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Walking across the rooht He still didn’t wake, so I headed to the bathroorabbed his bottle of painkillers frolass The first I opened and the second I filled half full of water
"Hey, Derrick Wake up," I said as I reentered the room
No response Not even a shift in his sleep-heavy breathing
I tried again, with the saood eye candy, it also preventedhim awake Not that I hadn’t been in this situation before
Setting the open pill bottle on the bedside table, I duers, and then ers and Derrick jerked backith a loud inhalation
"What--?" Derrick blinked several ti a hand over his eyes and down to the dark stubble for on his chin "I had a pre the painkillers and glass closer
He took both with a nod of thanks Then he du to count before tossing the them down Wow, the pre in the rooh itto do with our case--but he’d no doubt appreciate a chance to dress If he had any ih cleaning and reasse our rooed
"So," I said, setting down ive my partner my full attention "Did your pre to like it"
--
Sometimes Derrick’s visions were specific This time? Less so All he knew--or at least, all he shared--was that I’d find out soetarian Diner He didn’t knohen or how I’d learn this crucial info, but he said solving the case hinged on , possibly a lot of waiting, didn’t appeal tothat could be fudged--it was the future You try to change it, and the vision already took that into account
Which hy, two hours later I was sliding into a corner booth at No Bull I hadn’t been sure if I was on a recon trip or a hunt, so I’d played it safe and went full hunt mode That included all my obfuscation spells, which while I wasn’t exactly invisible--true invisibility charht as well have been I was cloaked with a spell that wrapped shadows around h those, I had a spell that made me even harder to re char the front, a handful of tables in the center, and a ave me a decent view of the whole place, with all its shiny chrome and cartoonish art in the style of Roy Lichtenstein The booths and tables held only a scattering of patrons, but the ood, but I resisted I was on a stakeout after all
The bell on the door tinkled softly and a young couple entered Their eyes skittered overbefore they picked a booth halfway between the door andwaitress in a sal up to the couple I watched as she took their drink orders before heading toward the kitchen and I gave asinister or suspicious about this place or the people in it
Not yet, at least
--
The dinner rush started a little before six No Bull filled quickly, a line for--back booth With the crowd came a second waitress Unlike the one who’d been on the clock since I arrived, this girl was all energy and smiles She danced from table to table as she took orders and delivered food I was rather surprised considering she earing totally impractical footwear for a waitress I hated the term "do-me heels" but I couldn’t think of any other description They were bright red with four-inch, pencil-thin heels, and they didn’tunusual or out of place, the shoes were suspicious And they were the only unusual thing I’d seen so far today
This seriously can’t co shadow creatures for half a week and they were soiddy waitress who liked heels? It didn’t seem credible, and yet, I had to find a way to confirm or eliminate her as the unknoitch culprit Which et ain, and I tore aze off the waitress I’d intended to study the new patron, but I already knew this one
Derrick
He didn’t bother looking at the patrons, but, if I judged his studying gaze correctly, he evaluated the room as a whole He turned in my direction and headed past first one, then two, three booths until he stood at the final booth He slipped into the seat across froainst the ith his feet in the aisle
Without looking in my direction he said, "With the wall behind it and with this being the only booth without a panel , this is probably the e point" He ran a hand through his short hair, furtherit, and then shot a smile in my direction "So, drop the charms and tell me how brilliant I am, Darque"
I deactivateda hand casually through the air, "I guess you’ve learned a thing or torking with ht?"
He shrugged and picked up a ht I’d come help you with your surveillance"