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A SCRATCHING SOUND, like a cat claw raking across a hard surface, awakened yptian mummy preparation table
Not only a drea on my side, as usual, so in oneoninto nylon shag, so unlikely to carpet any ancient chaht palm with a cold metal weapon of some kind
"Del," Ric’s sleep-slowed voice drawled fro on the … yes, bed--not a stone table edged with a sli blood--behind ," I said
"I guess," Ric said as he turned on the bedside la?"
I turned ous biker switchblade The haft is etched with a screa buffalo horns etched like a bad tattoo"
"Place-appropriate, I’d say," Ric said, yawning and checking his watch It was so multifunction I couldn’t even find the time display "Ten a sound caer and louder From the motel’s metal door I went to the curtained pictureand peeked out the side
"Quicksilver wants in"
"That’s new Tallgrass must have dropped hih of our long, luxurious coed bedroo to undo the chain lock that was shi like a stripper fro nails couldn’t etch steel
I looked around before I opened the door wide enough to admit him Most of the parked cars that were here e caone The uest shifts
Ric had already retreated to the bathroo and headed for the stainless food and water bowls next to my side of the bed I hid the the day No problem The maids never cleaned in the closet or under the bed, and, frankly, I didn’t blame them one bit I hurried to the bedside to slide my feet into my cowboy-boot mules
Meanwhile, I’d lost the awesome knife, replaced by a bicycle chain–style bracelet
I put kibble in Quick’s bowl and turned on my bedside lah he’d probably licked it all away at Tallgrass’s place The big black leather collar he’d co scratches between the silver circles that never dented, although they changed shape with the moon cycles and were now nicely three-quarter shaped
"You’rehis perpetually perked wolfish ears to flatten a bit Quicksilver wasn’t one for ave his hackles a rough fluff with both hands and ran theray hair of his back and chest It’s unusual that a big dog, a dog with both wolf and wolfhound genes, would tolerate being petted or even touched while eating Quick continued gulping
He’d seemed fine after the Zombie Cattle Company jamboree Of course, he was the first of our partnership to exhibit a healing tongue, and I was not about to try ain on anyone but Ric I leaned down to e ear He was too busy wolfing his food to react to s
Just then, Ric came out of the bathroom, and I turned to look A new man, freshly showered, bare-chested and barefoot, contact lens inserted, and jaw shaved so close he must have lost half of his follicles
"First," I suggested "I’d get your baby-pink bottoms off that unsanitary motel carpet and into some shoes, then I’d tell me why the super-close shave I know you had to have one yesterday for your new girlfriend, Mrs Haliburton, but today?"
"Today, I’ve got to make the Wichita Mid-Continent Airport in less than an hour to pick up a big gun I had flown in" He frowned at my wrist "Lost the switchblade Too bad"
"Yeah, I feel naked without ed weapons too"
Naked ere not Quicksilver had a prudish streak for an unfixed dog, but that wasn’t why both Ric and I, without consulting each other, had brought along jogging outfits for paja and bad besides Quicksilver wanted into ourthe way Stray supernaturals of exotic ilk were still turning up all across America
Like us
"We need to talk about those fast-forward zombies and company," I told Ric
"Yeah, but not until we settle Mrs Haliburton’s haughty hash We’re not leaving the Child Protective Services building today without more answers than are in your ski his one French-cuffed silk shirt White, that od’s
"I could steam out the wrinkles over a tub of hot water"
"No ti you be domestic Wrinkles will ease out with my body heat and won’t show under the suit jacket Trust me, I’ve traveled before"
"You tempt me with bare cheeks and references to body heat and are ready to bolt out the door You are sure all business this , Montoya"
"Don’t whine," he said with a grin "You’ll get yours later You have anything to do here while I’estured at the wireless router I’d bought and installed yesterday beside the s to catch up on the local news"
Ric thoughtfully pulled on his suit pants under his shirttails, whether in deference to Quicksilver or onal-stripe tie and bureaucrat-navy jacket