"Laurell K. Hamilton - Anita Blake 01 - Guilty Pleasures" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Laurell K)

тАЬIтАЩve seen the bodies, Willie. I gave my opinions to the police.тАЭ
тАЬWhatтАЩd you think?тАЭ He leaned forward in the chair, small hands flat on my
desk. His fingernails were pale, almost white, bloodless.
тАЬI gave a full report to the police.тАЭ I stared up at him, almost looking
him in the eye.
тАЬWonтАЩt even give me that, will ya?тАЭ
тАЬI am not at liberty to discuss police business with you.тАЭ
тАЬI told тАШem you wouldnтАЩt go for this.тАЭ
тАЬGo for what? You havenтАЩt told me a damn thing.тАЭ
тАЬWe want you to investigate the vampire killings, find out whoтАЩs, or
whatтАЩs, doing it. WeтАЩll pay you three times your normal fee.тАЭ
I shook my head. That explained why Bert, the greedy son of a gun, had set
up this meeting. He knew how I felt about vampires, but my contract forced me
to at least meet with any client that had given Bert a retainer. My boss would
do anything for money. Problem was he thought I should, too. Bert and I would
be having a тАЬtalkтАЭ very soon.
I stood. тАЬThe police are looking into it. I am already giving them all the
help I can. In a way I am already working on the case. Save your money.тАЭ
He sat staring up at me, very still. It was not that lifeless immobility of
the long dead, but it was a shadow of it.
Fear ran up in my spine and into my throat. I fought an urge to draw my
crucifix out of my shirt and drive him from my office. Somehow throwing a
client out using a holy item seemed less than professional. So I just stood
there, waiting for him to move.
тАЬWhy wonтАЩt you help us?тАЭ
тАЬI have clients to meet, Willie. IтАЩm sorry that I canтАЩt help you.тАЭ
тАЬWonтАЩt help, you mean.тАЭ
I nodded. тАЬHave it your way.тАЭ I walked around the desk to show him to the
door.
 He moved with a liquid quickness that Willie had never had, but I saw him
move and was one step back from his reaching hand. тАЬIтАЩm not just another
pretty face to fall for mind tricks.тАЭ
тАЬYou saw me move.тАЭ
тАЬI heard you move. YouтАЩre the new dead, Willie. Vampire or not, youтАЩve got
a lot to learn.тАЭ
He was frowning at me, hand still half-extended towards me. тАЬMaybe, but no
human could a stepped outta reach like that.тАЭ He stepped up close to me, plaid
jacket nearly brushing against me. Pressed together like that, we were nearly
the same height, short. His eyes were on a perfect level with mine. I stared
as hard as I could at his shoulder.
It took everything I had not to step back from him. But dammit, undead or
not, he was Willie McCoy. I wasnтАЩt going to give him the satisfaction.
He said, тАЬYou ainтАЩt human, any more than I am.тАЭ
I moved to open the door. I hadnтАЩt stepped away from him. I had stepped
away to open the door. I tried convincing the sweat along my spine that there
was a difference. The cold feeling in my stomach wasnтАЩt fooled either.
тАЬI really have to be going now. Thank you for thinking of Animators, Inc.тАЭ
I gave him my best professional smile, empty of meaning as a light bulb, but
dazzling.
He paused in the open doorway. тАЬWhy wonтАЩt you work for us? I gotta tell тАШem