to ribbons. The press is going to make piranhas look like goldfish.
Yep, Murphy said. Seems to me you should take all the help you can get. Dont want to screw it up in front of all those cameras.
He gave her another flat look and then shook his head. You arent exactly famous for your friendly spirit of cooperation with your fellow officers, Lieutenant.
I get the job done, Murphy said easily. I can help you. Or I can see to it that the press knows that youre refusing assistance in finding a murderer because of departmental rivalry. Your call.
Greene stared at her for another long minute, then said, Does calling someone an overbearing, egotistical bitch constitute sexual harassment?
Murphys smile grew sunnier. Come to the gym sometime and well discuss it.
Greene grunted and rose, stuffing his pad and pen into his pocket. Dresden, dont leave town. I might need to speak to you again.
Wont that be nice, I mumbled, and sipped more coffee.
Greene handed Murphy a card. My cell number is on it. In case you actually do want to cooperate.
Murphy traded him for one of hers. Ditto.
Greene shook his head, gave her a barely polite nod, and walked off to speak to the officers near the taped-off section of floor.
I think he likes you, I told Murphy.
Murphy snorted. Hes had you running in a circle, huh?
For an hour. I tried not to sound too disgusted.
Its annoying, she said. But it really does work. Greenes probably the best homicide detective in the state. If he had a personality hed have made captain by now.
I dont think hes going to be much help on this one.
Murphy nodded, and sat down in the chair Greene had vacated. So. You want to give me the rundown here?
I havent even finished my coffee, I complained. But I told her, starting with bailing Nelson out of jail and skipping over the details of the visit to Michaels house. I told her about the attack, and how Rawlins and I had presumably cut it short.
She exhaled slowly. So this thing must have been from the spirit world, right? If it got shot full of bullets, didnt die, then dissolved into goo?
Thats a reasonable conclusion, I said, but I didnt exactly have time to make a thorough analysis. It could have been anything.
Any chance you killed it?
I didnt hit it all that hard. Must have had some kind of self-destruct.
Dammit, Murphy said, missing the reference. No one loves the classics anymore. Will it come back?
Your guess is as good as mine, I said.
Thats not good enough.
I sighed and nodded. Ill see what I can figure out. Hows Rawlins?
Hospital, she reported. Hell need a bunch of stitches for that cut he took.
I grunted and rose. It was an effort, and I wobbled a little, but as soon as I got my balance I walked over to the remains of the projector on its stand. I bent down and picked up a large round tin, the one the movie reel had come in. I flipped it over and read the label.
Hunh, I said.
Murphy came over and frowned at the tin. Suburban Slasher II ?
I nodded. This means something.
Other than the death of classic cinema?
Movie fascist, I said. The guy that jumped them looked like the Reaper.
Murphy gave me a blank look.
The Reaper, I told her. Come on, dont tell me you havent ever seen the Reaper. The killer from the Suburban Slasher films. He cant be slain, brings death to the wickedwhich includes anyone who is having sex or drinking, apparently If thats not classic cinema, I dont know what is.
I guess I missed that one, Murphy said.
There have been eleven films featuring the Reaper so far, I replied.
I guess I missed those eleven, Murphy amended. You think this was someone trying to look like the Reaper character?
Someone, I murmured with exaggerated menace. Or some thing.
She gave me a level look. How long have you been waiting to use that one?
Years, I said. The opportunity doesnt come up as often as youd think.
Murphy smiled, but it was forced, and we both knew it. The jokes didnt change the facts. Something had killed one young man only a few feet from where we sat, and the lives of at least two of the wounded hung on the skills of the doctors attending them.
Murph, I said. Theres a theater right down the street. Run by a guy named Clark Pell. Could you find out what movie was showing there this afternoon?
Murphy flipped to