Cursed Moon (Prospero's War) by Jaye Wells Read Free Book Online Page B

supply of poisons for just that occasion.
    “Look.” I sighed. “I know you want to go after this guy, but you need to leave this to us.”
    “You haven’t been out of the game long enough to have grown that naive,” he said. “If I get a chance at this asshole, I will fertilize my night plants with his blood.”
    “You do realize that if the guilty party shows up dead,” Morales cut in, “the statements you’ve made today will make you the lead suspect.”
    “The city labs are so overworked and under budget that without strong evidence that poison was used, most won’t do the specific tests for common poisons when another cause of death could be used.” He smiled tightly. “Besides, you’d have to find a body in order to charge someone with murder.”
    “You seem to have done your homework on how to beat the system,” I said.
    “Let’s not play coy, Detective. I make my living selling sex as religion. It’s in my best interest to know how to work around the laws.”
    Morales looked at me. “He has a point.”
    I shot him a look. “You’re not helping.”
    My partner shrugged.
    I glanced back at the hermaphrodite. “It would be nice if you could provide us a list of your enemies.”
    The air shifted again, and suddenly Aphrodite was back.Now she was a Lefty again with her graceful gestures and serpentine smile. She licked her lips, as if tasting the air. “The list of allies would be shorter, Detective,” she purred.
    Pressing my lips together to ensure I didn’t speak the curse that would push me further up her enemies list, I changed tactics. “We’ll also need to speak to those who were at the temple at the time of the robbery.”
    “I suppose I could allow you to speak to the priestess who was on duty last night.”
    She’d just thrown us a bone, so I didn’t mention again that with a couple of calls I could get a warrant to gain access to her client roster. She was smart enough to know that herself. I just hoped for both our sakes her employees could give us some concrete leads so the warrant wouldn’t be necessary. “That would be great. May we speak with her now?”
    She made a pout. “So soon?”
    I tilted my head. “You do want your property back, correct?”
    She rolled her eyes. “I suppose.” She snapped her fingers at the guard who was standing sentinel near the door we’d entered through. He came over and listened as she whispered instructions.
    “Gregor will take you to meet her. If you need anything, she can help you.”
    “Thank you,” Morales said.
    She raised her left hand and pointed a single dragon-lady fingernail at him like a gun. “Of course, handsome.”
    I didn’t bother suppressing the urge to roll my eyes. While I did that, Morales leaned forward and handed her his business card. “You think of anything else that might assist us, don’t hesitate to call us.”
    She dragged her eyes from my partner with great reluctance to shoot me a resentful glance. “Is this your personal number?” she asked.
    “It’s the main number to our office,” he said. “Anyone who answers will be able to reach us.”
    “I’d feel better if I had your direct line,” she said, looking up at Morales.
    He smiled wide, flashing his teeth. “Sure thing.” He took the card from her, and I noted she managed to fit a brief finger-to-hand caress as he took it. In a flash he’d jotted down a number and handed it back.
    I stood to end the meeting and made quick work of excusing us from the hermaphrodite’s revenge garden. It wasn’t until we’d returned to the lobby that Morales executed a full-body shiver. “She didn’t even buy me dinner before she fucked me with her eyes.”
    I snorted. “You didn’t seem to mind the attention when we were in there.”
    “I was playing good cop.”
    “Seemed more like you were playing horny cop,” I teased.
    “Trust me, Cupcake, when I’m horny you’ll know it.”
    I grimaced. “Ignorance is bliss, Macho.”
    He chuckled and