Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Colletion_ Books 6-10 - Laurell K. Hamilton [590]
“I’m aware of that, Officer,” I said, voice bland.
He squinted at me, much as he had the license. “Then why are you here?”
I smiled and couldn’t quite make it reach my eyes. “I’m here as a preternatural advisor, not an executioner.”
He handed the license back to me. “Then why the hardware?”
I glanced down at the gun very visible against my red shirt. The smile was genuine this time. “It’s not concealed, Officer Norton, and it’s federally licensed so I don’t have to sweat a new gun permit every time I cross a state line.”
He didn’t seem to like the answer. “I was told to let the two of you in.” It was a statement, but it sounded like a question, as if he wasn’t quite sure he was going to let us in, after all.
Edward and I stood there trying to appear harmless, but useful. I was a lot better at looking harmless than Edward was. I didn’t even have to work at it most of the time. He was better at looking useful, though. Without seeming dangerous in the least he could give off an aura of purposefulness that police and other people responded to. The best I could do was look harmless and wait for Officer Norton to decide what our fate would be.
He finally nodded, as if he’d made up his mind. “I’m supposed to escort you around the scene, Miss Blake.” He didn’t look happy about it.
I didn’t correct him that Miss Blake should have been Ms. Blake. I think he was looking for an excuse to get rid of us. I wasn’t going to give him one. Very few policemen like civilians messing around in their cases. I wasn’t just a civilian, I was female, and I hunted vampires; a triple threat if ever there was one. I was a civvie, a woman, and a freak.
“This way.” He started up the narrow walkway. I glanced at Edward. He just started following Norton. I followed Edward. I had a feeling I’d be doing a lot of that in the next few days.
Quiet. The house was so quiet. The air conditioner purred into that silence reminding me of the recycled air in the hospital room. Norton came up behind me, and I jumped. He didn’t say anything, but he gave me a look.
I moved out of the entry hall and into the large high-ceilinged living room. Norton followed me. In fact he stayed at my heels as I moved around the room like some obedient dog, but the message I was getting from him wasn’t trust and adoration. It was suspicion and disapproval. Edward had settled into one of the room’s three comfortable-looking powder blue chairs. He’d stretched himself full length, legs crossed at the ankles. He’d left his sunglasses on so he looked the picture of ease in the midst of that careful living room in that too silent house.
“Are you bored?” I asked.
“I’ve seen the show,” he said. He’d toned down his Ted act and was more his usual self. Maybe he didn’t sweat Norton’s reaction, or maybe he was tired of playacting. I knew I was tired of watching the show.
The room was one of those great rooms which meant the living, dining, and kitchen were all one shared space. It was a large space, but I’m not really comfortable with the open floor plan. I like more walls, doors, barriers. Probably a sign of my own less than welcoming personality. If the house was any clue to the family that had lived in it, they’d been welcoming and somewhat conventional. The furniture was all purchased as sets: a powder blue living room set, a dark wood dining room set to one side with a bay window and white lacy drapes. There was a new hard back southwestern cook book on the kitchen cabinet. The receipt was still being used as a bookmark. The kitchen was the smallest area, long and thin with white cabinets and a black and white cow motif down to a cookie jar that mooed when you took its head off. Store bought cookies, chocolate chip. No, I didn’t eat one.
“Any clues in the cookie jar?” Edward asked from his chair.
“No,” I said, “I just had to know if it really mooed.”
Norton made a small sound that might have been a laugh. I ignored