lh.narcissusinchains-第97部分

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d　his　waist　so　that　I　held　him　more　securely　against　me。　His　skin　was　slick　under　my　hands。　He　managed　to　put　a　hand　on　the　cabinet　behind　us。　I　stared　into　his　eyes　from　inches　away；　and　there　were　worlds　to　drown　in；　in　those　eyes；　needs　and　hopes；　everything。
　A　man's　voice　yelled；　〃Police！〃
　I　yelled　back；　〃Don't　shoot；　the　bad　guys　are　gone。　We've　got　wounded。〃　I　moved　Micah　so　he　could　prop　himself　against　the　cabinet；　then　put　my　hands　on　my　head　and　moved　carefully　into　the　doorway。　I　had　to　step　over　the　bodies　in　the　kitchen　door　to　e　into　the　line　of　sight　of　the　two　officers　crouched　in　the　doorway。　If　I'd　been　a　large　imposing　man；　they　might　still　have　fired　　not　on　purpose　exactly；　but　you　don't　see　three　bodies　in　a　doorway　in　Jefferson　County；　Missouri；　every　day。　But　I　was　small；　female；　and　looked　fairly　benign；　unarmed。　But　I　kept　talking　as　I　moved　anyway。　Things　like；　〃They　attacked　us。　We've　got　wounded。　We　need　an　ambulance。　Thank　God　you　guys　came　when　you　did。　The　sirens　scared　them　away。〃　I　kept　babbling　until　I　was　sure　that　they　weren't　going　to　shoot　me；　then　the　really　hard　part　started。　How　do　you　explain　five　bodies　in　your　kitchen；　some　of　which　even　in　death　didn't　look　very　human？　Beats　the　hell　out　of　me。
　
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　TWO　HOURS　LATER　I　was　sitting　on　my　couch；　talking　to　Zerbrowski。　He　looked；　as　he　usually　did；　like　he'd　dressed　in　a　hurry；　in　the　dark；　so　that　nothing　quite　matched；　and　he'd　grabbed　the　tie　with　the　stain　on　it；　instead　of　the　one　that　he　probably　meant　to　wear。　His　wife；　Katie；　was　a　neat；　orderly　sort　of　person；　and　I'd　never　figured　out　why　she　allowed　Zerbrowski　to　leave　the　house　dressed　like　a　walking　disaster。　Of　course；　maybe　it　wasn't　a　matter　of　allowing　him　to　do　anything；　maybe　it　was　just　one　of　those　battles　you　just　gave　up　on　after　a　few　years。
　Caleb　sat　on　the　far　end　of　the　couch　huddled　in　a　blanket　we'd　gotten　off　the　bed。　The　paramedics　that　had　taken　Claudia　away　had　said　he　was　in　shock。　I　was　betting　that　this　was　the　first　time　he'd　been　on　the　wrong　end　of　a　shotgun。　Only　the　top　of　his　curls　and　a　thin　slit　of　brown　eyes　showed　above　the　blanket。　He　looked　about　ten　years　old；　huddled　like　that。　I　would　have　offered　fort　but　Zerbrowski　wouldn't　let　me　talk　to　him　or　anyone　else。　Merle　stood　against　the　wall　at　the　end　of　the　couch；　watching　everything　with　unreadable　eyes。　The　cops　kept　giving　him　little　eye　flicks　as　they　moved　around　the　room。　He　made　most　of　them　unfortable　for　the　same　reason　he　made　me　unfortable；　he　wore　the　potential　for　violence　like　an　expensive　cologne。
　Zerbrowski　pushed　his　glasses　more　firmly　on　his　nose；　shoved　his　hands　in　his　pants　pockets；　and　looked　down　at　me。　He　was　standing；　I　was　sitting；　the　looking　down　part　was　easy。　〃So　let　me　get　this　straight；　these　guys　just　burst　in　here；　and　you　don't　have　the　first　idea　why。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　I　said。
　He　stared　at　me。　I　stared　back。　If　he　thought　I　was　going　to　break　under　the　pressure　of　his　steely　gaze；　he　was　wrong。　It　helped　that　I　really　didn't　have　the　faintest　idea　what　was　going　on。　I　sat。　He　stood。　We　stared　at　each　other。　Caleb　shuddered　on　his　end　of　the　couch。　Merle　watched　all　the　people　scurrying　back　and　forth。
　There　were　a　lot　of　people。　They　moved　around　the　house　behind　Zerbrowski；　going　in　and　out　of　the　kitchen；　like　huge；　ambitious　ants。　There's　always　too　many　people　at　a　crime　scene；　not　gawkers　either。　You　always　have　too　many　cops　around；　way　more　than　you　need。　But　you　never　know　which　pair　of　eyes　or　hands　will　find　that　vital　clue。　Frankly；　I　thought　more　evidence　was　probably　lost　with　all　the　traffic　than　found　with　the　extra　help；　but　that　was　me。　I'm　just　not　the　social　type。
　We　stood　in　our　own　little　well　of　silence。　The　bedroom　door　opened　behind　us。　I　glanced　back　to　see　Micah　e　out　of　the　room。　He　was　wearing　a　pair　of　my　sweatpants。　Since　they　were　men's　sweats　anyway　and　we　were　the　same　height；　they　fit　perfectly。　I'd　never　had　a　boyfriend　that　I　could　trade　clothes　with　before。　You　just　didn't　find　that　many　grown　men　my　size。
　The　police　hadn't　let　him　shower；　so　his　long　hair　had　dried　in　messy　clumps　to　his　shoulders。　The　drying　liquid　was　beginning　to　flake　off　in　patches。　His　chartreuse　eyes　flicked　towards　me；　but　they　stayed　neutral。　Dolph　came　right　behind　him；　looming　over　Micah　the　way　he　loomed　over　me。　Dolph's　eyes　weren't　neutral；　they　were　angry。　He'd　been　angry　since　he　stepped　through　the　door。　He'd　separated　us　all　into　different　rooms。　Nathaniel　was　being　questioned　by　his　friend　from　the　police　station；　Detective　Jessica　Arnet。　They　were　in　the　guest　room　upstairs。　Detective　Perry　had　questioned　Caleb　and　was　still　questioning　Zane。　Dolph　had　done　Merle　and　Micah。　Zerbrowski　hadn't　so　much　questioned　me　as　simply　stood　there　and　made　sure　I　didn't　talk　to　any　of　the　others。　Call　it　a　hunch；　but　I　was　betting　Dolph　planned　on　questioning　me　personally。
　We　did　have　five　bodies　on　the　ground；　three　of　which　even　in　death　hadn't　changed　back　to　human　form。　The　three　snake　things　had　stayed　snakey。　Shapeshifters　always　change　back　to　their　original　form　in　death。　Always。　Which　raised　the　question；　if　they　weren't　shapeshifters；　what　the　hell　were　they？
　〃Anita；〃　Dolph　said。　One　word；　but　I　knew　what　he　meant。　I　got　up　and　went　for　the　bedroom。　Micah　brushed　his　fingertips　across　my　hand　as　I　passed　him。　Dolph's　eyes　tightened；　and　I　knew　he'd　noticed。
　He　held　the　door　for　me；　and　I　walked　past　him　into　my　bedroom。　I　resented　them　using　my　house；　my　bedroom；　to　question　me；　but　it　beat　the　hell　out　of　going　downtown。　So　I　kept　my　plaints　to　myself。　Dolph　had　every　reason　to　take　us　all　downtown。　We　had　dead　bodies；　and　I　wasn't　even　denying　I　had　killed　them。　Oh；　I　might　have　tried　to　deny　it　if　I　thought　I　could　get　away　with　it；　but　I　couldn't；　so　I　didn't。
　He　motioned　me　to　the　kitchen　chair　that　had　been　moved　into　the　bedroom。　He　stayed　standing；　all　six…feet…eight　of　him。　〃Tell　me；〃　he　said。
　I　told　him　exactly　what　had　happened。　I　told　the　truth；　all　of　it。　Of　course　I　didn't　know　enough　to　need　to　lie。　They'd　carted　Igor's　body　away；　all　those　bright　tattoos　still　vibrant；　more　alive　than　the　rest　of　him。　We　had　one　dead　and　one　wounded。　It　was　my　house。　It　was　obviously　a　case　of　self…defense。　The　only　difference　from　the　other　two　times　I'd　had　to　kill　people　in　my　house　was　the　number　of　bodies　and　that　some　of　them　were　so　not…human。　Other　than　that；　I'd　walked　on　much　more　questionable　occasions。　So　why　was　Dolph　treating　this　one　more　seriously？　I　didn't　have　a　clue。
　Dolph　stared　down　at　me。　He　has　a　much　better　steely　gaze　than　Zerbrowski；　but　I　gave　him　calm；　blank　eyes。　I　could　look　innocent　this　time；　because　I　was。
　〃And　you　don't　know　why　they　wanted　to　take　you？〃
　Actually；　I　had　a　thought　on　that　one；　but　I　didn't　share　it；　couldn't。　They　might　have　e　hunting　me　because　I　nearly　killed　their　leader。　One　of　the　problems　with　withholding　evidence　from　the　police　is　that　later　you　can't　always　explain　yourself　without　confessing　that　you've　withheld　evidence。　This　was　one　of　those　moments。　I　hadn't　told　Dolph　about　the　half…men　half…snakes　taking　Nathaniel　and　the　fight　afterwards。　I　could　have　told　him　now；　but　。。。　but　there　were　too　many　things　that　I'd　have　had　to　tell　him；　like　that　maybe　I　was　going　to　be　a　wereleopard。　Dolph　hated　the　monsters。　I　wasn't　ready　to　share　that　with　him。
　I　gave　him　an　innocent　face　and　said；　〃Nope。〃
　〃They　wanted　you　pretty　damn　bad；　Anita；　to　e　in　here　with　this　kind　of　firepower。〃
　I　shrugged。　〃I　guess　so。〃
　The　anger　filled　his　eyes；　thinned　his　lips　to　a　tight　line。　〃You　are　lying　to　me。〃
　I　widened　my　eyes。　〃Would　I　do　that？〃
　He　whirled　and　slammed　his　hand　into　the　top　of　my　dresser；　hard　enough　that　the　mirror　thudded　against　the　wall。　The　glass　shivered；　and　for　a　second　I　thought　it　might　shatter。　It　didn't；　but　the　door　opened　and　Zerbrowski　stuck　his　head　in　the　door。　〃Everything　alright　in　here？〃
　Dolph　glared　at　him；　but　Zerbrowski　didn't　flinch。　〃Maybe　I　should　finish　questioning　Anita。〃
　Dolph　shook　his　head。　〃Get　out；　Zerbrowski。〃
　Brave　man　that　he　was；　he　looked　at　me。　〃You　okay　with　that；　Anita？
　I　nodded；　but　Dolph　was　already　yelling；　〃Get　the　fuck　out！〃
　Zerbrowski　gave　us　both　a　last　look　and　closed　the　door；　saying；　〃Yell　if　you　need　anything。〃　The　door　closed；　and　in　the　sudden　silence　I　could　hear　Dolph's　breathing；　heavy；　labored。　I　could　smell　the　sweat　on　his　skin；　faint；　not　unpleasant；　but　a　sure　sign　that　he　was　in　distress。　What　was　going　on？
　〃Dolph？〃　I　made　his　name　a　question。
　He　spoke　without　turning　around。　〃I　am　taking　a　lot　of　heat　for　you；　Anita。〃
　〃Not　on　this　you're　not；〃　I　said。　〃Everybody　that　you　took　out　of　this　house　won't　be　human。　The　laws　may　cover　shapeshifters　as　human；　but　I　know　how　it　works。　What's　one　more　dead　monster？〃
　He　turned　then；　leaning　his　big　body　against　the　dresser；　arms　crossed。　〃I　thought　that　shapeshifters　changed　back　to　human　form　when　they　died。〃
　〃They　do；〃　I　said。
　〃The　snake　things　didn't。〃
　〃No；　they　didn't。〃
　We　looked　at　each　other。　〃You're　saying　they　weren't　shapeshifters？〃
　〃No；　I'm　saying　I　don't　kn