• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Edward tried to break the stalemate. “Lieutenant Marks, this is Anita Blake. Chief Appleton called you about her.” He was still using Ted’s happy voice, but there was a set to his shoulders that was stiff and not so happy.

“You’re Anita Blake.” Lieutenant Marks managed to sound doubtful.

I nodded. “Yep.”

His eyes narrowed. “I don’t like civilians messing in my case.” He jerked a thumb at Edward. “Forrester here has proven himself valuable.” He pointed a finger at me. “You haven’t.”

Edward started to say something, but Marks cut him off with a sharp movement of his hand. “No, let her answer for herself.”

“I’ll answer a question if you’ll ask one,” I said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you haven’t asked a question yet, Lieutenant. You’ve just made statements.”

“I don’t need shit from some fucking zombie queen.”

Ah, he was prejudiced. One mystery solved. “I was invited down here, Lieutenant Marks. I was invited to help you solve this case. Now if you don’t want my help, fine, but I’ll need someone from the city government to explain to my boss why the hell I got on a plane to New Mexico when I wasn’t sure of my welcome.”

“I don’t treat you right and you run to the powers that be, is that it?”

I shook my head. “Who got your panties in a twist, Marks?”

He frowned. “What?’

“Do I remind you of your ex-wife?’

“I’m married to my only wife.” He sounded indignant.

“Congratulations. Is it the voodoo that I use to raise the dead? Are you nervous around the mystical arts?”

“I don’t like black magic.” He fingered the cross-shaped tie tack that was standard police issue almost everywhere, but somehow I thought Marks was serious about it.

“I don’t do black magic, Marks.” I drew on the silver chain around my neck until the crucifix spilled into the light. “I’m Christian, Episcopalian actually. I don’t know what you’ve heard about what I do, but it’s not evil.”

“You would say that,” he said.

“The state of my immortal soul is between God and myself, Lieutenant Marks. Judge not lest ye be judged yourself. Or do you skip that part and just keep the parts you like?”

His face darkened, and a vein in his forehead started to pulse. This level of anger, even if he was a right-winger Christian extremist, was over the top. “What in hell is behind that door to have you both so spooked?” I asked.

Marks blinked at me. “I am not spooked.”

I shrugged. “Yeah, you are. You’re all bent out of shape about the survivors and you’re taking it out on me.”

“You don’t know me,” he said.

“No, but I know a lot of policemen, and I know when someone’s scared.”

He stepped close enough to me that if it had been a fight, I’d have stepped back, put space between us. Instead, I stood my ground. I wasn’t really expecting the lieutenant to take a swing at me.

“You think you’re so fucking tough?”

I blinked at him, close enough that if I’d risen on tiptoe, I could have kissed him. “I don’t think, Lieutenant. I know.”

He smiled at that, but not like he was happy. “You think you can take it, be my guest.” He stepped to one side, making a sweeping motion towards the door.

I wanted to ask what was behind the door. What could possibly be so horrible that it had Edward and a police lieutenant this shaken? I stared at the closed door, smooth, hiding all its secrets.

“What are you waiting for, Ms. Blake? Go ahead. Open the door.”

I glanced back at Edward. “I don’t suppose you’d give me a hint.”

“Open the door, Anita.”

I muttered, “Bastard,” under my breath and opened the door.

6

THE DOOR DIDN’T LEAD directly into the room. It led into a small antechamber with another sealed, mostly glass door beyond. There was a hush of air circulating through the room as if the room had its own separate air supply. A man stood to one side wearing green surgical scrubs complete with little plastic booties over his feet, a mask hanging loose from his neck. He was tall and slender without looking weak. He was also one of the first New Mexicans that I’d met without a tan.