the evidence to my tablet?"
Dollews was out of his seat, for the first time regarding my presence as if I were not simply Rake's pet. "If you need anything from my department then please don't hesitate to ask."
I nodded. "Please let me know the minute you find out how much quilla body material you can find in that blood sample."
"I will." He was on his way to the door to show us back to reception, but I couldn't tolerate the mindless inquiries into Rake's personal life that would come with it.
"Don't trouble yourself," I said, making as much of a barrier between him and the door as my frame would allow. "We can see ourselves out. You have already been most helpful."
Dollews looked unsure of this development, but smiled nonetheless. "Feel free to contact me any time," he said, taking his seat again.
"We will," said Rake.
In the corridor, I asked him his opinion.
"Sounds like we have our man. We should start scouring the gardens for a burrow he might have used to get in and out."
"And blood," I added. "If he was wounded then there should be some trace of his blood outside the room. In earnest, Philip–"
"Look, call me Phil. If we are going to be partners, don't refer to me like my parents do."
I nodded, wondering if he was still going to call me Nidess. "I have my doubts that Peti was responsible. I want us to go back with the sweepers and try some things out based on the notes I made last night."
"What sort of things?"
"I don't think that explosion could have preceded the deaths of Kenrey and the guard and given the killer time to escape."
Rake shrugged. "You still think someone was inside the room when the bomb went off?"
I ignored his skepticism. "The instant that bomb went off, half the guards in the complex were heading for that bedroom, and the other half were blocking off his escape routes. Not even if he moved like a water walker would he have time to kill two men, take a wound, sit a man mountain on a chair, pin a note to his chest, and then escape."
In the lobby, Rake didn't notice a man walking the other way, and the two of them collided. The other man had the build of a famine victim and lost his balance as Rake walked through him. He turned and shouted, but Rake was oblivious. "Quilla can move a lot faster than humans," he said.
I would have apologized for Rake, but in my experience, whenever I became involved in a physical dispute it was more likely to escalate. There was something very punchable about my face. Instead, I ignored the man as Rake did. "True, but this isn't a race. Most of it has little to do with the killer's speed."
As we reached the reception, Vins turned to meet us, his graying fringe falling far enough left that one eye was to be partially obstructed. He was taller even than Rake, his eyes full of menace. "I hear the case is pretty much solved. The President will be pleased. "
"Nidess has some doubts," Rake said, using the words that Vins would carve into the plaque above my grave.
Vins frowned, assessing the vigor of the obstacle in front of him. "The blood of a known revolutionary at the scene of the crime not enough for you?" He grinned at Rake, perhaps expecting comradeship, but if he did he was disappointed. Rake glowered at him as he did with everyone.
"I wasn't saying that, sir." I fumbled each word over the last. "We were just about to order the sweeps to go over the garden looking for quilla blood and burrows which might indicate how he escaped."
"Good." Vins nodded. "I want this written up by tomorrow boys, and you'll both be out of that basement back in Cosse facto . Who knows, we might even get the report in before the SP." He passed between us pushing us both aside.
Vins wouldn't take a piss to find Kenrey's killer if he could frame someone else. All they cared about was closing the case quickly and keeping Clazran happy. It was why I cared that was vexing me. Peti would be pleased to add Kenrey to his profile, and I didn't care dis about Kenrey. I wanted to
Dollews was out of his seat, for the first time regarding my presence as if I were not simply Rake's pet. "If you need anything from my department then please don't hesitate to ask."
I nodded. "Please let me know the minute you find out how much quilla body material you can find in that blood sample."
"I will." He was on his way to the door to show us back to reception, but I couldn't tolerate the mindless inquiries into Rake's personal life that would come with it.
"Don't trouble yourself," I said, making as much of a barrier between him and the door as my frame would allow. "We can see ourselves out. You have already been most helpful."
Dollews looked unsure of this development, but smiled nonetheless. "Feel free to contact me any time," he said, taking his seat again.
"We will," said Rake.
In the corridor, I asked him his opinion.
"Sounds like we have our man. We should start scouring the gardens for a burrow he might have used to get in and out."
"And blood," I added. "If he was wounded then there should be some trace of his blood outside the room. In earnest, Philip–"
"Look, call me Phil. If we are going to be partners, don't refer to me like my parents do."
I nodded, wondering if he was still going to call me Nidess. "I have my doubts that Peti was responsible. I want us to go back with the sweepers and try some things out based on the notes I made last night."
"What sort of things?"
"I don't think that explosion could have preceded the deaths of Kenrey and the guard and given the killer time to escape."
Rake shrugged. "You still think someone was inside the room when the bomb went off?"
I ignored his skepticism. "The instant that bomb went off, half the guards in the complex were heading for that bedroom, and the other half were blocking off his escape routes. Not even if he moved like a water walker would he have time to kill two men, take a wound, sit a man mountain on a chair, pin a note to his chest, and then escape."
In the lobby, Rake didn't notice a man walking the other way, and the two of them collided. The other man had the build of a famine victim and lost his balance as Rake walked through him. He turned and shouted, but Rake was oblivious. "Quilla can move a lot faster than humans," he said.
I would have apologized for Rake, but in my experience, whenever I became involved in a physical dispute it was more likely to escalate. There was something very punchable about my face. Instead, I ignored the man as Rake did. "True, but this isn't a race. Most of it has little to do with the killer's speed."
As we reached the reception, Vins turned to meet us, his graying fringe falling far enough left that one eye was to be partially obstructed. He was taller even than Rake, his eyes full of menace. "I hear the case is pretty much solved. The President will be pleased. "
"Nidess has some doubts," Rake said, using the words that Vins would carve into the plaque above my grave.
Vins frowned, assessing the vigor of the obstacle in front of him. "The blood of a known revolutionary at the scene of the crime not enough for you?" He grinned at Rake, perhaps expecting comradeship, but if he did he was disappointed. Rake glowered at him as he did with everyone.
"I wasn't saying that, sir." I fumbled each word over the last. "We were just about to order the sweeps to go over the garden looking for quilla blood and burrows which might indicate how he escaped."
"Good." Vins nodded. "I want this written up by tomorrow boys, and you'll both be out of that basement back in Cosse facto . Who knows, we might even get the report in before the SP." He passed between us pushing us both aside.
Vins wouldn't take a piss to find Kenrey's killer if he could frame someone else. All they cared about was closing the case quickly and keeping Clazran happy. It was why I cared that was vexing me. Peti would be pleased to add Kenrey to his profile, and I didn't care dis about Kenrey. I wanted to
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