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not this formally。〃 I motioned at the body。 〃I've never seen a spell like this。〃
He nodded。 〃Anything else？〃
I hated dragging Dominic into it； but it was too bloody big a coincidence that a powerful necromancer hits town and a vamp gets taken out with necromancy。 If he was innocent； I'd apologize。 If he wasn't innocent； it was a death penalty case。
〃Dominic Dumare is a necromancer。 He just got into town。〃
〃Could he have done this？〃 Dolph asked。
〃I only met the man once； Dolph。〃
〃Give me an opinion； Anita。〃
I thought about the feel of Dominic in my head。 His offer to teach me necromancy。 The big thing was that killing Robert and leaving the body for us to find was stupid。 Dominic Dumare didn't strike me as a stupid man。
〃He could have。 He's a vampire's human servant； so it gives you two of your mixed group。〃
〃Did the vampire know Robert？〃
I shook my head。 〃Not to my knowledge。〃
〃You got a number where we can reach Mr。 Dumare？〃
〃I can call our night secretary and get it for you。〃
〃Great。〃 Dolph stared down at his notes。 〃Is Dumare your best suspect？〃
I thought about that。 〃Yeah； I guess he is。〃
〃You got any proof？〃
〃He's a necromancer； and this was done by someone with knowledge of necromancy。〃 I shrugged。
〃The same reason we suspected you；〃 Dolph said。 He almost smiled when he said it。
〃Point taken；〃 I said。 〃Prejudiced little me。〃
Dolph closed his notebook。 〃I'll take you down for your statement then。〃
〃Fine。 Now can I call Catherine？〃
〃There's a phone in the kitchen。〃
Zerbrowski opened the door。 〃The wife's here； and she's pretty hysterical。〃
〃Who's with her？〃 Dolph asked。
〃Reynolds。〃
Through the open door； I heard a woman talking； just below the level of screaming。 〃Robert； my husband； dead？ He can't be dead。 He can't be dead。 I have to see him。 You don't understand what he is。 He isn't dead。〃 The voice was ing closer。
〃She's doesn't need to see this； Anita。〃
I nodded。 I walked out the door and closed it tightly behind me。 I couldn't see Monica yet； but I could hear her。 Her voice rising； growing thinner with panic。 〃You don't understand。 He isn't really dead。〃
I was betting that Monica wouldn't take my word for Robert being well and truly dead。 I guess if it was Jean…Claude lying in there； I wouldn't； either。 I'd have to see for myself。 I took a deep breath and walked forward to meet the grieving widow。 Damn。 This night just kept getting better and better。
20
The hospital room was soft mauve with paintings of flowers on the wall。 The bed had a mauve bedspread and pink sheets。 Monica lay in the bed hooked up to an IV and two different kinds of monitors。 A strap across her belly monitored the contractions。 Gratefully； the lines had gone flat。 The other monitor was the baby's heartbeat。 The sound had scared me at first； too fast； like the heart of a small bird。 When the nurses assured me the heartbeat was normal； I relaxed。 After nearly two hours； the frantic beat had bee a forting sound like white noise。
Monica's auburn hair was plastered in wet tendrils to her forehead。 Her careful makeup was smeared across her face。 They had been forced to give her a sedative； though it wasn't great for the baby。 She had fallen into a light； almost feverish sleep。 Her head turned； eyes flicking behind her lids； mouth working； caught in some dream； a very bad dream probably； after the night she'd had。 It was almost two o'clock； and I still had to go to the station and make my statement to Detective Greeley。 Catherine was on her way to take my place at Monica's bedside。 I'd be glad to see her。
I had little crescent nail marks on my right hand。 Monica had clung to it like it was all that was holding her together。 At the worst of the contractions； when it looked like Monica would lose her baby as well as her husband； her long； painted nails had bitten into me； and only when blood trickled down my hand in fine crimson lines did a nurse say something。 When Monica calmed down； they had insisted on messing with the wounds。 They'd used the cartoon bandages they kept for the babies； so that my hand was covered in Mickey Mouse and Goofy。
There was a television on a shelf on the wall； but I hadn't turned it on。 The only sounds were the whirr of air circulating through the vents and the baby's heartbeat。
A uniformed cop stood outside the door。 If Robert had been killed by a hate group； then Monica and the baby were possible targets。 If he'd been killed for personal reasons； Monica might know something。 Either way； she was in danger。 So they'd put a guard on her。 Fine with me； since all I had left was a knife。 I was really missing my guns。
The phone on the bedside table rang； and I flung myself out of the chair； scrambling for it； terrified that it would wake Monica。 I cupped the receiver against my mouth and spoke quietly while my pulse pounded。 〃Yes？〃
〃Anita？〃 It was Edward。
〃How did you know where I was？〃
〃All that matters is that if I can find you； so can someone else。〃
〃Is the contract still on？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Damn。 What about the time deadline？〃
〃Expanded to forty…eight hours。〃
〃Well； shit。 Aren't they determined。〃
〃I think you should go underground for a while； Anita。〃
〃You mean hide？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃I thought you wanted me to be bait。〃
〃If you stay out as bait； we need more bodyguards。 The werewolves and vamps are monsters； but they're still amateurs。 We're professionals； it's what gives us our edge。 I'm good； but I can't be everywhere。〃
〃Like following me into the women's john；〃 I said。
I heard him sigh。 〃I let you down。〃
〃I was careless； too； Edward。〃
〃So you agree？〃
〃To hiding？ Yeah。 You got some place in mind？〃
〃As a matter of fact； I do。〃
〃I don't like the tone in your voice； Edward。〃
〃It's the most secure place in town and has built…in bodyguards。〃
〃Where？〃 That one word sounded suspicious even to me。
〃Circus of the Damned；〃 he said。
〃You have got to be out of your freaking mind。〃
〃It's the Master's daytime retreat； Anita。 It's a fortress。 Jean…Claude's sealed up the tunnel we came through to get Nikolaos。 It's secure。〃
〃You want me to spend the day bedded down with vampires。 I don't think so。〃
〃You going back to Richard's house？〃 Edward asked。 〃How safe are you going to be there？ How safe will you be anywhere above ground？〃
〃Dammit； Edward。〃
〃I'm right； and you know it。〃
I wanted to argue； but he was right。 The Circus was the most secure place I knew。 Hell； the place had dungeons。 But the idea of voluntarily sleeping there made my skin crawl。 〃How can I rest surrounded by vampires； even friendly ones？〃
〃Jean…Claude's offered you his bed。 Before you get mad； he'll sleep in his coffin。〃
〃That's what he says now；〃 I said。
〃I'm not worried about your virtue； Anita。 I'm worried about keeping you alive。 And I'm admitting that I can't keep you safe。 I'm good。 I'm the best money can buy； but I'm only one person。 One person； no matter how good； isn't enough。〃
That was scary。 Edward admitting that he was in over his head。 I never thought I'd live to see it。 e to think of it； I almost hadn't。
〃Okay； I'll do it； but for how long？〃
〃You hide out；