Free Linda Welch - A conspiracy of Demons by A Conspiracy of Demons Page B

TV?” I murmured from the side of my mouth.
    “One of my favorites at the time. Now it’s all CSI this and CSI that.”
    Stirland and Haney sat at facing desks. Stirland , in his shirtsleeves, pecked at his keyboard. Haney relaxed in his chair, hands at his waist and thumbs tucked in his belt beneath the unbuttoned jacket. He rose to his feet when we reached him.
    He waved at two chairs. “Take a se at.”
    Stirland swung his chair to face us. “What can we do for you? Do you have information on the Summers case ?”
    Probably the reason the y let us up here. “Nope,” I smiled sweetly. “J ust catching up . Wondering how you’re doing nowadays. How are the wife and kids , by the way?”
    His expression set, then relaxed as h e followed my gaze to a framed photo on his desk. A pretty woman with short red hair stood next to him, between them a red-h aired boy of around six years and girl perhaps eight years . “They’re fine, thank you.”
    “And the new baby boy?”
    His face froze again , then his eyes narrowed. “ Have you been checking up on me ?”
    “You have spit-up on your lapel.” As he grasped his lapel and looked down, I tugged the big, cheap cigar bound with a blue band from beneath a few sheets of paper and twirled it in my fingers. “How old is he ?”
    He gave me a filthy look. “Five days. Why are you here?”
    “ What progress have you made with the investigation?” Royal asked, as if he actually thought they’d tell us .
    “Mortensen,” Stirland said , gazing levelly at Royal. “ Heard of you. You were a hotshot at Clarion till yo u gave it up to go into business with Miss Banks. Was it worth it? ”
    Royal’s expression went cool, but he simply said, “Yes.”
    He clasped his hands behind his back. “We are professionals, Detective. You could cut us some slack.”
    “Maybe I could,” Stirland said, “if Miss Banks didn’t have a strong connection to the victim.”
    I pursed my lip s . “I wouldn’t call it strong.”
    “Come on, Banks , she was on her way to you,” Haney said.
    “Maybe ,” I admitted. “But not to my knowledge.”
    “ You know how it goes, Banks,” from Stirl and. His eyes narrowed on me. “You give us a little, we give you a little, but you neglected to mention the workshop you attended with Ms. Summers was for police consultants.”
    I fell back in the chair . “Oops. I did, didn’t I. Didn’t think it was relevant.”
    He stood and took his jacket off his chair. “Sorry you came all this way for nothing.”
    “Nah.” I flapped my hand. “We were passing by anyway, been to the mall. Had to update my wardrobe.”
    He perched one hip on the desk. “You must have a favorite store to drive to University Mall from Clarion.”
    I didn’t even blink. “Yeah, Charlotte Russe.”
    His lip curled as he looked me over. Charlotte Russe is so not my style. I’m more an L . L . Bean kind of girl.
    Royal and I got upright, nodded at the d etectives in lieu of a farewell and headed for the exit .
    Although he s neered in an undertone, I heard Stirland’s, “ Freak .”
    I’ve heard it before, but never with a depth of disgust which made my stomach clench. I was back at Stirland’s desk and in his face faster than Royal, and that’s saying something. And I mean in his face, so close I saw every individual eyelash. My voice snarled. “You wanna see freak, Stirland?”
    Royal stood there with me, h ands fisted at his sides, angled slightly over the s horter detective so Stirland had to look up at our face s . And Royal’s face was chiseled of marble .
    His voice sounded cold enough to make a ghost shiver. “I hope I was mistaken in what I heard.”
    Stirland stuck his thumbs in his belt and puffed out his chest. “Back off, before I arrest you for obstructing an officer in the performance of his duty. ”
    “Fuck you, Stirland,” I contributed.
    Haney couldn’t decide what to do. He took a step toward us , glanced at me, stepped back. He knew his