Generation 18 (Spook Squad 2)

“At the moment, it’s not. Mainly because there’s no light here in the ambulance.”

A smile tugged the corners of his full lips. “But if you were outside, you’d be screaming, right?”

“Just a little.”

“Then we’d better use the ambulance as transport.” He raised his hand and tapped the wristcom’s interface.

She closed her eyes, listening to the rhythm of his speech rather than his actual words. There was something very soothing in the resonance of his voice. Something that made her just want to drift—

“Sam!”

The word leapt through her brain and jarred every nerve ending. She jumped, then opened her eyes and glared at him.

“What?”

“You were going to sleep.”

“I was just resting my eyes, for God’s sake.”

“Yeah, right.” He hesitated. Someone climbed into the front of the ambulance and the engine roared to life. “Tell me what happened in the office just before you were knocked unconscious.”

“Nothing happened. Max wouldn’t tell me anything, so I suggested his bird come down so I could talk to her.”

“Did he tell you she was up there?”

“No, but I sensed her presence the minute I walked in.”

“So she wanted her presence kept a secret?”

“Looks like it. Setting a fire to kill the two of us was going a trifle overboard, though.”

“Not if she was involved with Harry as well as Max.”

“Max usually has to pay for his fun, but I very much doubt Harry had to. And either way, it’s still an over-the-top reaction.” Her frown deepened. “I got the impression Max knew who Harry was with the night he died, but I got knocked out before he could say anything.”

Gabriel leaned back and regarded her thoughtfully. “What makes you think Harry was with someone? There’s no mention of it in the initial reports.”

“I asked Max the question. He said he didn’t know, but he was lying. He was so scared I could almost taste it.”

“Then maybe Max was involved.”

She shook her head. “That’s not Max’s style. He’ll push death in the form of drugs, but he’d never get involved in something like these murders. Max has standards, lines he won’t step over.”

“What did he say about supplying Harry with Jadrone?”

“Harry told him he didn’t need the drug anymore.”

Gabriel arched an eyebrow in surprise. “That’s not possible—not if Harry was as addicted as you say.”

“I know. He must have found some other drug to sate his need.”

“Supplied, perhaps, by our mysterious shape-changer. Anything else you remember about her?”

“Yeah, she tried to shit all over me.”

He smiled. “Birds shit when they’re scared. Fact of life.”

“And do you suffer this problem, Assistant Director?”