Evil Dark by Justin Gustainis Read Free Book Online

a damn good question." I turned to the Feebies. "Think you can get an answer for us, like maybe tomorrow?"
      "Hey," Greer said, "we're not here to do your–"
      Thorwald stopped him by putting her hand on his knee. I wondered if it gave him a thrill. It would've given me one. "Sergeant Markowski probably means that the people in Harrisburg will respond more readily to a request from the Bureau than one emanating from the Scranton PD." She raised an eyebrow at me. "Yes?"
      "Couldn't have put it better myself," I said. I glanced at my watch. "Sorry to cut this short, but our shift's over, and we need to get out of here at least a half-hour before six."
      As Karl and I stood up, Greer said, "Didn't take you for a clock watcher, Markowski. I heard you were a real noseto-the-grindstone kind of guy."
      I didn't say anything, since arguing with assholes is a waste of time, but I saw that Thorwald was looking at me thoughtfully. "What happens at six?" she asked.
      "Sunrise."
     
    As we walked toward the parking lot, Karl asked me, "Do you suppose there's a special course at the FBI Academy called 'How to Be a Federal Douche Bag'?"
      "Wouldn't surprise me," I said. "And if there is, I'm betting that Greer aced it. Probably the only 'A' he ever earned." I reached into a pocket for my keys. "His partner's not too bad, though. For a Feebie."
      Karl looked at me. "You think she's hot?"
      "I didn't say that. I just meant that she doesn't seem to be a revolving asshole like her buddy."
      "Revolving?"
      "From whatever angle the object is viewed," I said.
      "She likes you, though," Karl said.
      "Yeah, right," I said. "And where did that revelation come from, O wise man?"
      "Her heartbeat. It speeded up a little every time she talked to you."
      I didn't bother to ask him how he knew that. He'd just say, "It's a vamp thing – you wouldn't understand."
      "I probably just remind her of her ex-husband," I said. "And not in a good way, either."
      He shrugged. "Believe what you want."
      "Think you could use some vampire Influence on Greer, maybe get him to stop being such a prick?"
      "I'm a vampire," Karl said. "Not a miracle worker."
      I watched him unlock his ride. It's the same Ford Exorcist he's been driving the last couple of years, except now it's got tinted windows – in case he's late getting home from work some morning.
      It was Wednesday morning, and tonight would be our night off. I wouldn't have minded working, anyway, but McGuire will only authorize overtime if we're chasing a hot lead. And right now we had no leads – hot, cold, or room temperature.
      "See you Thursday," Karl said.
      "Dark and early." Karl slipped behind the wheel and I headed for my own car. The Toyota Lycan's got a new windshield – Karl shot out the old one while saving my life, a while back – but otherwise it's as old and dented as its owner. But it hasn't got any rust on it, and neither do I – so far.
     
    Ten minutes later I walked into the kitchen, where a vampire sat at the table reading the morning paper. Vamps don't usually hang around my kitchen much, but this one lived here.
      "Hey," I said.
      "Hey, Daddy," Christine said. "I was beginning to wonder if I'd see you before I went downstairs."
      "Downstairs" means the basement, where she spends the day wrapped up in a sleeping bag. I've fixed it up a little down there since she came to stay with me. No need for the place to look like a tomb, even if it sort of is one.
      "Yeah, I'm running late," I said. "I was talking to some FBI assholes. It was so much fun, I didn't notice what time it was getting to be."
      "What's up with the Feds?" she asked. "Some werewolf knock over a bank, or something?"
      "No, it's a lot worse than that," I said. "I'll tell you about it tonight, but there's something I wanted to ask you about before you crash – who's replaced Vollman as the local Supefather?"
      She gave me a brief smile.