Bitter Black Kiss Read Online Free Page B

those cameras, they show you parked outside the gate. We also got you walking up to the house.”
    Her voice was so quiet that most people would have leaned closer to hear. “The most fascinating part? The camera never saw  you  come out, but a strange-looking dog left through the back gate.”
    “So?”
    “Alvarez didn’t own a dog.”
    He scowled, but managed to keep a sense of calm. “Okay, I went to see him. I had a word or two with him. But he was fine when I left. And for the record, I went out the same way I came in — through the front door.”
    “We found a puddle of gunk inside the kitchen. Does that mean anything to you?”
    The fine hairs on Brody’s neck stood on end. Hank was not infected nor did he use his own product. However, the gelatinous residue Vasquez just described meant there had been a Lycan on the scene. Other than himself, that is.
    “Maybe he wasn't a good housekeeper."
    His comment didn't even bring a smile. Vasquez remained on track. “What did the two of you discuss? Was it the kind of conversation that would make him eat a bullet?”
    “Get serious, Vasquez.”
    She slammed her palm onto the table. The sound reverberated throughout the room. “His brains were splattered all over the cabinets, Brody. We can’t locate the gun. You are the last person to see him alive. That’s about as serious as it gets.”
    He leaned forward and Vasquez did the same. Their faces were only inches apart. “Do you want to run ballistics on my gun? Do you need to check for residue on my clothes?"
    Vasquez sat back and regarded him for a moment. He didn’t hold the subject of interrogation against her. She was just doing her job. He also knew her every move was being scrutinized due to his involvement.
    “Did he give you the supplier?”
    “Yes.”
    “You must have had to work on him a while to get him to talk.” She watched him carefully, gauging the expression on his face.
    Brody didn’t agree or disagree. “It didn’t take much to convince him.”
    “Are you sure you didn’t hear what you wanted?”
    “Are we done yet?”
    “A girl named Amy Dahl was reported missing a few nights ago.” Vasquez watched for a reaction. He gave her none. “We sent a uniform over to her apartment and it looked like a war zone.”
    Brody stiffened. They knew he’d been in contact with the girl. A sense of unease soured his good mood. His ex-partner had a knack for drawing things out to allow for maximum drama. It was still unclear if she’d been one of the people who had rallied for his dismissal three years ago. He didn’t like to think this intelligent woman, this good cop, had done that. The truth was the whole ordeal had left him shaken and unable to trust.
    Vasquez tossed the folder aside. “I know you’ll take a personal interest in this. It looks like there was a struggle in her apartment. We found a crushed hypodermic in the bathroom.”
    He already knew the answer, but played dumb. “BST?”
    She glanced at the closed folder. “You got it. There was a lot of blood and gunk on this scene too. A ton of fingerprints to sort through. And we found some interesting ones in the bedroom."
    It was past time to fess up. He swung his legs down and sat up. “You mean in addition to mine? Her parents hired me to find her.”
    That got Vasquez’s attention. She reached for the pen and folder. She scribbled notes as he gave her details. “So if her parents paid you to find her, why were you in the bedroom?”
    “Not what you’re insinuating. She wrote to them, told them she was in a lot of trouble.” Brody ground the heels of his hands against his eyes. “I found her a few weeks ago. She was in some real danger, Vasquez. I was trying to help her sort it out.”
    “What kind of trouble?”
    “The kind that probably got her killed.” Brody ran a hand through his hair and grimaced. “Sean Stone used her as a fuck puppet. He got her hooked on BST then dumped her. As payback, she and Alvarez tried