lh.narcissusinchains-第92部分

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　〃I　think　it's　stubbornness；〃　Dolph　said。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Tell　anyone　that　they　can't　do　something；　and　they'll　want　to　do　it。〃
　He　had　a　good　point。　〃Makes　sense。〃
　〃How　do　these　disappearances　tie　in　to　the　attack　on　your　house？〃
　Damn；　the　whole　truth；　I'd　said。　There　was　my　chance　to　prove　it。　I　took　a　deep　breath　and　told　him　almost　all　of　the　truth。　I　told　him　that　Gregory　had　called　for　help；　leaving　out　why　he'd　call　me。　Dolph　never　questioned　that　I'd　be　a　good　choice　when　calling　for　rescue　from　the　monsters。　He　did　say；　〃He　could　have　called　the　police。〃
　〃It　hasn't　been　that　long　since　the　police　killed　wereanimals　on　sight；　Dolph。　You　can't　really　blame　them　for　being　leery　of　you　guys。〃
　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　all　this　when　you　were　in　for　questioning？〃
　〃You　were　mad　at　me；〃　I　said；　as　if　that　explained　it。　And　it　sort　of　did；　though　it　made　me　sound　childish。
　〃What　are　you　leaving　out？〃　he　asked。
　〃I　tell　you　the　truth；　and　you　still　doubt　me。　That　really　hurts；　Dolph；〃
　〃Not　as　much　as　it's　going　to　if　I　find　out　you　withheld　evidence　on　this。〃
　〃It's　not　like　you　to　make　threats；　Dolph。〃
　〃I'm　tired；〃　he　said。
　I　was　quiet　for　a　second。　〃You　should　get　some　rest；　Dolph。〃
　〃Yeah；　if　you　can　keep　from　killing　anyone　else；　maybe　I'll　catch　up　on　the　paperwork。〃
　〃I'll　do　my　best；〃　I　said。
　〃You　do　that。〃　I　heard　him　take　a　deep　breath。　〃Is　this　all　the　information　you're　going　to　give　me　on　this？〃
　〃Yep。〃
　〃I'll　go　back　and　interview　the　families　again。　Do　you　know　how　much　extra　work　this　is　going　to　be；　just　because　they　fucking　lied　the　first　time？〃
　〃They　didn't　mean　to　make　your　job　hard；　Dolph；　they　were　just　scared。〃
　〃Yeah；　so　isn't　everyone？〃　With　that；　he　hung　up。
　I　stared　at　the　buzzing　phone。　The　man　was　not　in　a　good　mood。　I　knew　why；　now；　and　I　was　probably　one　of　the　few　outside　his　family　that　did　know　why。　I　wondered　how　much　grouchier　he　was　going　to　get；　and　if　it　would　start　affecting　his　job；　if　it　hadn't　already。　If　his　hatred　of　the　monsters　took　away　his　objectivity；　then　he　was　going　to　be　useless　as　the　head　of　the　Regional　Preternatural　Investigation　Team。　Shit。　It　was　a　problem　for　another　day。　I　could　add　it　to　the　list　of　things　I'd　worry　about　later。　At　the　rate　the　list　was　growing；　I'd　never　have　time　to　worry　about　everything　on　it。　Maybe　I　could　throw　a　dart　and　make　what　it　stuck　in　the　problem　of　the　day。　Or　maybe　I　could　just　ignore　the　list。　Yeah；　ignoring　sounded　good。
　
　46
　
　THE　MACNAIRS；　PLUS　bodyguard；　promised　to　drive　straight　to　RPIT's　headquarters　and　give　statements。　Janet　Talbot　went　with　them。　Christine　didn't　really　know　anything　about　the　werelion's　disappearance；　so　she　just　went　home；　promising　to　be　careful。　I　offered　to　let　her　stay　at　my　place　until　the　bad　guy；　or　guys；　was　caught；　but　she　turned　me　down　flat。
　Donovan　Reece　said；　〃She　is　an　independent　creature。〃
　I　could　admire　that。　〃I　hope　her　independence　doesn't　get　her　hurt。〃
　He　shrugged；　getting　to　his　feet。　I　noticed　a　lump　under　the　front　of　his　pink　shirt。　〃You're　armed；〃　I　said。
　He　glanced　down　at　the　place　where　his　gun　was　trying　and　failing　to　hide。　〃I　won't　let　my　girls　be　taken　again。〃
　〃People；　call　them　people；〃　I　said。
　He　gave　me　a　smile。　〃They　are　all　girls。〃
　〃Humor　me；〃　I　said。
　He　gave　a　small　bow　of　his　head。　〃My　people；　fine；　but　I　won't　let　them　be　taken　again。〃
　〃Or　you　either；　Donovan。　Remember　everyone　that's　vanished　has　been　a　leader；　not　a　follower。　They　chained　Nathaniel　up　because　they　thought　he　was　you；　your　people　being　taken　was　just　incidental。〃
　He　met　my　eyes；　suddenly　very　serious。　〃You're　right。　How　did　you　know　I　was　armed？〃
　〃If　you're　going　to　tuck　a　gun　into　the　front　of　your　pants；　wear　a　darker…colored　shirt；　and　maybe　one　that's　a　size　bigger。〃
　He　nodded。　〃I've　never　carried　a　gun　before。〃
　〃Do　you　know　how　to　use　it？〃
　〃I　know　how　to　shoot。　I　just　don't　usually　carry　concealed。〃
　〃Do　you　have　a　license　to　carry？〃
　He　blinked　at　me。
　〃I　take　that　as　a　no。〃
　〃No；〃　he　said。
　〃Then　if　you　use　it　and　kill　someone；　it's　going　to　be　a　headache　in　court。　Carrying　concealed　without　a　license　will　make　it　an　illegal　weapon。　Depending　on　the　judge；　you　might　see　jail　time。〃
　〃How　long　does　it　take　to　get　a　license？〃
　〃Longer　than　you'll　want　to　wait。　But　check　your　county　and　start　the　process。　Or　don't　start　the　process；　and　when　you　get　arrested　you　can　try　and　claim　ignorance　of　the　law。　It's　not　a　legal　excuse；　but　it　might　sway　a　judge。　I　don't　know。　I'd　apply　for　a　license　and　hope　it　goes　through。〃
　〃What　do　I　have　to　do　to　apply？〃
　〃It　differs　from　county　to　county。　Check　with　your　local　police。　They'll　know　who　you　have　to　see。〃
　He　nodded　again。　〃I'll　do　that。〃　He　looked　at　me；　gray　eyes　so　serious。　〃Thank　you；　Anita。〃
　I　shrugged。　〃Just　doing　my　job。〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃This　isn't　your　job。　You're　no　one's　alpha　here。　You　could　have　just　refused　to　help　us。〃
　〃And　what　good　would　that　have　done？〃　I　asked。
　〃Most　of　the　wereanimals　won't　help　each　other。〃
　〃You　know　of　all　the　furry　　and　feathered　　politics；　that's　the　one　I　understand　the　least。　Just　like　now；　what　happens　to　one　group　can　affect　the　others。　If　you　guys　had　been　talking　to　each　other；　then　you'd　have　known　that　Henry　MacNair　went　missing；　violently　missing。　It　might　have　put　all　of　you　on　guard。〃
　〃You　think　it　would　have　prevented　the　other　disappearances？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　but　it　might　have　helped。　People　would　have　been　more　cautious；　maybe　not　gone　out　alone。　We　might　have　at　least　had　witnesses。〃
　〃It　was　after　my　girls　　people　　got　taken　and　you　helped　us　that　Christine　came　to　me。　She　knew　about　the　bears'　Ursa　having　gone　missing。　It　was　Ethan　MacNair；　not　his　mother；　that　told　us　about　his　father。〃
　〃I　bet　he　paid　for　going　outside　his　mother's　orders；〃　I　said。
　〃Probably；〃　Donovan　said；　〃but　you're　right；　if　we'd　just　bloody　talk　to　each　other；　we　could　help　each　other　more。〃
　〃Not　just　in　emergencies　either；〃　I　said。
　His　eyes　narrowed。　〃You　mean　a　coalition　of　wereanimals？〃
　I　shrugged。　〃I　hadn't　thought　that　far　ahead；　but　why　not？　Something　where　we　share　information。　We've　got　a　lion　working　with　a　bunch　of　snakes。　Why　should　the　bad　guys　get　along　better　than　we　do？〃
　〃Every　time　one　of　the　animals　talks　about　joining　forces　they　always　mean　that　they'll　be　top　。。。　dog。　You　want　to　be　everybody's　Nimir…Ra；　Anita？〃
　〃I'm　not　talking　sharing　authority。　That'll　never　work　without　a　war。　I'm　just　saying　share　information；　help　each　other　more。　When　one　of　the　leopards　or　wolves　gets　hurt；　he；　or　she；　has　a　place　to　stay　until　they're　well。　That　kind　of　thing。〃
　〃Someone　would　need　to　be　in　charge　of　it。〃
　I　felt　like　grabbing　him　by　the　front　of　the　shirt　and　shaking　him。　〃Why；　Donovan；　why　does　anyone　have　to　be　in　charge？　Something　happens　to　one　of　your　swans；　you　pick　up　the　phone　and　call　me；　or　Ethan；　or　Christine。　We　call　someone　else。　We　try　to　help　each　other。　We　don't　need　a　hierarchy；　just　a　willingness　to　cooperate。〃
　He　looked　unhappy；　almost　suspicious。　〃You　don't　want　to　be　in　charge。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Donovan；　I　don't　even　want　to　be　in　charge　of　what　I'm　in　charge　of　now。　I　sure　as　hell　don't　want　to　add　to　it。〃
　It　was　Micah；　who　had　been　leaning　against　the　wall；　so　still；　so　calm　that：　you　forgot　he　was　there；　who　said；　〃She's　offering　you　friendship；　Donovan。〃
　〃Friendship？〃　He　made　it　sound　like　a　foreign　concept。
　Micah　nodded；　pushing　away　from　the　wall　to　stand　beside　me。　〃If　something　goes　wrong　and　you　need　help；　you　call　your　friends。〃
　Donovan　frowned　hard　enough　that　he　formed　lines　in　that　flawless　skin。　〃Wereanimals　aren't　even　friends　with　each　other；　let　alone　across　species　lines。〃
　〃That's　not　true；〃　I　said。　〃Richard；〃　I　paused　after　I'd　said　his　name；　as　if　it　hurt；　or　I　was　waiting　for　it　to　hurt。　Micah　touched　my　shoulder；　and　I　put　my　hand　over　his；　held　on。　I　tried　again。　〃Richard's　best　friend　is　one　of　Rafael's　rats。　My　leopard　Vivian　is　living　with；　and　in　love　with；　Stephen；　one　of　Richard's　wolves。〃
　〃That's　different。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　the　wolves　and　rats　have　a　treaty；　and　through　you　the　leopards　and　the　wolves　are　joined。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃You're　quibbling；　Donovan；　or　deliberately　missing　the　point。　Let's　just　agree　to　try　and　help　each　other；　that's　all。　I　don't　have　any　ulterior　motives。　I'm　just　trying　to　keep　the　damage　to　a　minimum。〃
　〃It's　true　you　didn't　have　to　save　my　girls。　It　nearly　cost　you　your　life。〃
　〃And　you　didn't　have　to　go　to　the　lupanar　with　me。　But　you　did。　That's　how　it　works；　cooperation。〃
　He　thought　for　a　moment；　then　nodded。　〃Agreed。　I'll　try　to　get　the　others　to　agree　also。　You're　right；　you　are　right。　If　we'd　just　talk　to　each　other；　we　could　prevent　a　lot　of　bad　things　from　happening。〃
　〃Great；〃　I　said；　and　let　out　a　breath　I　hadn't　realized　I　was　holding。　I　wanted　this。　I　wanted　them　to　talk　to　each　other；　to　help　each　other。
　Someone　cleared　their　throat；　softly。　It　made　us　all　look　at　Gil。　He　was　still　huddled　beside　the　couch；　where　he'd　been　the　entire　time。　〃You　have　something　to　say？〃　Donovan　asked。
　〃How　far　does　this　new　spirit　of　cooperation　go？〃　he　asked。　His　uptilted　green　eyes　were　almost　round　with　anxiety。　He　gripped　his　knees　so　hard　his　hands　were　mottled。　He　was　scared；　you　could　smell　it　on　him；　that　and　a　neck…ruffling　scent　that　I　didn't　recognize。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Donovan　asked。
　〃I'm　actually　talking　to　Anita；〃　Gil　said。
　I　glanced　at　Micah　then　back　to　the　man　huddled　on　the　floor。　〃What　do　you　want　to　know？〃　I　asked。
　〃I'm　the　only　werefox　in　town。　I　don't　have　an　alpha；　or　any　family。〃　He　stopped　there　and　licked　his　lips　nervously。
　〃And？〃　I　said。
　〃How　much　help　are　you　willing　to　give？〃
　〃How　much　do　you　need？〃
　〃Can　I　stay　with　you　until　this　thing；　or　whatever；　is　caught？〃
　I　felt　my　eyes　go　wide。　I　opened　my　mouth；　closed　it；　exchanged　a　look　with　Micah。　He　shrugged。　〃It　has　to　be　your　call。　It's　your　house。〃
　Point。　I　turned　back　to　Gil。　〃I　don't　know　you　at　all。　If　you　are　a　bad　person；　and　you　do　bad　things　to　my　people；　I　will　kill　you；　but　if　you　really　just　want　so