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"You didn’t ask," Niol drawled

"Flint sure as hell did!"

Niol just stared at him then, with those fatho Niol had told him days before

A third of the officers on your force are de in this town every moment Don’t think I don’t

Hell

The reporter watched thereen eyes that saw too much Todd tried to rein in his temper--he sure would have liked to have rip into Niol, but noasn’t the ti sources, Ms Storm" He’d bet his next paycheck that Susan Dobbs had been one of those sources "Do you realize that you’ve been getting information from a killer?"

She didn’t blink "Easy to lay blame on the dead, isn’t it?"

"Yeah, real easy--when the dead was a murderer" He paused "Are your other sources just as reliable as she was?"

Her eyes held his "Well, at least they’re better than the police department’s"

Hit He inclined his head "Rest assured, we are doing everything possible to e Killer is stopped"

"Well, when I go live with ht, and tell everyone in Atlanta the truth about what’s happening, then I think you’ll start truly doing everything that’s possible"

The woman couldn’t be serious "Lady, you don’t even knohat you’re talking about" He didn’t need crap fro through his mind

Susan had been in Paradise Found before Cara started singing, but she could have still been around when his succubus was perforuards…

Paradise Found

Had she ood possibility

A perfect place for humans who liked to play with the dark side

From the reports he’d read on Susan, the woman had possessed one major dark side of her own

"I know--I know about the demons," Holly said "I know they’re around us, cops, doctors, lawyers--"

"And you have proof, do you? Hard evidence?" He pinned her with his stare while Niol just well, looked bored Nothing new there "You think the station director is gonna just let you blast out your tale? Get real, lady News Flash Five would be laughed out of the city" And so would she People weren’t ready to hear the truth yet

He sure hadn’t been "And you mentioned just the demons--what about the others?"

Her face seemed to pale a bit "O-others?"

"Yeah, you know, the vampires, the witches, the shape-shifters…"

Her eyes widened a bit with each name that he rattled off He did not have ti clue about everything that’s lurking out there--and do you really think all the supernaturals are gonna be happy that you’re planning to blow the lid off their nice, secret world?"

He saw her throat work as she sed Then her gaze shot to Niol’s He smiled at her, a smile that displayed a whole lot of teeth "I don’t care what you do If exposing the Other is your plan, then do it"

Aw, crap Niol would encourage her

"Every deo after her," Todd snapped Maybe the wo her up for just such an event

Niol’s lips quirked "I wouldn’t"

And that just left what, a couple of thousand ould? Could he not just deal with one crisis at a ti as much steel as possible into his voice "This isn’t a place for you--go back to your safe world and forget about this story"

"And what about the killer?" She de

"I’ll handle him" And he’d handle Niol, too "Don’t report this story," he told her "Just go hoht, and we’ll talk tomorrow--hell, I’ll answer any questions that you have, toht of day

She hesitated

"I’ for just a little tiree, well, he’d have to toss her ass in jail--

because no as she airing her story tonight He’d hate to lock the lady up, but he couldn’t risk her blowing his town to hell, and now that he knew she’d been poking around in his case, well, the woer for herself

Her lips pressed together Her gaze fleeen him and the ever-watchful Niol "You promise to answer all oftoo ive you an interview" That was as et froot her in the station, he’d work on convincing her to see things his way

Holly exhaled "All right You have until too live at five"

And the woman would do it He’d have to contact the captain ASAP and let hian to stride away from them

"Oh, Holly…"

Niol’s voice was soft, silken

The wolanced back over her shoulder, lips parted

"Don’t co to play with the devil"

Todd heard the sharp sound of her indrawn breath Then she hurried toward the door, almost ran in her haste, and Niol watched her every ry spider Creepy as hell

"Leave her alone," Todd warned "Hell, I thought you didn’t even want her ‘kind’ in here!"

Niol shrugged "She’s huh "Just the way I like my women"

Christ Todd’s stare shot across the room Landed on the door marked PRIVATE He pointed toward the door "I wanna know every da back, and I want to kno" Before any more unexpected visitors showed up in Paradise

Chapter 17

The closed doorhum of conversation and music from the club Todd didn’t bother to sit down His hands rested easily at his sides and he pinned Niol with his gaze "Talk, and, this time, save the bullshit"

Niol lowered his body into the chair behind the desk "Just what do you want to know, Detective?"

"Why didn’t you mention that Susan Dobbs had been in your place before?"