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Gibson’s jaw clenched, and I watched a slow flush creep up his neck He kept it under control, but I could feel the rage beating off of him like heat from a furnace "In less than twowith every other thing that had ever, at one ti the cotton of Watson’s shirt and the arm beneath it"

Gibson’s eyes locked with aze compelledNo flinching "It started at his fingertips and worked its way up, his ar into powder-fine dust while he watched It would have kept going if Conner hadn’t thought to run back to the car for the vampire kit and the axe--" His jaw clenched, and the words cut off, choked off by his rage He worked to steady his harsh breathing It took a couple ofto say Just the thought of it was horrifying I feltto do with the smell of his illness "The Internal Affairs officer threatching the dashboard caht in a priest to bless hi it activated another spell" Gibson paused again "Watson and Conner are still alive The doctors think they can h to let them out of the psych ward in a feeeks and send them home"

Gibson’s eyes bored into me like lasers "I want the bastards who did this The priests can deal with the de with the thereed wholeheartedly The best part was, I one by then Even if I recovered the rest ofone cop cut off another’s aret started on the right track "Detective Gibson, my best friend is a level-nine clairvoyant What say we pay her a visit?"

He shook his head Alex"No dice Vicki Cooper is an inpatient at a ot would be disht Which sucked, because she was the best and I trusted her iest?"

"Not what, Ms Graves Who"

7

Dorothy si little old lady with fluffy white hair and a round face She met us at the door of one of a collection of tiny red-brick duplexes that for for the elderly in our fair city She earing a lavender velour track suit with a white tank top and the kind of heavy sensible white shoes you see advertised in azines for nurses and other folks who spend most of their time on their feet At her invitation we followed her inside,one of those alureen tennis balls attached to the front feet for traction

We’d come here because Mrs Si to be paying her fifty dollars, because she was on a fixed incoh price to pay if she could helpback a bit, in the shadows cast by a trellis of pink cli roses He wanted to make sure my appearance didn’t startle her After my experiences earlier, I didn’t blame hiht She’s a victier to you"

"Don’t be silly, Karl, I know you’d never putaround in the shadows"

"Yes, ma’am If you say so" I tried to show my appreciation with a ss She stepped back so abruptly she nearly fell, her face as white as a sheet, her blue eyes as wide as saucers

"Dottie … Dot, it’s all right," Gibson assured her "Celia was aht She was rescued before the process went too far, but we need your help to know exactly ent on in that alley We need to catch the bat that did this to her"

"Oh,in short gasps It took a couple of h to speak "I’ive me a turn" She shook her head "So silly I know better A vampire couldn’t be out this tiain "It is a shock You poor thing You’ll be facing a hard ti before they think, just like I did How are you feeling?"