"Laurell K. Hamilton - Anita Blake 04 - Lunatic Cafe" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Laurell K)

He looked up at that, eyes wide with alarm. "She's not dead. I know that."
"Then what can I possibly do for you, Mr. Smitz? I raise the dead, and am a
legal vampire executioner. What in that job description could help your wife?"
"Mr. Vaughn said you knew all about lycanthropy." He said that as if it
explained everything. It didn't.
"My boss makes a lot of claims, Mr. Smitz. But what does lycanthropy have
to do with your wife?" This was the second time I'd asked about his wife. I
seemed to be speaking English, but perhaps my questions were really Swahili
and I just didn't realize it. Or maybe whatever had happened was too awful for
words. That happened a lot in my business.
He leaned forward, eyes intense on my face. I leaned forward, too, I
couldn't help myself. "Peggy, that's my wife, she's a lycanthrope."
I blinked at him. "And?"
"If it came out, she'd lose her job."
I didn't argue with him. Legally, you couldn't discriminate against
lycanthropes, but it happened a lot. "What sort of work is Peggy in?"
"She's a butcher."
A lycanthrope that was a butcher. It was too perfect. But I could see why
she'd lose her job. Food preparation with a potentially fatal disease. I don't
think so. I knew, and the health department knew, that lycanthropy can only be
transferred by an attack in the animal form. Most people don't believe that.
Can't say I blame them entirely. I don't want to be fuzzy, either.
"She runs a specialty meat store. It's a good business. She inherited it
from her father."
"Was he a lycanthrope, too?" I asked.
He shook his head. "No, Peggy was attacked a few years back. She survived .
. ." He shrugged. "But, you know."
I did know. "So your wife is a lycanthrope and would lose her business if
it came out. I understand that. But how can I help you?" I fought the urge to
glance at my watch. I had the tickets. Richard couldn't go in without me.
"Peggy's missing."
Ah. "I am not a private detective, Mr. Smitz. I don't do missing persons."
"But I can't go to the police. They might find out."
"How long has she been missing?"
"Two days."
"My advice is to go to the police."
He shook his head stubbornly. "No."
I sighed. "I don't know anything about finding a missing person. I raise
the dead, slay vampires, that's it."
"Mr. Vaughn said you could help me."
"Did you tell him your problem?"
He nodded.
Shit. Bert and I were going to have a long talk. "The police are good at
their job, Mr. Smitz. Just tell them your wife is missing. Don't mention the
lycanthropy. See what they turn up." I didn't like telling a client to
withhold information from the police, but it beat the heck out of not going at
all.
"Ms. Blake, please, I'm worried. We've got two kids."
I started to say all the reasons I couldn't help him, then stopped. I had
an idea. "Animators, Inc., has a private investigator on retainer. Veronica