Part 12 (1/2)
”No friends coming around?”
We'd never met outside of work. We'd never spoken about what we did outside of work. I was at a difficult point here. Partners talked about things. I wanted to feel easy with Knight. On the other hand, I didn't want to have him invite me over or get the wrong idea.
”I haven't had time,” I said.
”So, what do you do? Forget what you might get up to next weekend. We had a day off on Friday. You must have done something after you caught up on sleep?”
”I fixed my car,” I said.
”The Focus? It's stopped bouncing?”
”Pretty much.” The car had become the standing joke of the parking lot in the week since the fuel pump started to fail. Or rather, the jerking joke. A rich source of humor for the boys.
”You didn't spend all day doing that though. What else?”
Dressed up as a vampire and went hunting. What the h.e.l.l do I say? And why the h.e.l.l the sudden interest?
”Oh, I went out that night.” I kept it vague, hoping he'd move on to something else. It was too early in the s.h.i.+ft to divert him with donuts.
”Where?”
”Just a dance club. Why?”
Something was off. He'd had a session with Homicide and now he was asking me what I do during my time off? Who really wanted to know? And why?
”I don't know,” he said, backing off. ”We've never talked about it. I guess I've just realized I don't know what my partner gets up to, on her days off.”
”Trust me, it's boring at the moment,” I said. ”All my old friends from school are gone or married, and my friends from the army are miles away. I've been so busy getting settled back in, I haven't really had time.”
I hadn't missed that 'partner' he'd thrown in there, but what to make of it? Did he really mean he felt we were partners now, or was it a slip?
There was a call on the radio, and conversation ground to a halt. Between calls it limped along until we finally dropped it. A thick fog rolled in across the city and the number of calls dropped. But Knight didn't launch into his usual spiel at any time. Something was definitely wrong.
Chapter 16.
MONDAY.
Even for a foggy 4 a.m., it was quiet.
We'd returned to the station and parked the cruiser.
I needed to find out the details on the murder from last night. The colonel was arriving at midday, and I hadn't gotten a solid lead for him on the vampires. The best I could do was have all the related information ready.
I switched my cell on, dawdling behind Knight as he strode toward the door.
There were ten missed calls from Domine, the last one ten minutes ago.
My stomach lurched. This couldn't be good. What had gone wrong?
She answered immediately, as if she'd been sitting by the phone.
”Amber, please, we need your help.”
”What's happened?”
”Did you not hear? About Marcel?”
”No, I haven't heard anything about Marcel. Slow down, tell me what's going on.”
”There's no time. The police have been here-”
”Hold it.” I stopped her, the first hints of a sick certainty rising in my gorge. ”Mike,” I called to Knight, slipping into using his first name without thought. He stopped and waited while I caught up to him.
”What was the name of the guy killed last night? The one they thought was the same MO?”
He frowned. ”Marc Ellis. Why?”
s.h.i.+t.
”Can't stop now. I'll explain later.” I sprinted towards my car.
Marc Ellis. Valery Hawks. Marcel and Valerie. Domine's way of making everything sound more exotic.
”Amber,” Knight called out behind me. ”Wait! We have to talk. You can't hold out on your partner!”
Like he had, all this last patrol.
”Domine?” I said.
”I'm here.”
”Was his real name Marc Ellis?”
”Yes, yes, of course, I'm sorry, I forgot you wouldn't know.”
I reached the car and slid inside. My mind was linking things up, but it was far too late.
Marcel the artist. Valerie the artist. They worked together at the club. She had paintings of his, in her folder.
”Marcel knew where Valerie lives?” I said as the car started.
”I don't know, Amber, truly, I don't, but I am afraid-”