Part 19 (1/2)

When did you get so paranoid, Luna? I wondered as the stamped-bra.s.s elevator doors closed behind me. I think it was probably right around the time a car bomb went off in my face. I had no reason to trust any of these witches, and even less reason to trust Shelby since she was the only one who had (a) lied to me and (b) could hurt me and (c) would probably do both if I threatened her comfortable blood-money lifestyle. I wondered as the stamped-bra.s.s elevator doors closed behind me. I think it was probably right around the time a car bomb went off in my face. I had no reason to trust any of these witches, and even less reason to trust Shelby since she was the only one who had (a) lied to me and (b) could hurt me and (c) would probably do both if I threatened her comfortable blood-money lifestyle.

The elevator opened on the twentieth floor with a ding, and I went down two doors to Shelby's. I pressed the bell and felt ridiculous standing out of the way, pressed sideways against the jamb, but that didn't stop me from doing it.

”Door's open!” Shelby hollered from inside. Her apartment was done in those soft ladylike colors that I imagine all wealthy people use in their homes-a white sofa and a s.h.a.ggy tan rug, pastel peach countertops in her kitchen and a large brocade chaise that Shelby was propped on, her bandaged leg on a pile of pillows.

”This beats the hospital,” I said, hesitating to walk on floors that probably cost more than my entire cottage.

”I couldn't stay in there another day,” said Shelby. She had deep blue half-moons under her eyes and looked drawn, the way anorexics and addicts get sallow and lifeless at the end of their cycles.

”Valerie Blackburn went missing a little while ago,” I said. That brought a spark back into her eyes, but she pretended to be interested in rearranging her cashmere throw.

”Shame.”

”Yeah, it is a shame, especially since I know you know where she is.”

Shelby sighed. ”We've been over this, Luna-I can't help you.” Her tone was flat, like she was shooing away a panhandler. My jangled nerves had been looking for an outlet all day, and I picked up the closest object- some sort of pricey-looking terra-cotta vase-and flung it against the wall with all of my strength.

”Don't tell me you can't help, Shelby,” I said softly, my voice dropping into the threat register. ”And tell me you can't help, Shelby,” I said softly, my voice dropping into the threat register. ”And don't don't play this game with me again, because you'll lose.” play this game with me again, because you'll lose.”

Calmly, her right hand appeared from under the throw, holding a snub-nosed Smith & Wesson .38 Special. Powerful little guns. Popular with cops. ”Leave,” Shelby told me.

”You'd really shoot me?” I asked. ”You'd gun your partner down in cold blood because of this family you belong to?”

Shelby shook her head, but her gun hand never wavered. ”You don't understand, Luna. You can never never understand. For them, I'd jump off the top of this building. I'd kill for them. It's just what my uncles demand. If you don't do things by their code you're dead anyway.” understand. For them, I'd jump off the top of this building. I'd kill for them. It's just what my uncles demand. If you don't do things by their code you're dead anyway.”

I swallowed, because my throat was closed with that d.a.m.ned self-preservation-induced fear. Could I disarm Shelby before she killed me? Maybe. Before she shot herself? h.e.l.l no.

”You told me right after we met that imbalances of power bother you,” I said. ”You preach this O'Hallorans Forever c.r.a.p, but you left. You became a detective because it bothers you, what they do. I saw it in your eyes when we met Patrick. You hate them as much as Victor Blackburn does.”

Shelby's nostrils flared and her eyes took on a wet glitter. Good. If she cried, I could disarm her.

”Don't make me kill you, Luna,” she hissed.

”Don't make me believe you will, Shelby,” I said. ”Listen, put aside what you feel for just a second. Be a cop, not the black sheep. Valerie Blackburn is fifteen. She's a victim, and you know that she's going to be killed.” I gambled on one step toward Shelby. The gun jumped up at me, level with my eyes. c.r.a.p. c.r.a.pc.r.a.pc.r.a.p. Why was I always always the one who ended up on the receiving end of bad situations? the one who ended up on the receiving end of bad situations?

Adrenaline junkie, my traitorous inner Luna whispered. my traitorous inner Luna whispered. Never satisfied until things are in flames. Never satisfied until things are in flames.

”If I help you they'll know,” Shelby sniffed.

”And what will you have lost?” I said. ”Trust me, Shelby. I know you can never win back approval that was never given in the first place.” And I did know that, which might explain why I was half glad to get the bite as a teenager. It made me brave enough to get the h.e.l.l out of San Romita and make a real life for myself.

”G.o.ds!” Shelby cursed. She thumbed back the .38's hammer and my heart skipped with it. ”Why did you have to run this down? Why couldn't you just let it go as some dumb junkie dying a dumb death?”

”Because I do my job well,” I said. ”And so do you. You're a good cop, Shelby. Don't become what your family thinks you are.”

She shuddered like I'd slapped her, and then dropped the gun on the floor, covering her face with her hands. Her shoulders quivered as she broke down without a sound.

First, I picked up the gun, eased the hammer down, and put it in the waist of my jeans, where no one could get any crazy ideas. Then I went and sat next to Shelby, rubbing her back until she'd emptied herself of sobs.

”G.o.ds,” she said again. ”I've been so terrible. I'm just a terrible, terrible partner.”

”Not that I made it very easy,” I conceded. ”Listen, if you want some touchy-feely sentiment, make an appointment with Dr. Merriman. Where's Valerie?”

Shelby scrubbed at her eyes with the silk cuff of her pajamas. ”Seamus would take her to Basin Lake. We have a private lodge there. It's very isolated, especially in the fall.”

Basin Lake was over two hours east of Nocturne City, in the foothills of the Sierra Fuego range. For all I knew, Valerie was dead already.

”Thank you,” I told Shelby, and meant it. For someone I'd disliked instantly, our partners.h.i.+p could have turned out worse.

”I hope she's all right,” said Shelby.

I was already dialing Mac on my cell phone. ”So do I.”

”Get over to the precinct house, now,” had been Mac's only sentence when I'd called him to request backup at Basin Lake.

”Mac, I don't have time for this! A girl's life is in danger!”

”I don't care if Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ have returned to earth and are out there in the street doing a cha-cha with Saint Peter,” Mac yelled. ”Get your a.s.s back here now or I fire you on the spot!”

The phone went dead in my ear. I had never heard Mac sound so angry-but Valerie was still going to die whether I was fired or not.

”s.h.i.+t,” I muttered. If I went to save her without jurisdiction, or authority, nothing against her kidnappers would stick, and anything I I did, like shooting someone deserving in the head, would. did, like shooting someone deserving in the head, would.

I darted the Fairlane through traffic like a shark cuts through an oceanful of swimmers, missing b.u.mpers and fenders and mirrors by inches. I didn't have time for this-whatever Mac wanted, it had better be good.

Rick gave me a sympathetic look when I stormed into the precinct house. ”She's waiting for you in her office.”

Oh, this was the last freaking straw. I was a homicide detective, not a juvenile delinquent to be summoned to the princ.i.p.al's office at her whim. I threw open Morgan's door. ”What!”

She looked furious, all pretense of the cool career woman erased from her pink face. ”You are a disgrace!” she barked. ”You deserted a crime scene and have repeatedly disobeyed my orders! Hand over your badge and gun and get out of my station!”

I blinked. ”You're firing me?”

Morgan laughed. Not a pleasant laugh, a coyote laugh. Predatory. ”You think I'd give you the satisfaction of collecting unemployment after the h.e.l.l you've put the department and the O'Hallorans through? I'm suspending you without pay, pending a psych evaluation.”

Now the truth came out. ”Did Seamus O'Halloran put you up to this?”

Morgan's eyes narrowed. ”What are you insinuating, Detective?”

”That Seamus is persuasive,” I said. ”Rich, and persuasive.”

Morgan looked at the ceiling, clenching and unclenching her hands like she wanted to put a fist through something. Probably me. ”Give me your s.h.i.+eld and weapon, Luna.”

”No,” I said, surprising both of us. ”No, ma'am, I'm sorry. Seamus O'Halloran is a kidnapper and a killer and if you won't let me prove it then I respectfully decline to obey your instructions. You'll just have to suspend me by force. Ma'am.”