lhamilton.thekillingdance-第9部分
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〃You shot a man through a hole in your door and hit him。〃
〃It was a big hole； detective； and I wasn't sure I hit him。〃
〃Why didn't the second shotgun blast take you out； Ms。 Blake？ There wasn't enough left of the door to hide behind。 Where were you； Ms。 Blake？〃
〃I told you； the blast rocked the door inward。 I hit the floor； on my side。 The second blast went over me。〃
〃And you shot the man twice more in the chest；〃 Detective Branswell said。
〃Yes。〃
He looked at me for a long moment； studying my face。 I met his eyes without flinching。 It wasn't that hard。 I was numb； empty； and distant。 There was still a fine ringing in my ears from being so damn close to two shotgun blasts。 The ringing would fade。 It usually did。
〃You know the man you killed？〃
Catherine touched my arm。 〃Detective Branswell； my client has been more than helpful。 She's told you several times that she did not recognize the deceased。〃
He flipped back through his notebook。 〃You're right； counselor。 Ms。 Blake has been helpful。 The dead man was James Dugan； Jimmy the Shotgun。 He's got a record longer than you are tall； Ms。 Blake。 He's local muscle。 Someone you call when you want it cheap and quick and don't care how messy it is。〃 He stared at me while he talked； studying my eyes。
I blinked at him。
〃Do you know anyone who would want you dead； Ms。 Blake？〃
〃Not right offhand；〃 I said。
He closed his notebook and stood。 〃I'm going to remend justifiable homicide to the DA。 I doubt you'll see the inside of a courtroom。〃
〃When do I get my gun back？〃 I asked。
Branswell stared at me。 〃When ballistics is done with it； Ms。 Blake。 And I'd be damn grateful that you're getting it back at all。〃 He shook his head。 〃I've heard stories about you from some of the cops who answered the last call from your apartment。 The one with the two killer zombies。〃 He shook his head again。 〃Don't take this wrong； Ms。 Blake； but have you considered moving to a new jurisdiction？〃
〃My landlord is probably going to suggest the same thing；〃 I said。
〃I'll just bet he is；〃 Branswell said。 〃Counselor； Sergeant Storr。〃
〃Thanks for letting me sit in on this； Branswell；〃 Dolph said。
〃You said she was one of yours。 Besides； I know Gross and Brady。 They were the first officers on scene for the zombies。 They say good things about her。 I've talked to half a dozen officers that say Ms。 Blake saved their butt or stood shoulder to shoulder with them under fire and didn't blink。 It cuts you a hell of a lot of slack； Blake； but that slack isn't unlimited。 Watch your back； and try not to shoot up any innocent bystanders。〃 With that； he left。
Dolph stared down at me。 〃I'll drive you back to your place。〃
〃Richard's waiting for me；〃 I said。
〃What's going on； Anita？〃
〃I told Branswell everything I know。〃
Catherine stood up。 〃Anita has answered all the questions she's going to answer tonight。〃
〃He's a friend；〃 I said。
〃He's also a cop；〃 Catherine said。 She smiled。 〃Isn't that right； Sergeant Storr？〃
Dolph stared at her for a minute。 〃That is certainly true； Ms。 Maison…Gillette。〃 He pushed away from the wall。 He looked at me。 〃I'll talk to you later； Anita。〃
〃I know；〃 I said。
〃e on；〃 Catherine said。 〃Let's get out of here before they change their minds。〃
〃Don't you believe me？〃 I asked。
〃I'm your lawyer。 Of course I believe you。〃
I looked at her。 She looked at me。 I got up。 We left。 I wondered if Richard would believe me。 Probably not。
5
Richard and I walked toward his car； through the police station parking lot。 He hadn't said a word to me。 He'd shaken hands with Catherine and headed for the car。 He got into his side。 I slid into the passenger side。 Richard started the engine and backed out of the parking slot。
〃You're mad about something；〃 I said。
He eased out onto the street。 He always drove carefully when he was angry。 〃What could I possibly be mad about？〃 The sarcasm was thick enough to eat with a spoon。
〃You think I knew there was a hit man in my apartment？〃
He flashed me a look that was pure rage。 〃You knew； and you let me go inside and set that damned TV up。 You got me out of harm's way。〃
〃I wasn't sure； Richard。〃
〃I bet you had your gun drawn before he fired。〃
I shrugged。
〃Dammit； Anita； you could have been killed。〃
〃But I wasn't。〃
〃That's your answer to everything。 If you survive； it's all right。〃
〃It beats the alternative；〃 I said。
〃Don't make jokes；〃 Richard said。
〃Look； Richard； I didn't go out hunting this guy。 He came to me。〃
〃Why didn't you tell me？〃
〃And you would have done what？ Go through the door first？ You'd have taken a chest full of buckshot and survived。 How would you have explained that？ You'd have been outed as a lycanthrope。 You'd have lost your job； at the very least。〃
〃We could have called the police。〃
〃And told them what？ That Custard sniffed at the door？ If they had investigated； they'd have gotten shot。 The guy was jumpy as hell。 He shot through the door； remember？ He didn't know who he was firing at。〃
He turned onto Olive； shaking his head。 〃You should have told me。〃
〃What would it have changed； Richard？ Except maybe you'd have tried to play hero； and if you survived； you'd have lost your career。〃
〃Dammit； dammit。〃 He smashed his hands into the steering wheel over and over。 When he looked at me； his eyes had gone amber and alien。 〃I don't need you to protect me； Anita。〃
〃Ditto；〃 I said。
Silence filled the car like ice water。 Nobody but the bad guy had died。 I'd done the right thing。 But it was hard to explain。
〃It wasn't that you risked your life；〃 Richard said； 〃it was that you got rid of me before you did it。 You didn't even give me a chance。 I have never interfered with you doing your job。〃
〃Would you have considered this part of my job？〃
〃Closer to your job description than mine；〃 he said。
I thought about that for a minute。 〃You're right。 One of the reasons we're still dating is you don't pull macho crap on me。 I apologize。 I should have warned you。〃
He glanced at me with eyes that were still pale and wolfish。 〃Did I just win an argument？〃
I smiled。 〃I admitted I was wrong。 Is that the same thing。〃
〃Exactly the same thing。〃
〃Then give yourself a point。〃
He grinned at me。 〃Why can't I stay mad at you； Anita？〃
〃You're a very forgiving person； Richard。 One of us has to be。〃
He pulled into my parking lot for the third time that night。 〃You can't stay at your place tonight。 The door is in pieces。〃
〃I know。〃 If I'd been kicked out of my apartment because it was being painted； I had friends I could stay with； or a hotel； but the bad guys had proven they didn't care who got hurt。 I couldn't risk anybody； not even strangers in the next room at a hotel。
〃e home with me；〃 he said。 He parked in an empty space closest to the stairs。
〃I don't think that's a good idea； Richard。〃
〃The shotgun blast wouldn't have killed me。 I'd have healed； because it wasn't silver shot。 How many of your other friends can say that？〃
〃Not many；〃 I said quietly。
〃I've got a house set back in a yard。 You won't be risking innocent bystanders。〃
〃I know you have a yard； Richard。 I've spent enough Sunday afternoons there。〃
〃Then you know I'm right。〃 He leaned towards me and his eyes had bled back to their normal brown。 〃I have a guest room； Anita。 It doesn't have to be more than that。〃
I stared at him from inches away。 I could feel his body like a force just out of reach。 It wasn't his otherworldly wolf powers。 It was simply sheer physical attraction。 It was dangerous agreeing to go to Richard's house。 Maybe not to my life； but to other things。
If Jimmy the Shotgun had had a partner inside the apartment tonight； I'd be dead now。 I'd been so busy concentrating on killing him that a second perp could have blown me away。 Edward had told his contact no by now； and it takes a little while to find another hitter of Edward's caliber。 So； instead of waiting； they hired cheap and local； taking the chance that cheap might take me out and they'd be saved several hundred grand。 Or maybe they wanted me dead really quickly for some reason that I didn't understand。 Either way； they wanted me dead pretty damn badly
