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With a sood-bye, then went back to the apartone He’d left his knapsack there That wasn’t incri in the least I threw on a black leather jacket and headed out to Misery Garrett was back, sitting in his truck across the street I paused, glanced around for Reyes, then opened nition

"I need to speak with Charlotte"

I didn’t recognize the male voice "This is Charley"

"This is Donovan"

Nor the name "Donovan?" I backed out and headed for the interstate Garrett followed, naturally How did he miss Reyes?

"From the mental asylum"

I was in a mental asylum? When the fuck did that happen?

"The abandoned ular basis?" he added when I didn’t respond

"Oh, right The bikers"

"Right," he said "I wanted to talk to you"

"Sure" I wondered if Rocket had finally taken down the building

"Artemis," he started, then stopped

I could hear the pain in his voice, and my heart seized "Is she okay?"

"No Apparently the poison didwith you yesterday, she ruptured a kidney She’s at the animal hospital now"

A hand rose to od, I’ you" His voice cracked and he had to catch his breath "I want to hire you"

"What?"

"I want to knoho did this," he said, a chilling resolve hardening his voice "And either you can find out, or I can"

I assumed his methods would be a tad more brutal than my own "No offense, but you can’t afford me"

I was about to say I’d do it for free when he countered with, "I can afford ten of you"

"I’ll find out I’ll try to get over in the next couple of days Don’t start without h"

Darn it "Okay, let ated foran arrest, I can be there this afternoon Are you going to be hoht now"

"I’m headed out of town on a case I’ll cohborhood and ask you about your neighbors anyway"

With a sigh of resignation, he agreed "Okay But if you’re not here this afternoon, I’ into this myself I only called you because Eric wanted me to He thinks you’ll have better luck"

I assu members Obviously one of the smarter ones

"I’ll be there I pro happens to her?"