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"So," Max said at last, "this suicide Kenneth Vale"
Sophia brought up the inforently on the past, so as not to awaken the slu otherness inside of her "He was the Councilor’s specialist in stocks and bonds," she said, finding an anchor in what she understood, words and data and fact
"What were the consequences of his death?" A practical question, but his voice had shifted again, the tily intimate in the confines of the car
Her hand slipped a little as her palm turned damp "She lost a certain aot out You have to understand, such an act is highly unusual an of severe"You’re not telling "
How had he known? She stared at the clean lines of his profile, her eyes lingering at his temple He was human All his records proved that without a doubt--and yet the way he read suspects, the way he’d just read her, it reain that she’d have to be very, very careful around him
If he realized the extent of the fractures inside of her, if he understood the things the otherness had doneShe took a slow, careful breath "It has no bearing on the case"
The look he shot her was brutal in its demand "I’ll decide what’s relevant"
"Suicide," she finally said, "is considered an acceptable choice in some circumstances However, in those cases, the suicide is usually undertaken in a quiet, unobtrusive way"
"Suicide’s never quiet or unobtrusive" His voice was a whip, cutting across her skin "I’ve seen enough shattered families to know that ButPsy don’t do love, do they?"
"No" Eness where there should’ve been family, should’ve been connection, even if only of the coldest kind "Often, in cases of severe mental deterioration, the choice is between suicide and rehabilitation"
Suicide is the better option, Sophia Another J, speaking to her twooverdosed on a carefully calculated cocktail of drugs At least, you’ll die whole If they take you, they’ll leave an atrocity behind--a creature that should not exist
CHAPTER 8
The ly surrendered full custody to the state as she does not appear to have the capacity to ular population
--PsyMed report on Sophia Russo, e 8
Max had been a cop for over a decade It didn’t take hi out at the city streets, he tried to wipe out the iht, unable to believe that this sht "And do you think suicide is preferable to rehabilitation?"
"I believe the choice is the individual’s" A pause "But if you’re asking if I would ever anizer with a little laser pen "Would you like to talk about the second suspicious death?"
Convinced by her absolute answer on the issue of suicide, he turned his mind back to the case "Carmichael Jones," he said "Massive coronary in his suite while at a ist ruled he’d been dead for at least two, three hours at that stage"
Sophia didn’t say anything for almost a minute Then, "Do you have all this data in your head?"
"Yes" Startled at the question, he glanced over, caught those night-violet eyes watching him with a focus that felt like a touch "Don’t you?"
"No, I have other things in anizer, cutting off that topic, but he felt its shadowy echo all around hi wheel "Do you have nightmares?"
"Psy don’t dream" It was the nonanswer he’d expected, but then she added, "It’s easy for them to say that," and he knew Sophia had looked into the abyss and screaain, and this timatic "Carmichael Jones was Councilor Duncan’s main advisor in relation to the property arm of her business"
Max let her retreat for now "Construction’s a big part of her empire from what I’ve heard"
"Yes She’s had a lot of success building changeling-aielings His friendship with Clay--and another DarkRiver sentinel, Dorian--was solid, but it had been earned through blood In general, when it caers, the predatory species tended to e that?"
"She has an agreement with your friends’ pack I believe it’s proven a beneficial arrangeainst her seat, the scent of her a tantalizing stroke across his senses "There are rumors the SnowDancer wolves are a silent party in many of these deals, but no confirmation"