Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Colletion_ Books 6-10 - Laurell K. Hamilton [763]
“Not if it works out,” he said.
I smiled and shook my head. “Isn’t it against the rules for homicide detectives to be na¨ıve?”
“You think it’s na¨ıve?” he asked.
“I know it is, but it’s sweet. I wish you luck finding your Ms. Right.”
The door opened and it was Doctor Cunningham. Ramirez asked, “Does she really get out today, Doctor?”
“Yes, she does.”
“Why doesn’t anyone believe me?” I asked.
They both looked at me. Funny how quickly people caught onto certain aspects of my personality. “I want to do one more check on your back, then you’re free to go.”
“You got a ride out of here?” Ramirez asked.
“I asked the nurse to call Ted, but I don’t know if she did, or if he’s home.”
“I’ll wait around to give you a ride.” Before I could say anything, he added, “What are friends for?”
“Thanks, and this means you can fill me in on the case on the way out.”
“You never give up, do you?”
“Not about a case,” I said.
Ramirez walked out shaking his head, giving the doctor and me some privacy. Dr. Cunningham poked and prodded, and finally just ran his hands over my back. It was nearly healed. “It’s just impressive. I’ve treated lycanthropes before, Ms. Blake, and you’re healing almost that fast.”
I flexed my left hand, stretching the skin where the bite mark still showed where the flayed one had bitten me. The bite was pale pink, settling into a nice ordinary scar, only weeks ahead of schedule. I wondered if the scar would eventually disappear, or if it would be another permanent one.
“I’ve done a blood workup on you. I even snuck some of your blood down to the genetics department and had them look for something not human.”
“Genetic work takes weeks or months,” I said.
“I’ve got a friend in the department.”
“Some friend,” I said.
He smiled and it was warmer than it should have been. “She is.”
“So I’m free to go?”
“You are.” His face got all serious again. “But I’d still like to know what the hell you are.”
“You wouldn’t believe human?”
“Forty-eight hours after your second injury, we had to remove the stitches from your back because the skin was starting to grow over them. No, I won’t believe human.”
“It’s too long a story, Doc. If it was something I could teach you to use on other people, I’d tell, but it’s not that kind of thing. You might call the healing a bonus for some other less pleasant shit that I put up with.”
“Unless the other shit is really awful, the healing makes up for it. You’d never have survived the original injuries if you’d been human.”
“Maybe.”
“No maybe,” he said.
“I’m glad to be alive. I’m glad to be nearly healed. I’m glad it didn’t take months to recover. What more do you want me to say?”
He draped his stethoscope over his shoulders, holding onto the ends, frowning at me. “Nothing. I’ll tell Detective Ramirez that he can tell you about the case now and that you are getting out today.” He glanced at the flowers and the balloons. “You’ve been here, what, five days?”
“Something like that.”
He touched a balloon, making them bounce on their strings. “You work fast.”
“I don’t think it’s me that works fast.”
He gave the balloons one more whack so they bobbed and weaved like some underwater creature. “Whatever, enjoy your stay in Albuquerque. Try to stay healthy.” With that he left, and Ramirez came back in.
“Doctor says I can talk about the case with you again.”
“Yep.”
“You’re not going to like it.” He looked all serious.
“What’s happened?”
“There’s been another murder, and not only are you not invited to the scene, neither am I.”
50
“WHAT ARE YOU talking about?”
“Marks is in charge of the case. He has the right to use his resources as he sees fit.”
“Stop talking political rhetoric and tell me what the little shithead has done now.”
He smiled. “Okay. The men assigned to the case are one of those resources. He decided that I was best used at the police property room going over the items that we’ve confiscated from the victim’s homes, and matching them to the pictures and video we have of some of the houses before the murders.”
“Pictures and