Final Sins by Michael Prescott Read Free Book Online Page A

It’s gross. Makes me think of a George Romero movie.”
    “To pump me for information, then.”
    “I am planning to pump you.” She teased him with a smile. “But not for information.”
    “Then why are we having this conversation?”
    “We don’t have to be. We can proceed wordlessly to your boudoir.”
    “I don’t have a boudoir.” He turned away. “And I think it’s funny how this question of yours just happened to come up as soon as you arrived.”
    She took a moment to process this. “Are you saying I’m using you?”
    “No way. That would be like saying the sky is blue or two plus two equals four.”
    “Math has never been my strong point, but I’m pretty sure that two plus two does equal four. And when it’s not too smoggy out, the sky is blue. So you do think I’m using you?”
    “Come on, Abby.” He sounded tired. “We both know how you operate.”
    “I seem to be in need of a refresher course. Enlighten me.”
    “You use me. You use everybody. It’s just how you are. Nothing gets between you and your objectives.”
    “Nothing gets between me and my Calvins . As far as my objectives are concerned, I’m not so sure.”
    “You live for what you do. And every person in your life serves a purpose in helping you do your job. That’s how you got to know me in the first place. You never would have talked to me if I hadn’t been in a position to assist you.”
    “That’s how it started, I admit. But things have progressed considerably beyond that point, Vic. I mean, we’ve been together for ... what is it, nine years?” She was surprised to realize that it had been that long. She wasn’t the type who kept track of such things. But it was true. Wyatt had been thirty-one years old when they’d met. He was turning forty this year.
    “Nine years we’ve known each other,” he said. “Eight years we’ve been more than just friends.”
    “Okay, eight years. That has to count for something.”
    “You’d think so.” He rested on the arm of the sofa, brushing laundry out of his way. “So what is it this time? How may I be of service?”
    “Never mind. Forget it.”
    “Go ahead and ask. I’m easy. But you already knew that.”
    She sat on the pile of clothes and took his hand. “It’s not why I came over. I just had some free time. Got something going tonight, but I’d rather be Audrey Hepburn, as usual.”
    “Audrey Hepburn?”
    “ Wait Until Dark . Get it?”
    “I’m embarrassed to admit that I do. So you’ve got a couple of hours to kill. Naturally, you came here.”
    “You’re putting the most negative possible spin on this.”
    “I’m a cop. Cynicism comes with the territory.”
    She released his hand and stood. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”
    “Maybe not.”
    “Guess I’ll be going, then.”
    He let her get as far as the door before he said, “Not without asking me what you need to know.”
    “No, thanks. I wouldn’t want to use you.”
    “Drop the attitude and ask.”
    She almost refused, then decided she was being childish. “Peter Faust,” she said simply.
    “What about him?”
    “I need to know if he’s done anything to get the LAPD’s attention.”
    “You mean, besides get away with murder?”
    “That was ten years ago, in Germany. I’m talking about since then.”
    Wyatt shrugged. “Faust doesn’t live in my division. He’s in Los Feliz . That’s part of Northeast.”
    Abby knew this, but Wyatt had worked out of Hollywood for the past decade, and Hollywood was directly adjacent to Northeast.
    “So you can’t answer my question?” she said a little peevishly.
    “Oh, I can answer it. If anything was going on with Peter Faust, I’m sure I’d hear about it.”
    “And nothing is?”
    “Nothing recent. Of course, there was that whole mess three years ago.”
    “What mess?”
    “You haven’t heard? Then you haven’t done your homework. He was the focus of an investigation. It didn’t lead anywhere.”
    She wasn’t too