JК
Circus of the Damned :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 188 из 210"Maybe I am glad to be alive, but I'll let you know about the cost when I find out what it really is."
"You don't believe Jean-Claude?"
"I wouldn't believe Jean-Claude if he told me moonlight was silver."
Richard smiled. "Sorry about the date."
"Maybe we can try again sometime."
"I'd like that," he said.
I opened the door and stood shivering in the cool air. "Whatever happens, Richard, thanks for watching out for me." I hesitated, then said, "And whatever hold Jean-Claude's got on you, break it. Get away from him. He'll get you killed."
He just nodded. "Good advice."
"Which you're not going to take," I said.
"I would if I could, Anita. Please believe that."
"What does he have on you, Richard?"
He shook his head. "He ordered me not to tell you."
"He ordered you not to date me, too."
He shrugged. "You better get going. You're going to be late for work."
I smiled. "Besides, I'm freezing my butt off."
He smiled. "You do have a way with words."
"I spend too much time hanging around with cops."
He put the car in gear. "Have a safe night at work."
"I'll do my best."
He nodded. I closed the door. Richard didn't seem to want to talk about what Jean-Claude had on him. Well, no rule said we had to play honesty on the first date. Besides, he was right. I was going to be late for work.
I tapped on Larry's window. "I've got to change, then I'll be right back down."
"Who was that dropping you off?"
"A date." I left it at that. It was a much easier explanation than the truth. Besides, it was almost true.
44
This is the only night of the year that Bert allows us to wear black to work. He thinks the color is too harsh for normal business hours. I had black jeans and a Halloween sweater with huge grinning jack o' lanterns in a stomach-high line. I topped it off with a black zipper sweatshirt and black Nikes. Even my shoulder holster and the Browning matched. I had my backup gun in an inner pants holster. I also had two extra clips in my sport bag. I had replaced the knife I'd had to leave in the cave. There was a derringer in my jacket pocket and two extra knives, one down the spine, the other in an ankle holster. Don't laugh. I left the shotgun home.
If Jean-Claude found out I'd betrayed him, he'd kill me. Would I know when he died? Would I feel it? Something told me that I would.
I took the card that Karl Inger had given me and called the number. If it had to be done, it best be done quickly.
"You don't believe Jean-Claude?"
"I wouldn't believe Jean-Claude if he told me moonlight was silver."
Richard smiled. "Sorry about the date."
"Maybe we can try again sometime."
"I'd like that," he said.
I opened the door and stood shivering in the cool air. "Whatever happens, Richard, thanks for watching out for me." I hesitated, then said, "And whatever hold Jean-Claude's got on you, break it. Get away from him. He'll get you killed."
He just nodded. "Good advice."
"Which you're not going to take," I said.
"I would if I could, Anita. Please believe that."
"What does he have on you, Richard?"
He shook his head. "He ordered me not to tell you."
"He ordered you not to date me, too."
He shrugged. "You better get going. You're going to be late for work."
I smiled. "Besides, I'm freezing my butt off."
He smiled. "You do have a way with words."
"I spend too much time hanging around with cops."
He put the car in gear. "Have a safe night at work."
"I'll do my best."
He nodded. I closed the door. Richard didn't seem to want to talk about what Jean-Claude had on him. Well, no rule said we had to play honesty on the first date. Besides, he was right. I was going to be late for work.
I tapped on Larry's window. "I've got to change, then I'll be right back down."
"Who was that dropping you off?"
"A date." I left it at that. It was a much easier explanation than the truth. Besides, it was almost true.
44
This is the only night of the year that Bert allows us to wear black to work. He thinks the color is too harsh for normal business hours. I had black jeans and a Halloween sweater with huge grinning jack o' lanterns in a stomach-high line. I topped it off with a black zipper sweatshirt and black Nikes. Even my shoulder holster and the Browning matched. I had my backup gun in an inner pants holster. I also had two extra clips in my sport bag. I had replaced the knife I'd had to leave in the cave. There was a derringer in my jacket pocket and two extra knives, one down the spine, the other in an ankle holster. Don't laugh. I left the shotgun home.
If Jean-Claude found out I'd betrayed him, he'd kill me. Would I know when he died? Would I feel it? Something told me that I would.
I took the card that Karl Inger had given me and called the number. If it had to be done, it best be done quickly.