lhamilton.thekillingdance-第35部分

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　She　smiled　at　me。　〃I　am　Jean…Claude's　partner　in　this　little　enterprise。　Didn't　he　tell　you？〃　From　the　look　on　her　face；　she　knew　the　answer　and　was　enjoying　it。
　〃I　guess　it　slipped　his　mind；〃　I　said。　〃Why　aren't　you　part　of　the　show　then？〃
　〃I'm　a　silent　partner；〃　she　said。　She　pushed　past　Cassandra；　body　brushing　the　smaller　woman。　She　knelt　by　the　couch。　〃How　are　you　feeling；　my　dear？〃
　Karen　stammered；　〃I　just　want　to　go　home。〃
　〃Of　course　you　do。〃　She　glanced　up　and　smiled。　〃If　one　of　you　would　help　me　get　her　to　her　feet；　there's　a　cab　waiting　to　take　her　anywhere　she　wants　to　go　at　the　club's　expense。　Or　did　you　want　to　ride　home　with　your　friends？〃
　Karen　shook　her　head。　〃They　aren't　my　friends。〃
　〃So　wise　of　you　to　realize　that；〃　Raina　said。　〃So　many　people　put　their　trust　in　the　wrong　people。〃　She　stared　at　me　while　she　said　the　last。　〃And　they　get　hurt；　or　worse。〃
　Anabelle　had　moved　away　from　Raina。　She　was　staring　at　all　of　us；　clutching　her　purse。　I　don't　think　she　understood　everything　we　were　saying；　but　she　obviously　was　not　having　a　good　time。　One　good　deed　and　she　was　already　being　punished。
　〃Can　you　stand？　Why　don't　you　help　me？〃　Raina　asked　Anabelle。
　〃No；　let　Cassandra　help　you；〃　I　said。
　〃Afraid　I　might　eat　your　newfound　friend？〃
　I　smiled。　〃You'll　eat　anything　that　can't　get　away。　We　all　know　that。〃
　Her　face　tightened；　anger　flashing　through　her　amber　brown　eyes。　〃In　the　end；　Anita；　we　will　see　who　eats　what。〃　She　helped　the　woman　to　stand。
　Cassandra　whispered；　〃Jean…Claude　told　me　to　guard　you。〃
　〃Make　sure　she　gets　into　a　cab　that　really　is　going　to　take　her　home。　Then　you　can　follow　me　around　for　the　rest　of　the　evening；　okay？〃
　Cassandra　nodded。　〃Jean…Claude　won't　like　it。〃
　〃I'm　not　too　happy　with　him　right　now；　either；〃　I　said。
　〃A　little　help　here；〃　Raina　said。
　Cassandra　sighed；　but　she　took　Karen's　other　arm；　and　they　helped　her　through　the　door。　When　the　door　closed　behind　them；　Anabelle　let　out　a　long　sigh。　〃What　is　going　on？〃
　I　turned　to　the　lighted　mirror；　leaning　my　hands　on　the　vanity　top。　I　shook　my　head。　〃It's　too　long　a　story；　and　the　less　you　know；　the　safer　you'll　be。〃
　〃I　have　to　confess　I　have　an　ulterior　motive。〃　I　watched　her　through　the　mirror；　and　she　looked　embarrassed。　〃I　didn't　just　help　out　of　the　goodness　of　my　heart。　I'm　a　reporter；　freelance。　A　quote　from　the　Executioner　would　really　put　me　on　the　map。　I　mean　I　could　name　my　price；　especially　if　you　explained　what　just　happened　here。〃
　I　bowed　my　head。　〃A　reporter。　Not　exactly　what　I　needed　tonight。〃
　Anabelle　came　up　behind　me。　〃It　was　real　on　the　dance　floor；　wasn't　it？　That　vampire…Damian；　right？　He　was　really　going　to　do　her；　right　there；　as　part　of　the　show。〃
　I　watched　her　face　in　the　mirror。　She　was　vibrating　with　eagerness。　She　wanted　to　touch　me。　You　could　see　her　hands　fluttering；　nervous。　It　was　a　big　story　if　I　corroborated　it。　It　would　serve　Jean…Claude　right　if　I　did。
　Something　went　through　Anabelle's　eyes。　Some　of　the　brightness　leaked　away。
　Several　things　happened　almost　simultaneously。　Anabelle　jerked　my　purse；　the　strap　broke；　she　took　a　step　back；　and　drew　a　gun　from　an　inner…pants　holster　under　her　vest。　The　door　opened；　and　three　laughing　women　entered。　The　women　screamed。
　Anabelle　looked　at　the　door　for　just　a　heartbeat。　I　drew　a　knife　and　turned。　I　didn't　try　and　walk　those　two　steps　to　her。　I　dropped　to　one　knee　and　lunged　my　body　like　a　line　with　the　knife　as　the　point。　The　knife　entered　her　upper　stomach。　The　gun　moved　towards　me。　I　used　my　left　hand　to　sweep　the　arm　away。　The　shot　went　wild；　cracking　the　mirror。　I　shoved　the　knife　upward；　under　her　sternum；　shoved　it　until　the　hilt　met　flesh　and　bone；　and　jerked　the　blade　up　and　sideways。
　Her　hand　convulsed　on　the　gun　and　another　shot　hit　the　carpeted　floor。　The　silencer　made　each　shot　seem　muffled；　almost　anticlimactic。
　She　sank　to　her　knees；　eyes　wide；　mouth　opening　and　closing。　I　ran　my　hand　down　her　arm　and　took　the　gun　from　her。　She　blinked　at　me；　eyes　unbelieving；　then　she　fell　abruptly　as　if　her　strings　had　been　cut。　She　twitched　twice　and　died。
　Edward　was　at　the　door；　gun　out；　pointed。　He　stared　from　me　to　the　fresh　corpse。　He　took　in　the　knife　still　protruding　from　her　chest；　the　gun　with　silencer　in　my　hand。　He　relaxed；　pointing　the　gun　at　the　floor。　〃Some　bodyguard　I　turned　out　to　be；　letting　you　get　dusted　in　the　ladies'　room。〃
　I　stared　up　at　him。　I　felt　numb；　distant　with　shock。　〃She　almost　got　me；〃　I　said。
　〃But　she　didn't；〃　he　said。
　I　heard　men's　voices　shouting；　〃Police！　Everybody　stay　where　they　are。　We'll　check　it　out。〃
　〃Shit；〃　I　said　softly　and　with　feeling。　I　laid　Anabelle's　gun　by　her　body　and　sat　back　on　the　carpet。　I　wasn't　sure　I　could　stand　right　then。
　Edward　holstered　his　gun　and　moved　back　from　the　door　to　join　the　crowd　that　was　pushing　forward　to　see　the　show。　Just　another　part　of　the　anonymous　throng。　Yeah；　right。
　I　sat　there　beside　the　corpse　and　tried　to　think　of　something　to　tell　the　cops。　I　wasn't　sure　the　truth　was　an　option　I　could　afford　right　now。　I　began　to　wonder　if　I　was　going　to　see　the　inside　of　a　jail　tonight。　Watching　the　blood　soak　the　front　of　Anabelle's　vest；　it　seemed　likely。
　
　
　17
　
　I　was　sitting　in　a　straight…backed　chair　in　Jean…Claude's　office　at　Danse　Macabre。　My　hands　were　cuffed　behind　me。　They　hadn't　let　me　wash　the　blood　off　my　right　hand；　and　it　had　dried　to　a　nice　tacky　substance。　I　was　used　to　having　dried　blood　on　me；　but　it　was　still　unfortable。　The　uniformed　officers　had　taken　the　other　knife　and　found　the　Seecamp　in　my　purse。　They　had　not　found　the　big　knife　in　the　spine　sheath。　It　had　been　a　sloppy　search　to　have　missed　a　knife　longer　than　my　forearm；　but　the　uniform　that　did　it　had　at　first　assumed　that　I　was　another　victim。　It　had　shaken　him　to　find　out　that　the　pretty　little　woman　was　a　murderer。　Oh；　excuse　me；　alleged　murderer。
　The　office　had　white　walls；　black　carpet；　a　desk　that　looked　like　carved　ebony。　There　was　a　red　lacquer　screen　with　a　black　castle　done　high　on　top　of　a　black　mountain。　There　was　a　framed　kimono　on　the　far　wall；　scarlet　with　black　and　royal　blue　designs。　Two　smaller　frames　held　fans：　one　white　and　black　with　what　looked　like　a　tea　ceremony　painted　on　it；　the　other　blue　and　white　with　a　flock　of　cranes。　I　liked　the　cranes　best；　and　I'd　had　plenty　of　time　to　make　a　choice。
　One　of　the　uniforms　had　remained　in　the　room　with　me　the　entire　time。　They'd　drunk　coffee　and　not　offered　me　any。　The　younger　uniform　would　have　uncuffed　me；　but　his　partner　had　pretty　much　threatened　to　beat　the　shit　out　of　him　if　he　did　it。　The　partner　was　grey…haired　with　eyes　as　cold　and　empty　as　Edward's。　His　name　was　Rizzo。　Looking　at　him；　I　was　glad　I'd　put　the　gun　on　the　floor　before　he　came　into　the　room。
　Why；　you　may　ask；　wasn't　I　at　the　police　station　being　questioned？　Answer：　The　media　had　bayed　us。　Four　uniforms　had　been　enough　to　control　traffic　and　keep　the　media　from　mobbing　anyone…until　they　smelled　a　breaking　story。　Suddenly；　there　were　cameras　and　microphones　everywhere；　like　mushrooms　after　a　rain。　The　uniforms　had　called　for　backup　and　barricaded　the　murder　scene　and　the　office。　Everything　else　had　fallen　to　the　cameras　and　microphones。
　There　was　a　homicide　detective　standing　over　me…looming；　actually。　Detective　Greeley　was　just　under　six　feet　tall；　so　broad…shouldered　he　looked　like　a　big　square。　Most　black　people　aren't　truly　black；　but　Greeley　was　close。　His　face　was　so　dark　it　had　purple　highlights。　His　close…cropped　greying　hair　looked　like　wool。　But　black；　white；　or　brown；　his　dark　eyes　were　neutral；　secret；　cop　eyes。　His　gaze　said　he'd　seen　it　all　and　hadn't　been　impressed　by　any　of　it。　He　certainly　wasn't　impressed　by　me。　If　anything；　he　looked　bored；　but　I　knew　better。　I'd　seen　Dolph　get　the　same　look　right　before　he　pounced　on　someone　and　tore　their　alibi　apart。
　Since　I　didn't　have　an　alibi；　I　wasn't　worried　about　that。　I'd　told　my　story　before　they　read　me　my　rights。　After　Greeley　mirandized　me；　all　I'd　said　was　that　I　wanted　a　lawyer。　I　was　beginning　to　sound　like　a　broken　record；　even　to　me。
　The　detective　pulled　a　chair　around　so　he　was　sitting　facing　me。　He　even　hunkered　down　trying　not　to　be　so　intimidating。　〃Once　we　get　a　lawyer　in　here；〃　Greeley　said；　〃we　can't　help　you　anymore；　Anita。〃
　He　didn't　know　me　well　enough　to　call　me　by　my　first　name；　but　I　let　it　go。　He　was　pretending　to　be　my　friend。　I　knew　better。　Cops　are　never　your　friends　if　they　suspect　you　of　murder。　Conflict　of　interest。
　〃It　sounds　like　a　clear…cut　case　of　self…defense。　Tell　me　what　happened；　and　I'll　bet　we　can　do　a　deal。〃
　〃I　want　my　lawyer；〃　I　said。
　〃Once　we　involve　a　lawyer；　the　deal　goes　out　the　window；〃　he　said。
　〃You　don't　have　the　authority　to　make　a　deal；〃　I　said。　〃I　want　my　lawyer。〃
　The　skin　around　his　eyes　tightened；　otherwise　he　looked　the　same；　unmoved。　But　I　was　pissing　him　off。　Couldn't　blame　him。
　The　door　to　the　office　opened。　Greeley　looked　up；　ready　to　be　angry　at　the　interruption。　Dolph　walked　inside；　flashing　his　badge。　His　eyes　gave　the　briefest　of　flicks　to　me；　then　settled　solidly　on　Greeley。
　Greeley　stood　up。　〃Excuse　me；　Anita。　I