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Okay Noas impressed My Web site says I require close proxiarden, and that I won’t take a job if such a place can’t be found And the wo would keepthe job I wondered what she would have done if I’d said no
At her glance, Tr--Toardener had a conniption, but he figured out a way to get boulders into the garden with a crane, and then blended the Grumbled about it, but it’s done"
"Would you tell me why you need piles of stone?" Katie asked
"Meditation" When she looked blank I said, "I use stone for meditation It helps prepareabout It sounded pretty lame even to me, and I had made up the lie I’d have to work on that one
Katie stood and so did I, setting asidelibation On her breath it sive you the contract and a packet of inforue by the police and our own investigators Tonight you e in whatever pursuits appeal to you
"Toned contract, you are invited to join irls for dinner before business co a private party, and dinner will be served at seven of the evening I will not be present, that theyof ie way to say seven pate her eht off the bat, but I didn’t react Maybe one of theue And maybe Katie knew it "After dinner, you may initiate your inquiries
"The council’s offer of a bonus stands An extra twenty percent if you dispatch the rogue inside of ten days, without the er note of us" The last word had an inflection that let me know the "us" wasn’t Katie and me She meant the vamps "Huue’s feeding has strained relations in the vampiric council It is iet paid, so I aim to please But I didn’t say it
Katie extended a folder to me and I tucked it under my arm "The police photos of the crime scenes you requested Three samples of bloodied cloth froather saliva," she said
Va
"On a card isa call fro else" Katie settled cold eyes on me in obvious diss Like dinner? Yep Her cheeks had paled again and she suddenly looked draith hunger Her eyes slipped to my neck Time to leave
CHAPTER 2
Okay, I was paranoid
"Where’dju hide the weapons?" Troll asked, his voice conversational
I s the barrel of the 45 pressed intoto it either "You’re hu so close to me?"I felt hiun Knocked his right ar ainst his left shoulder withhim to the floor It took maybe a half second Deep in my bones, I felt my Beast spit This was fun
"Not bad," he said, his inflection still composed I knew I’d been baited Had known he would want to know if he could have takenwhat forht a minute "Dirty," I said He chuckled I pressed down just a bit on his shoulder joint "Put the weapon down"
He placed the 45, a well-kept Smith & Wesson, on the floor and pushed it away He could still get to it, but not before I hurt hiht off his shoulder and released his wrist, stepping back and setting my feet, balanced for his next move But he didn’t make one He stood and tucked his thun of peace than palms out Thumbs in esture of peace was an easy way to mentally disaruard
"There’s a hapkido black belt, second dan, practices after hours in the back of a jewelry store on St Louis I’ll call in an intro if you want"
"That’d be nice" I waited, easing down a set sucker punched
"Anything else I can do you for?" he asked corilling?" Meaning where can I get good raw meat, but phrased in a socially acceptable way