Summer Knight (The Dresden Files #4) - Jim Butcher Page 0,81

businesses, closed and locked up behind their grills, and settled down at the generic cafe near the deli section of the grocery store.

Murphy chose a booth where she could watch the door, and I sat across from her, where I could watch her back. She picked up a couple of cups of coffee, bless her noble heart. I dumped sugar and creamer into mine until bits floated on the surface, stirred it up, and took a slow sip that nearly scalded my tongue.

"You dont look so good," Murphy said.

I nodded.

"You want to talk about it?"

To my own surprise, I did. I set the coffee down and said without preamble, "Im furious, Murph. I cant think straight, Im so mad."

"Why?"

"Because Im screwed. Thats why. No matter what I do, Im going to take it up the ass."

Lines appeared between her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Its this job," I said. "Investigating Reuels death. Theres a lot of resistance and I dont know if I can beat it. And if I dont beat it before tomorrow night, things are really going to go to hell."

"The client isnt being helpful?"

I let out a bitter laugh. "Hell, for all I know the client is doing this to me just so I can get myself horribly killed."

"You dont trust them, then."

"Not as far as I could kick her. And the people who are supposed to be working with me are driving me nuts." I shook my head. "I feel like some guy in a magicians box, just before he starts pushing all those swords through it. Only its not a trick, and the swords are real, and theyre going to start skewering me any second. The bad guys are doing their best to get me wiped out or screwed up. The good guys think Im some kind of ticking psycho, just waiting to go off, and its like pulling teeth to try to get a straight answer out of any of them."

"You think youre in danger."

"I know it," I said. "And its just too damned big." I fell quiet for a moment, and sipped my coffee.

"So," Murph said. "Why did you want to see me?"

"Because the people who should be backing me up are about to throw me to the wolves. And because the only person actually helping me is green enough to get himself killed without a babysitter." I set the empty cup down. "And because when I asked myself who I could trust, I came up with a damned short list. Youre it."

She settled back in her seat with a slow, long exhalation. "Youre going to tell me whats going on?"

"If youre willing," I said. "I know Ive kept things from you. But Ive done it because I thought it was how I could protect you best. Because I didnt want you to get hurt."

"Yeah," she said. "I know. Its annoying as hell."

I tried to smile. "In this case, ignorance is bliss. If I tell you this stuff, its going to be serious. Just knowing it could be dangerous for you. And you arent going to be able to get away from it, Murph. Not ever."

She regarded me soberly. "Then why tell me now?"

"Because you deserve to know, long since. Because youve risked your life for me, and to protect people from all the supernatural crud thats out there. Because being around me has bought you trouble, and knowing more about it might help you if it comes your way again." My cheeks flushed, and I admitted, "And because I need your help. This is a bad one. Im afraid."

"Im not going anywhere, Harry."

I gave her a tired smile. "One last thing. If you come in on this, you have to understand something. You have to promise me that you wont haul SI and the rest of the police in on everything. You can dig up information, use them discretely, but you cant round up a posse and go gunning for demons."

Her eyes narrowed. "Why the hell not?"

"Because bringing mortal authorities into a conflict is the nuclear assault of the supernatural world. No one wants to see it happen, and if they thought you might do it, theyd kill you. Or theyd pull strings higher up and get you fired, or framed for something. They would never allow it to pass. Youd get yourself ruined or hurt or killed and its likely a lot of people would go down with you." I paused to let the words sink in, then asked, "Still want me