice and whispered, "Client is on her way to the front door. He'll be with you in a jiffy."
"Thanks, Mary."
She put me on hold before I could tell her not to. Muzak seeped out of the phone. It was a butchered version of the Beatles' "Tomorrow." I'd have rather listened to static. Mercifully, Bert came on the line and saved me.
"Anita, what time can you come in today?"
"I can't."
"Can't what?"
"Can't come in today."
"At all?" His voice had risen an octave.
"You got it."
"Why the hell not?" Cursing at me already, a bad sign.
"I got beeped by the police after my morning meeting. I haven't even been to bed yet."
"You can sleep in, don't worry about meeting new clients in the afternoon. Just come in for your appointments tonight."
He was being generous, understanding. Something was wrong.
"I can't make the appointments tonight, either."
"Anita, we're overbooked here. You have five clients tonight. Five!"
"Divide them up among the other animators," I said.
"Everybody is already maxed."
"Listen, Bert, you're the one who said yes to the police. You're the one who put me on retainer to them. You thought it would be great publicity."
"It has been great publicity," he said.
"Yeah, but it's like working two full-time jobs sometimes. I can't do both."
"Then drop the retainer. I had no idea it'd take up this much of your time."
"It's a murder investigation, Bert. I can't drop it."
"Let the police do their own dirty work," he said.
He was a fine one to talk about that. Him with his squeaky-clean fingernails and nice safe office. "They need my expertise and my contacts. Most of the monsters won't talk to the police."
He was quiet on the other end of the phone. His breathing came harsh and angry. "You can't do this to me.