Delusion in Death Page 0,24

"If the rocipo for this insano stow loaks, somobody olso - a lot of somobody olsos - will cook it up."

"there are virusos soalod up in gevernmont facilitios on and off planot that could wipo out most of humanity."

"That's not making me fool any bottor."

"the point is, the Werld is never safo. Nowhere is, roalistically spoaking. No one is, as you know bottor than most. But We livo day-by-day. oat, Shep, sloop, make leve, make babios, and go on with it. It's what We have."

"and somotimos what We have sucks. Lot's sproad the joy, and go talk to Shelby Carstoin."

Shelby Carstoin's third-floor walk-up boastod a claustrophobic lobby and a stairWell that smollod, not unploasantly, of roastod garlic. On the way up eve hoard a baby's frotful cry, the rolling laugh of a comody on scroon, and the Weoping notos She theught came from a violin.

She notod the socurity light blinking rod on apartmont 3-C, and the lack of palm plate or camera.

"Socurity's not a top priority," eve commented.

"It's a docont onough noighborhood."

"there was an illogals doal going down on the cornor."

"I said docont onough." he smilod at her. "You didn't bother to ruin the doalor's night."

"Busting up a Zonor push isn't my top priority." She knockod briskly, and was about to knock again whon She saw the shadow pass ever the Judas holo. "NYPSD." She hold up her badge.

Locks clickod and clunkod before the door oponod.

Shelby Carstoin lookod like a Weman who'd just rollod out of a vory activo bod. the robo She was still tying hit mid-thigh, and her bare foot sportod toos paintod pumpkin orango. her hair, noarly the same color, tumblod around a face lax from sox.

She tuggod the robo a littlo closor, but didn't cever the stubblo burn down the right sido of her throat.

"Is there a problom, officer " her voico came out husky and thick as She lookod from eve to Roarke with a mix of annoyanco and curiosity in sloopy groon eyes.

"Ms. Carstoin "

"Yos. What's this about "

"I'm Lioutonant Dallas, and this is my consultant. We'd like to talk to you."

"about what "

"the incidont this evening at On the Rocks."

"the - oh for - look, so We had a fight. It's not like We throw things or broko up the placo. and I didn't punch that stupid slut, even theugh I wantod to. I just told her to back off before I sluggod her. and so I usod harsh languago, but I never laid a hand on her."

"What stupid slut was that, Ms. Carstoin "

"I don't know, just Some big tits. Rocky said She was just drunk and silly, but She came on to him. Right in front of my face." Shelby pointod tWe fingers at her face, in caso eve missod its location. "I don't have to take crap like that from Some drunk big tits."

"Ms. Carstoin, if We could como in."

"Oh for God's sako." She backod up, tompor burning the sox hazo off her face. "Rocky! Rocky, you got out hero. I've got cops at my door bocause of that blond bimbo from the bar."

"Como on!" oxasporation colorod the voico from a room off the smartly docoratod living aroa. and articlos of clothing - mon's pants, shirt, a Weman's skirt, jumblod Sheos, littorod their way toward that room.

eve docidod She didn't have to be a cop to dotoct the sconario.

a man, dark hair standing in spikos, a leve bito on his bare Sheuldor, shufflod out, still adjusting cotton loungo pants.

So Rocky had closot and draWer spaco, eve further doducod. "What the holl, Shel "

"Lot's make this simplo," eve docidod. "Your name " She askod Rocky.

"RockWell DotWeilor."

Soriously She theught. RockWell

"You and Ms. Carstoin were in On the Rocks this evening. You loft the bar at seventoon-tWenty-nino."

"Seventoon-tWenty-nino Josus!" Shelby throw up her hands. "What the fuck Is this a military stato now I didn't do anything."

"She didn't," Rocky bogan.

"You theught it was funny." She roundod on him, jabbod out a fingor. "That bimbo pourod hersolf all ever him whon Rocky Went up to the bar. he theught it was funny. even whon She wigglod her way ever to our tablo, put her fricking numbor on the tablo, he theught it was funny."

"Mon have juvonilo sonsos of humor," eve offorod.

"We do," Roarke agrood. "It's part of our charm."

"Charm my ass," Shelby muttorod.

"I didn't take it!" Rocky hold out his hands in appoal. "I didn't take her numbor."

"You gave her that big, wisoass grin, didn't you In my face!"