Kill the Dead (Sandman Slim 2)

“Now tell me about your real father.”

“I don’t know him that well. He’s a doctor, but it’s a second career. He used to be an archangel.”

“Kinski? How funny. And you only just discovered this?”

“If Lucifer was telling the truth. I think he was. It’s more fun for him to kill you with the truth than with a lie.”

“I wish I’d been there to see your face.”

“It wasn’t all that dramatic.”

“Seeing you in any amount of pain would be a joy.”

“I cut my arm on a piece of glass earlier.”

“Did it hurt?”

“It stung.”

“Good.”

The phone rings. Koralin goes to the desk and exchanges a few words with the caller.

“Jan is here.”

“Tell him to take the elevator to three.”

I pick up my gun and go to the door.

“Our deal is still on, but if you get near Aki while I let them in, I’ll blow his head off.”

I push open the door just as the elevator arrives.

“In here.”

Candy comes through first. She throws her arms around me and holds on tight.

“He’s dead. Doc is dead,” she says. “That angel bitch Aelita killed him.”

“I know. It’s all right. We’ll get through this.”

Jan comes in after her with Kasabian’s bowling bag.

I gesture to him with the gun.

“Go over to the table and let him out. Then sit down next to your wife.”

Jan unzips the bag and puts Kasabian on the table. Jan sits down at the far end of the sofa, as far from Koralin as he can.

“Fuck you, you Kraut shit.”

I set Candy in a chair by the desk.

“You all right, Kasabian?”

“No thanks to these pricks. That bitch stood there while that crazy-ass angel stabbed Kinski.”

“Sit tight and keep quiet. This will be over with soon.”