lhamilton.thekillingdance-第47章

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　〃More　than　one　murderer。〃
　〃Why？〃
　I　looked　up　at　him。　〃I　don't　know　if　there's　enough　humans　in　the　world　to　pin　a　vampire　to　the　floor　like　that。　Even　if　it　was　other　vampires　or　shapeshifters；　it'd　take　more　than　one。　I'd　say　two　beings　with　abnormal　strength　to　hold；　and　a　third　to　put　in　the　knives。　Maybe　more　to　hold；　maybe　more　to　do　the　spell。　I　don't　know；　but　at　least　three。〃
　〃Even　if　they　were　vampires？〃　Dolph　asked。
　I　nodded。　〃Unless　one　vamp　was　strong　enough　to　have　mind　control　over　Robert。〃　I　looked　down　at　the　body；　careful　not　to　touch　the　circle。　I　forced　myself　to　stare　at　what　had　been　done　to　him。　〃No；　once　they　started　putting　knives　in　him；　I　don't　think　any　mind　control　would　work。　A　human；　yeah；　they　could　have　done　this　to　a　human　and　made　him　smile　while　they　did　it；　but　not　another　vamp。　Did　any　of　the　neighbors　see　or　hear　anything？　I　mean　the　Spaldings　may　be　involved；　so　they'd　lie；　but　someone　had　to　see　or　hear　something。　He　didn't　go　quietly。〃
　〃They　say　no；〃　Dolph　said。　He　said　it　like　he　knew　some　or　all　of　them　had　lied。　One　of　the　things　cops　learn　first　is　that　everyone　lies。　Some　people　to　hide　things；　some　people　just　for　the　hell　of　it；　but　everyone　lies。　Assume　that　everyone　is　hiding　something；　it　saves　time。
　I　stared　at　Robert's　face；　his　mouth　half…open；　slack。　There　were　rubbed　marks　at　each　corner　of　his　mouth；　a　slight　reddening。　〃Did　you　notice　the　marks　by　his　mouth？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Dolph　said。
　〃And　you　weren't　going　to　mention　them　to　me？〃
　〃You　were　a　suspect。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃You　didn't　really　believe　that。　You're　just　playing　all　the　details　close　to　your　chest；　like　always。　I　get　tired　of　putting　the　pieces　together　when　you've　already　done　it。〃
　〃So；　what　do　you　make　of　the　marks？〃　he　asked；　his　voice　neutral。
　〃You　know　damn　well　what　I　make　of　them。　He　may　have　been　gagged　while　they　did　this　to　him。　The　neighbors　really　might　not　have　heard　anything。　But　that　still　doesn't　say　how　the　killers　got　into　the　house。　If　vampires　were　involved；　they　couldn't　cross　the　threshold　without　an　invitation。　Robert　wouldn't　have　invited　strange　vamps　into　his　house；　so　someone　with　them　had　to　be　known；　or　human；　or　at　least　not　vampire。〃
　〃Could　a　human　cross　the　threshold　and　invite　vampires　inside？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。
　Dolph　was　making　notes；　not　looking　at　me。　〃So　we're　looking　for　a　mixed　group；　at　least　one　vamp；　at　least　one　not　vamp；　at　least　one　witch　or　necromancer。〃
　〃You　got　that　last　from　Reynolds；〃　I　said。
　〃You　disagree？〃
　〃No；　but　since　I'm　the　only　necromancer　in　town；　it　has　to　be　outside　talent。〃　The　moment　I　said　it；　I　realized　that　outside　talent　was　in　town　now。　Dominic　Dumare。
　〃John　Burke　couldn't　do　it？〃
　I　thought　about　that。　〃John's　a　vaudun　priest；　but　this　isn't　voodoo。　I　don't　know　if　his　knowledge　of　the　arcane　stretches　this　far。　I　also　don't　know　if　he's　powerful　enough　to　have　done　this；　even　with　the　knowledge。〃
　〃Are　you　powerful　enough？〃
　I　sighed。　〃I　don't　know；　Dolph。　I'm　sort　of　new　at　necromancy。　I　mean；　I've　raised　the　dead　for　years；　but　not　this　formally。〃　I　motioned　at　the　body。　〃I've　never　seen　a　spell　like　this。〃
　He　nodded。　〃Anything　else？〃
　I　hated　dragging　Dominic　into　it；　but　it　was　too　bloody　big　a　coincidence　that　a　powerful　necromancer　hits　town　and　a　vamp　gets　taken　out　with　necromancy。　If　he　was　innocent；　I'd　apologize。　If　he　wasn't　innocent；　it　was　a　death　penalty　case。
　〃Dominic　Dumare　is　a　necromancer。　He　just　got　into　town。〃
　〃Could　he　have　done　this？〃　Dolph　asked。
　〃I　only　met　the　man　once；　Dolph。〃
　〃Give　me　an　opinion；　Anita。〃
　I　thought　about　the　feel　of　Dominic　in　my　head。　His　offer　to　teach　me　necromancy。　The　big　thing　was　that　killing　Robert　and　leaving　the　body　for　us　to　find　was　stupid。　Dominic　Dumare　didn't　strike　me　as　a　stupid　man。
　〃He　could　have。　He's　a　vampire's　human　servant；　so　it　gives　you　two　of　your　mixed　group。〃
　〃Did　the　vampire　know　Robert？〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Not　to　my　knowledge。〃
　〃You　got　a　number　where　we　can　reach　Mr。　Dumare？〃
　〃I　can　call　our　night　secretary　and　get　it　for　you。〃
　〃Great。〃　Dolph　stared　down　at　his　notes。　〃Is　Dumare　your　best　suspect？〃
　I　thought　about　that。　〃Yeah；　I　guess　he　is。〃
　〃You　got　any　proof？〃
　〃He's　a　necromancer；　and　this　was　done　by　someone　with　knowledge　of　necromancy。〃　I　shrugged。
　〃The　same　reason　we　suspected　you；〃　Dolph　said。　He　almost　smiled　when　he　said　it。
　〃Point　taken；〃　I　said。　〃Prejudiced　little　me。〃
　Dolph　closed　his　notebook。　〃I'll　take　you　down　for　your　statement　then。〃
　〃Fine。　Now　can　I　call　Catherine？〃
　〃There's　a　phone　in　the　kitchen。〃
　Zerbrowski　opened　the　door。　〃The　wife's　here；　and　she's　pretty　hysterical。〃
　〃Who's　with　her？〃　Dolph　asked。
　〃Reynolds。〃
　Through　the　open　door；　I　heard　a　woman　talking；　just　below　the　level　of　screaming。　〃Robert；　my　husband；　dead？　He　can't　be　dead。　He　can't　be　dead。　I　have　to　see　him。　You　don't　understand　what　he　is。　He　isn't　dead。〃　The　voice　was　ing　closer。
　〃She's　doesn't　need　to　see　this；　Anita。〃
　I　nodded。　I　walked　out　the　door　and　closed　it　tightly　behind　me。　I　couldn't　see　Monica　yet；　but　I　could　hear　her。　Her　voice　rising；　growing　thinner　with　panic。　〃You　don't　understand。　He　isn't　really　dead。〃
　I　was　betting　that　Monica　wouldn't　take　my　word　for　Robert　being　well　and　truly　dead。　I　guess　if　it　was　Jean…Claude　lying　in　there；　I　wouldn't；　either。　I'd　have　to　see　for　myself。　I　took　a　deep　breath　and　walked　forward　to　meet　the　grieving　widow。　Damn。　This　night　just　kept　getting　better　and　better。
　
　
　20
　
　The　hospital　room　was　soft　mauve　with　paintings　of　flowers　on　the　wall。　The　bed　had　a　mauve　bedspread　and　pink　sheets。　Monica　lay　in　the　bed　hooked　up　to　an　IV　and　two　different　kinds　of　monitors。　A　strap　across　her　belly　monitored　the　contractions。　Gratefully；　the　lines　had　gone　flat。　The　other　monitor　was　the　baby's　heartbeat。　The　sound　had　scared　me　at　first；　too　fast；　like　the　heart　of　a　small　bird。　When　the　nurses　assured　me　the　heartbeat　was　normal；　I　relaxed。　After　nearly　two　hours；　the　frantic　beat　had　bee　a　forting　sound　like　white　noise。
　Monica's　auburn　hair　was　plastered　in　wet　tendrils　to　her　forehead。　Her　careful　makeup　was　smeared　across　her　face。　They　had　been　forced　to　give　her　a　sedative；　though　it　wasn't　great　for　the　baby。　She　had　fallen　into　a　light；　almost　feverish　sleep。　Her　head　turned；　eyes　flicking　behind　her　lids；　mouth　working；　caught　in　some　dream；　a　very　bad　dream　probably；　after　the　night　she'd　had。　It　was　almost　two　o'clock；　and　I　still　had　to　go　to　the　station　and　make　my　statement　to　Detective　Greeley。　Catherine　was　on　her　way　to　take　my　place　at　Monica's　bedside。　I'd　be　glad　to　see　her。
　I　had　little　crescent　nail　marks　on　my　right　hand。　Monica　had　clung　to　it　like　it　was　all　that　was　holding　her　together。　At　the　worst　of　the　contractions；　when　it　looked　like　Monica　would　lose　her　baby　as　well　as　her　husband；　her　long；　painted　nails　had　bitten　into　me；　and　only　when　blood　trickled　down　my　hand　in　fine　crimson　lines　did　a　nurse　say　something。　When　Monica　calmed　down；　they　had　insisted　on　messing　with　the　wounds。　They'd　used　the　cartoon　bandages　they　kept　for　the　babies；　so　that　my　hand　was　covered　in　Mickey　Mouse　and　Goofy。
　There　was　a　television　on　a　shelf　on　the　wall；　but　I　hadn't　turned　it　on。　The　only　sounds　were　the　whirr　of　air　circulating　through　the　vents　and　the　baby's　heartbeat。
　A　uniformed　cop　stood　outside　the　door。　If　Robert　had　been　killed　by　a　hate　group；　then　Monica　and　the　baby　were　possible　targets。　If　he'd　been　killed　for　personal　reasons；　Monica　might　know　something。　Either　way；　she　was　in　danger。　So　they'd　put　a　guard　on　her。　Fine　with　me；　since　all　I　had　left　was　a　knife。　I　was　really　missing　my　guns。
　The　phone　on　the　bedside　table　rang；　and　I　flung　myself　out　of　the　chair；　scrambling　for　it；　terrified　that　it　would　wake　Monica。　I　cupped　the　receiver　against　my　mouth　and　spoke　quietly　while　my　pulse　pounded。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Anita？〃　It　was　Edward。
　〃How　did　you　know　where　I　was？〃
　〃All　that　matters　is　that　if　I　can　find　you；　so　can　someone　else。〃
　〃Is　the　contract　still　on？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Damn。　What　about　the　time　deadline？〃
　〃Expanded　to　fort