lhamilton.thekillingdance-第45章

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　〃Leave　it　alone；　Anita。〃
　For　once　I　did　what　he　asked。　Even　a　year　ago　I　wouldn't　have　trusted　anyone　dating　a　vampire。　I'd　have　assumed　they　were　corrupt。　Sometimes；　I　still　assumed　that。　〃Fine；　just　call　him　now。　Be　bad　if　Jean…Claude　got　wasted　while　we　were　debating　who　should　warn　him。〃
　Dolph　motioned　one　of　the　uniforms　over。　He　scribbled　something　in　his　notebook；　tore　the　page　out；　folded　it；　and　handed　it　to　the　uniform。　〃Take　this　to　Detective　Perry。〃
　The　uniform　left；　note　in　hand。
　Dolph　glanced　back　at　his　notes。　〃Now；　tell　me　about　vampire　reproduction。〃　He　stared　at　what　he'd　written　in　his　notebook。　〃Even　saying　that　sounds　wrong。〃
　〃Newly　dead　males　often　have　leftover　sperm　from　before　death。　That's　the　most　mon。　Doctors　remend　you　wait　six　weeks　before　sex　after　you've　bee　a　vampire；　sort　of　like　after　a　vasectomy。　Those　babies　are　usually　healthy。　Being　fertile　is　a　lot　rarer　in　older　vamps。　Frankly；　until　I　saw　Robert　and　his　wife　at　a　party；　I　didn't　know　vamps　as　old　as　he　is　could　make　babies。〃
　〃How　old　was　Robert？〃
　〃A　century　and　some　change。〃
　〃Can　female　vamps　get　pregnant？〃　he　asked。
　〃Sometimes　with　the　newly　dead　it　happens；　but　the　body　spontaneously　aborts　or　reabsorbs　the　baby。　A　dead　body　can't　give　life。〃　I　hesitated。
　〃What？〃　Dolph　asked。
　〃There　have　been　two　reported　cases　of　an　older　female　vampire　giving　birth。〃　I　shook　my　head。　〃It　wasn't　pretty；　and　it　certainly　wasn't　human。〃
　〃Did　the　babies　survive？〃
　〃For　a　while；〃　I　said。　〃The　case　that's　the　best　documented　was　from　the　early　1900s。　Back　when　Dr。　Henry　Mulligan　was　trying　to　find　a　cure　for　vampirism　in　the　basement　of　Old　Saint　Louis　City　Hospital。　One　of　his　patients　had　given　birth。　Mulligan　thought　it　was　a　sign　that　life　was　returning　to　her　body。　The　baby　had　been　born　with　a　full　set　of　pointed　teeth　and　been　more　cannibal　than　vampire。　Doctor　Mulligan　carried　a　scar　on　his　wrist　from　the　delivery　until　the　day　he　died；　which　was　about　three　years　later　when　one　of　his　patients　crushed　his　face。〃
　Dolph　stared　down　at　his　notebook。　〃I　write　it　all　down。　But　frankly；　this　is　one　bit　of　information　I　hope　I　never　have　to　use。　They　killed　the　baby；　didn't　they？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃Before　you　ask；　the　father　was　not　mentioned。　The　implication　is　that　the　father　was　human　and　may　even　have　been　Dr。　Mulligan　himself。　Vampires　can't　make　babies　without　a　human　partner；　as　far　as　we　know。〃
　〃Nice　to　know　humans　are　good　for　something　besides　blood；〃　he　said。
　I　shrugged。　〃I　guess。〃　Truthfully　the　thought　of　giving　birth　to　a　child　with　severe　Vlad　syndrome　scared　the　hell　out　of　me。　I　never　planned　on　having　sex　with　Jean…Claude；　but　if　it　ever　came　up；　we　were　definitely　taking　precautions。　No　spontaneous　sex；　unless　it　included　a　condom。
　Something　must　have　shown　on　my　face；　because　he　asked；　〃Penny　for　your　thoughts。〃
　〃Just　glad　I　have　high　moral　standards；　I　guess。　Like　I　said；　until　I　saw　Robert　and　his　wife；　I　thought　a　vampire　over　a　century　was　sterile。　And　considering　the　length　of　time　you'd　have　to　keep　the　vamp's　body　temperature　up〃…I　shook　my　head…〃I　don't　see　how　it　could　be　accidental。　But　they　both　claimed　it　was。　She　hasn't　even　gotten　their　ammo　results　back　yet。〃
　〃Ammo　test　for　what？〃　he　asked。
　〃Vlad　syndrome；〃　I　said。
　〃Is　she　healthy　enough　to　stand　up　under　this　kind　of　news？〃　he　asked。
　I　shrugged。　〃She　looked　fine；　but　I'm　no　expert。　I'd　say　she　shouldn't　be　told　over　the　phone；　and　she　probably　shouldn't　be　alone。　I　just　don't　know。〃
　〃Are　you　friends　with　the　wife？〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃No；　and　don't　even　ask。　I　am　not　going　to　hold　Monica's　hand　while　she　cries　over　her　dead　husband。〃
　〃All　right；　all　right；　it's　outside　your　job　description。　Maybe　I'll　let　Reynolds　do　it。〃
　I　glanced　at　the　young　woman。　She　and　Monica　probably　deserved　each　other；　but　。　。　。　〃Jean…Claude　might　know　who　Monica's　friends　are。　If　he　doesn't；　I　know　of　one。　Catherine　Maison…Gillete　and　Monica　work　together。〃
　〃Monica　is　a　lawyer？〃　Dolph　said。
　I　nodded。
　〃Great；〃　he　said。
　〃How　much　are　you　telling　Jean…Claude　about　this？〃　I　asked。
　〃Why？〃　Dolph　asked。
　〃Because　I　want　to　know　how　much　I　can　tell　him。〃
　〃You　don't　discuss　ongoing　homicide　cases　with　the　monsters；〃　he　said。
　〃The　victim　was　his　panion　for　over　a　century。　He's　going　to　want　to　talk　about　it。　I　need　to　know　what　you're　telling　him　so　I　won't　let　something　slip　by　accident。〃
　〃You　don't　have　a　problem　withholding　information　from　your　boyfriend？〃
　〃Not　on　a　homicide。　Whoever　did　this　is　at　the　very　least　a　witch；　and　maybe　something　scarier。　It's　probably　one　of　the　monsters；　one　way　or　another。　So　we　can't　tell　the　monsters　all　the　details。〃
　Dolph　looked　at　me　long　and　steady；　then　nodded。　〃Keep　back　the　heart　and　the　symbols　used　in　the　spell。〃
　〃He'll　have　to　know　about　the　heart；　Dolph；　or　he'll　guess。　Head　or　heart；　there　isn't　a　lot　else　that'll　kill　a　century…old　vamp。〃
　〃You　said　you'd　withhold　information；　Anita。〃
　〃I'm　telling　you　what　will　wash　and　what　won't；　Dolph。　Keeping　back　the　heart　from　the　vamps　won't　work　because　they'll　guess。　The　symbols；　fine；　but　even　there；　Jean…Claude's　going　to　have　to　have　to　wonder　why　he　didn't　feel　Robert　die。〃
　〃So　what　can　we　withhold　from　your　boyfriend？〃
　〃The　exact　symbols　used　in　the　spell。　The　knives。〃　I　thought　about　it　for　a　moment。　〃How　they　got　the　heart　out。　Most　people　will　still　go　through　the　ribs　to　tear　out　a　heart。　They　see　all　the　hospital　shows　on　TV　and　they　don't　think　about　doing　it　differently。〃
　〃So　if　we　get　a　suspect；　we　ask　how'd　you　get　the　heart　out？〃
　I　nodded。　〃The　crazies　will　start　talking　about　stakes。　Or　be　vague。〃
　〃Okay；〃　he　said。　Dolph　looked　at　me。　〃If　anyone　hated　the　monsters；　I　thought　it　was　you。　How　can　you　date　one　of　them？〃
　I　met　his　eyes　this　time；　not　flinching。　〃I　don't　know。〃
　He　closed　his　notebook。　〃Greeley's　probably　wondering　where　I　took　you。〃
　〃What　did　you　whisper　to　him？　I　would　have　bet　money　that　he'd　have　held　on　to　me。〃
　〃Told　him　you　were　a　suspect　in　another　murder。　Said　I　wanted　to　watch　your　reaction。〃
　〃And　he　bought　that？〃
　Dolph　glanced　back　at　the　body。　〃Close　to　the　truth；　Anita。〃
　He　had　me　there。　〃Greeley　didn't　seem　to　like　me　very　much；〃　I　said。
　〃You'd　just　killed　a　woman；　Anita。　Tends　to　give　a　bad　first　impression。〃
　He　had　a　point。　〃Do　I　need　to　have　Catherine　meet　us　down　at　the　station？〃　I　asked。
　〃You're　not　under　arrest；〃　Dolph　said。
　〃I'd　still　like　Catherine　to　meet　us　at　the　station。〃
　〃Call　her。〃
　I　stood。
　Dolph　touched　my　arm。　〃Wait。〃　He　turned　to　the　other　cops。　〃Everybody　wait　outside　for　a　minute。〃　There　were　some　glances；　but　no　one　argued；　they　just　went。　They'd　all　worked　with　Dolph　before；　and　no　one　present　outranked　him。
　When　we　were　alone　behind　closed　doors；　he　said；　〃Give　it　up。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃You've　got　some　kind　of　freaking　blade　down　your　back。　Let's　see　it。〃
　I　sighed　and　reached　under　my　hair　to　the　hilt。　I　drew　the　knife　out。　It　took　a　while。　It　was　a　long　knife。
　Dolph　held　out　his　hand。　I　handed　it　to　him。
　He　balanced　it　on　his　open　hands　and　gave　a　low　whistle。　〃Jesus；　what　were　you　planning　to　do　with　this？〃
　I　just　looked　at　him。
　〃Who　frisked　you　at　the　club？〃
　〃Rizzo's　partner；〃　I　said。
　〃Have　to　have　a　talk　with　him。〃　Dolph　looked　up　at　me。　〃Be　a　bad　thing　to　miss　on　someone　who　might　use　it。　Is　it　the　only　weapon　he　missed？〃
　〃Yep。〃
　He　stared　at　me。　〃Lean　on　the　bureau；　Anita。〃
　My　eyebrows　raised。　〃You're　going　to　pat　me　down？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　I　thought　about　arguing　but　decided　not　to。　There　were　no　more　weapons　to　find。　I　leaned　on　the　bureau。　Dolph　laid　the　knife　on　the　chair　and　searched　me。　If　there'd　been　anything　to　find；　he'd　have　found　it。　Dolph　was　thorough　in　everything　he　did；　methodical。　It　was　one　of　the　things　that　made　him　a　great　cop。
　I　looked　at　him　in　the　mirror　without　turning　around。　〃Satisfied？〃
　〃Yeah。〃　He　handed　the　knife　back　to　me；　hilt　first。
　I　must　have　looked　as　surprised　as　I　felt。　〃You're　giving　it　back　to　me？〃
　〃If　you'd　lied　to　me　about　it　being　your　last　weapon；　I'd　have　kept　it　and　everything　I　found。〃　He　took