"Laurell K. Hamilton - Anita Blake 15 - The Harlequin" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Laurell K)

"I can't pretend that I don't know something big and bad has come to town."

"If it is not hunting us, be grateful, and do not pick at it. I beg you, Anita, for the sake of all you love, do
not seek an answer to this riddle." He'd called me by my real name; it was a bad sign.

"I can't just pretend nothing is happening, Jean-Claude. Aren't you even going to tell me to be more
careful than normal?"
"You are always careful, ma petite. I never worry that any bad thing will catch you unaware. It is one of
your charms for me that you can take care of yourself."

"Even against something bad enough to scare you and Malcolm this badly."

"I trust you, ma petite. Do you trust me?"

That was a loaded question, but finally I said, "Yeah."

"You do not sound certain."

"I trust you, butтАж I don't like secrets, and I do not trust the council. And I have a warrant of execution
on a vamp who is probably innocent. I've got a second warrant coming by tomorrow. They are both
members of the Church of Eternal Life. I may not agree with Malcolm's philosophy, but his members
usually stay away from killing offenses. If I get a warrant of execution for a third member of Malcolm's
church this week, then it's a frame. The law, as written, doesn't give me much wiggle room,
Jean-Claude."

"Actually, it gives you a great deal of wiggle room, ma petite."

"Yeah, yeah, but if I don't use the warrant in a timely manner, I may have to answer to my superiors. I'm
a federal marshal now, and they can call me on the carpet and make me explain my actions."

"Have they done that to any of the new marshals yet?"

"Not yet. But if I've got a warrant, and other murders with the same MO keep happening, I'll need an
explanation as to why I haven't killed Sally Hunter. The police, whatever the flavor, won't accept 'it's a
secret' as an answer if people keep dying."

"How many humans are dead?"

"One victim per warrant, but if I hesitate on the warrants, will whoever this is escalate the violence and
force my hand?"

"Possibly."

"Possibly," I said.

"Oui."

"You know, this could get ugly really fast."

"You have used your discretionary powers to get warrants vacated in the past. You saved our Avery."