lhamilton.thekillingdance-第29部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e；　I　wouldn't　be　taking　good　care　of　myself。〃
　〃You　don't　worry　about　Jean…Claude？〃
　I　shrugged。　〃He　can　take　care　of　himself。　Besides；　he's　already　dead。〃
　Richard　shook　his　head。　〃You　don't　really　believe　that　anymore。〃
　〃No；　he's　dead；　Richard。　That　I　know。　Whatever　keeps　him　alive　is　a　form　of　necromancy；　different　than　my　own　powers；　but　still　magic。〃
　〃You　can　say　it；　but　in　your　heart　you　don't　believe　it。〃
　I　shrugged　again。　〃Maybe　not；　but　it's　still　the　truth。〃
　There　was　a　knock　on　the　door。　Richard　said；　〃Your　date's　here。〃
　〃I'm　ing。　Now　I　have　to　fix　my　lipstick　all　over　again。〃
　He　wiped　fingers　across　his　mouth；　ing　away　with　crimson　stains。　〃At　least　I'll　be　able　to　tell　if　you've　been　kissing　him。　This　stuff　will　show　up　like　blood　on　his　white　shirt。〃
　I　didn't　argue。　Jean…Claude　always　wore　black　and　white。　I'd　only　seen　him　in　one　shirt　that　wasn't　white。　It　had　been　black。　I　reapplied　the　lipstick　and　put　it　in　the　beaded　black　purse　on　the　dresser。　The　purse　was　too　small　even　for　the　Firestar。　I　did　have　a　Derringer；　but　except　at　close　quarters；　it　was　pretty　worthless。　With　an　assassin　I　might　not　want　to　get　that　close。　Edward　had　a　solution。　He'd　loaned　me　his　See…camps　。32　autoloader。　It　was　about　the　same　size　as　a　small　。25；　only　a　little　wider　than　my　own　hand；　and　I　had　a　small　hand。　It　was　a　very　nice　gun；　and　for　the　caliber　and　the　size；　I'd　never　seen　better。　I　wanted　one。　Edward　informed　me　that　he'd　had　to　wait　nearly　a　year　for　the　gun　to　e　in。　It　was　pretty　much　a　custom　order。　Otherwise；　he'd　have　made　it　a　gift。　Fine；　I'd　order　my　own…if　I　survived　the　night。　If　I　didn't；　well；　I　wouldn't　be　ordering　anything。
　I'd　managed　not　to　think　too　much　about　that。　I'd　concentrated　on　dressing；　putting　the　weapons　in　place；　Richard；　anything　but　that　I　was　putting　myself　out　as　bait　for　someone　good　enough　to　earn　500；000　dollars　a　pop。　I　was　having　to　trust　that　Edward　would　keep　me　alive。　Because　though　Edward　would　have　stopped　the　limo　and　fired　only　when　he　could　see　my　face；　most　hit　men　wouldn't。　Most　professionals　prefer　to　take　you　out　from　a　nice；　safe　distance。　A　highpowered　rifle　could　be　yards　or　even　miles　away。　Not　much　I；　or　even　Edward；　could　do　about　that。　I　knew　nothing　about　explosives。　I　was　going　to　have　to　depend　on　Edward　to　take　care　of　any　bombs。　I　was　putting　myself　in　Edward's　hands　tonight；　trusting　him　like　I'd　never　trusted　anyone　before。　Scary　thought；　that。
　I　checked　the　purse　again；　ID；　lipstick；　money；　gun。　I'd　have　normally　carried　a　small　travel　hairbrush；　but　there　wasn't　room。　I　could　live　with　messy　hair　for　one　night。
　The　thought　made　me　check　my　hair　in　the　mirror　and　run　a　brush　through　it　one　last　time。　I　had　to　admit　that　it　looked　great。　It　was　one　of　my　best　features。　Even　Ronnie　couldn't　improve　on　it。　It　was　all　natural　curl。　Even　tonight　I'd　shoved　hair　goop　in　it　after　my　shower　and　let　it　dry　naturally。　I'd　had　a　woman　get　angry　with　me　once　in　California　because　I　wouldn't　tell　her　where　I'd　gotten　my　hair　permed。　She　wouldn't　believe　it　was　natural。
　I　slipped　the　purse　over　my　shoulders　so　the　thin　strap　went　across　my　chest。　It　blended　with　the　dress　well　enough　that　it　looked　almost　as　good　with　it　as　without。　But　the　purse　rode　at　my　ribs；　just　a　little　lower　than　my　shoulder　holster。　I　tried　drawing　the　gun　a　couple　of　times；　and　it　wasn't　too　bad。　Not　as　good　as　a　holster；　but　what　was？　I　slipped　the　jacket　on　and　checked　myself　in　the　mirror　for　the　umpteenth　time。　Neither　the　knives　nor　the　gun　showed。　Great。　I　slipped　my　cross　on　last。　I　made　sure　the　cross　was　inside　the　dress；　then　put　a　small　piece　of　masking　tape　over　it。　This　way　I　kept　my　cross；　but　it　didn't　spill　out　of　my　clothes　and　glow　at　Jean…Claude。　I　picked　up　the　brush　again　and　put　it　down　without　using　it。
　I　was　stalling。　It　wasn't　just　the　assassin　I　was　afraid　of。　I　was　dreading　the　moment　Richard　and　Jean…Claude　met　tonight。　I　wasn't　sure　how　they　were　going　to　react；　and　I　wasn't　up　to　an　emotional　confrontation。　I　rarely　was。
　I　took　a　deep　breath　and　went　for　the　door。　Richard　followed　me。　It　was　his　house。　I　couldn't　ask　him　to　hide　in　the　bedroom。
　Jean…Claude　stood　by　the　television；　peering　at　the　shelves　of　videos；　as　if　studying　the　titles。　He　was　tall　and　slender；　though　not　as　tall　as　Richard。　He　wore　black　pants　and　a　short　black　jacket；　cut　just　at　the　waist　like　my　own。　He　had　on　high；　leather　boots　that　covered　nearly　his　entire　leg；　the　soft　leather　tops　were　held　in　place　by　black　straps　with　small　silver　buckles。　His　black　hair　spilled　over　his　shoulders；　inches　longer　than　when　I　first　met　him。
　He　turned　at　last；　as　if　he　hadn't　known　we　were　standing　there。　I　made　a　small　involuntary　gasp　as　he　faced　me。　His　shirt　was　red；　a　pure；　clear　crimson　that　blazed　inside　his　open　jacket。　The　collar　was　high；　held　in　place　by　three　antique　jet　beads。　The　shirt　gaped　open　below　the　collar；　showing　a　large　oval　of　his　chest。　The　cross…shaped　burn　scar　on　his　chest　showed　in　the　circle　of　red　cloth　as　if　it　were　framed　for　viewing。　The　circle　of　bare　skin　ended　just　above　the　black　pants；　where　the　shirt　was　safely　tucked　away。
　The　shirt　looked　splendiferous　against　his　pale　skin；　the　black　wavy　hair；　his　midnight　blue　eyes。　I　closed　my　gaping　mouth；　and　said；　〃Spiffy；　very　spiffy。〃
　He　smiled。　〃Ah；　ma　petite；　always　the　perfect　thing　to　say。〃　He　glided　across　the　carpet　in　his　nifty　boots；　and　I　found　myself　wanting　him　to　take　the　jacket　off。　I　wanted　to　see　his　hair　spill　over　that　shirt；　black　over　red。　I　knew　it　would　look　wonderful。
　Richard　came　up　behind　me。　He　didn't　touch　me；　but　I　could　feel　him　standing　there。　A　warm；　unhappy　presence　at　my　back。　I　couldn't　blame　him。　Jean…Claude　looked　like　an　advertisement　for　Wet　Dreams　〃R〃　Us。　I　couldn't　blame　anyone　for　being　jealous。
　Jean…Claude　stood　in　front　of　me；　close　enough　that　I　could　have　reached　out　and　touched　him。　I　stood　between　the　two　of　them；　and　the　symbolism　wasn't　lost　on　any　of　us。
　〃Where's　Edward？〃　I　managed　to　ask。　My　voice　sounded　almost　normal。　Good　for　me。
　〃He　is　checking　the　car。　I　believe　for　incendiary　devices；〃　Jean…Claude　said　with　a　small　smile。
　My　stomach　clenched　tight。　Someone　really　wanted　me　dead　by　midnight　tonight。　Edward　was　sweeping　the　car　for　bombs。　Even　for　me；　it　didn't　seem　quite　real。
　〃Ma　petite；　are　you　well？〃　Jean…Claude　took　my　hand　in　his。　〃Your　hand　is　cold。〃
　〃Nice　plaint；　ing　from　you；〃　Richard　said。
　Jean…Claude　looked　over　my　shoulder　at　Richard。　〃It　was　not　a　plaint　but　an　observation。〃
　His　hand　was　warm；　and　I　knew　that　he　had　stolen　that　warmth　from　someone。　Oh；　they'd　been　willing　enough。　There　were　always　people　willing　to　donate　to　the　Master　of　the　City。　But　still；　he　was　a　blood　sucking　corpse；　no　matter　what　he　looked　like。　Staring　up　at　him；　I　realized　part　of　me　didn't　buy　that　anymore。　Or　maybe　I　just　didn't　care　anymore。　Damn。
　He　raised　my　hand　slowly　to　his　lips；　eyes　watching　not　me　but　Richard。　I　drew　my　hand　out　of　his。　He　looked　at　me。　〃If　you　want　to　kiss　my　hand；　fine；　but　don't　do　it　just　to　get　on　Richard's　nerves。〃
　〃My　apologies；　ma　petite。　You　are　quite　right。〃　He　looked　past　me　to　Richard。　〃My　apologies　to　you　as　well；　Monsieur　Zeeman。　We　are　in　a　。　。　。　ticklish　position。　It　would　be　childish　to　make　it　worse　with　game　playing。〃
　I　didn't　have　to　see　Richard's　face　to　know　he　was　frowning。
　Edward　came　in　and　saved　us。　We　could　all　shut　up　and　leave。　Hopefully。
　〃The　car's　clean；〃　he　said。
　〃Glad　to　hear　it；〃　I　said。
　Edward　was　dressed　for　the　evening。　A　brown　leather　coat　hung　to　his　ankles　and　moved　like　something　alive　as　he　came　into　the　room。　The　coat　hung　strangely　heavy　in　places。　He'd　shown　me　some　of　his　toys　that　were　positioned　here　and　there。　I　knew　there　was　a　garotte　hidden　in　the　stiff　white　collar　of　his　shirt。　A　garotte　was　a　little　too　up…and…close　even　for　me。
　His　eyes　flicked　to　the　two　men　in　my　life；　but　all　he　said　was；　〃I'll　follow　the　limo。　Don't　look　around　for　me　tonight；　Anita。　I'll　be　there；　but　we　don't　want　the　hitter　alerted　to　the　fact　that　you've　got　a　bodyguard。〃
　〃A　second　bodyguard；〃　Jean…Claude　said。　〃You