Page 32 of Feral Attraction
They shook hands all around.He had a firm grip.
****
Thebody in the morgue didn’t tell Rey anything she didn’t already know.Even Con’s great sniffer didn’t pick up anything.The body had been here too long.
It looked the same as the other DBs.Neck ripped out.Ugly mess.No trace evidence.
They drove to the Tooth and Claw Pub.Rey took the lead in the bar, talking to a waitress who sent them to the bartender.When she saw his size, she twisted toward Con.“One of yours?”
“How can you tell?”
“He looks like he’s on steroids.Vampire or shifter?”
“Could be the owner.Warlock.I hate mages.They don’t fight fair.He could freeze my balls off before I could get my teeth around his neck.”
“Should I talk to him then?”She grinned.“I don’t have balls.”
“Sure you do.Yours are spiritual rather than literal.”
“Thank you, but he’s yours.”
Con pulled out Rey’s stool and sat beside her.The bartender sauntered over, wiping a cloth across the old wood.“Wolf.Ma’am.”
“She’s no ma’am.Show your badge, love.”
When she did, the warlock said, “Wrong part of New York.Lost?”
“We’re here about the dead guy.”
“Don’t know nothing about him.”
“He drank here.”
He waved his hand around the bar.“So do lots of people.”
Rey interrupted.“We hear this place can get rough.”
“Mostly weekends when we get the Scath crowd.It’s our music.You shoulda seen it when the rapper D Monz was here last month.I tripled my bouncers.And he brought his own security.”
“Was he performing the night Ivan was killed?”
“Let me think.”He waited on another customer, pouring a draft beer.He strolled back, drying a beer stein.“Yeah.Come to think of it.Same weekend.”
“Who were your bouncers?”
“I’d have to get the names from my office manager.She doesn’t come in until morning.Got a number where I can reach you?”
Rey wrote down her cell number.“Text me.Were they local?”
“Couldn’t tell ya.”A patron raised two digits to signal him.“Gotta go.Is that it?”
She asked one more question.“Do you know of a hotel that caters to ...uh ...sex?”
He chuckled.“I shoulda become a police officer.Yeah.The Orgasmic Orchid Resort.”
Con leaned across the seat, whispering into her ear.“Did you get us a room, love?”
“Yes.As part of our investigation.”
