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the morning to find yourself a new computer. You can bring me the bill.
Ralphie nodded to her and after collecting his broken machine, departed.
 Do you want me to help pay for that? Michael asked reflexively, hoping like hell that
she didn t.
Selma waved the offer away.
 Occupational hazard. I ll be able to write it off. Anyway, since I m here&  She
reached into her satchel and removed a normal file folder with his name on it. She pulled out
his university contract and showed him a page.
 I don t speak legalese, he commented, not bothering to try and read it.
 It s a clause in your university contract that says you can be dismissed from the
university if formal charges are laid against you. When I called your department they
mentioned that they d be interested in seeing you in the office, if you re not in jail.
 I ll go in tomorrow. Michael was ashamed to admit he hadn t even thought of going
in to work. The events of the previous two days made the importance of it fade.
 It would help your case with them if you did. I don t think anyone there seriously
expects you to work, but you should appear. However, I don t think we need to worry about
formal charges. Not since you ve been intimate with the primary investigating officer.
 You re not suggesting that I blackmail Argent? Michael asked.
 Not blackmail as such, Selma said.  I don t think I would need to even mention it. He
knows he shouldn t have laid his hands on you.
 Maybe I laid my hands on him?
 And break the well-established pattern that is your sex life? I doubt it. But that doesn t
mean I don t want to hear all about it. Selma put the contract away and went back to
Hell Cop: Red Sands 165
inventory the minibar.  Looks like we ve got whiskey, cognac, vodka, and tequila left. What
will you have?
 You should probably just grab them all, Michael said.  I ll go get some ice.
166 Nicole Kimberling
Chapter Seven
When Argent returned to the hotel at ten the next morning, Michael was still asleep
on the bed next to Selma -- both fully clothed.
Selma sat on the edge of the hotel bed, gulping orange juice and straightening her
twisted skirt before she addressed Argent.
 Did you find anything on the thumb drive? she asked.
 Not yet, Argent replied.  There are sorcerous encryptions on most of the files so it
will take a while for the cyberteam to unravel the defenses around them. We ll get to the
bottom of this.
 That s good to hear. Selma collected her briefcase and left. Michael told Argent he
had to make an appearance at his office. Argent offered to drive him to the university.
As soon as he walked in the door, Karen, the anthropology department secretary,
ambushed him.
 I m so glad to see you re all right! She went in for a hug, and Michael allowed it,
mainly for appearances. He d never really gotten along with Karen. She d been with the
university for thirty-odd years, and though he could see she d once been attractive, three
decades of toiling in the anthropology department s basement office had turned her into a
Hell Cop: Red Sands 167
mole maiden. Thin, pale, and owl-eyed, she exuded an air of sympathy that Michael knew
from experience was just a front for gossip-mining. Today was no different. She looked
Argent up and down with a kind of nosy glee.
 This is Detective Argent, Michael supplied.  He s investigating my cousin s death.
 We re so grateful that you re helping Michael out of this mess. Karen pushed her
long, straw-colored hair aside with a manner that conveyed her automatic attraction to any
man in uniform, even if his uniform was a sport jacket and tie decorated with little dolphins.
Argent seemed to take it in stride.
 It s all part of the service, ma am. Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions? He
flashed a smile. The effect on Karen was instant. She nearly swooned.
 Anything. She moved just slightly closer to Argent. A spark of jealously ignited inside
Michael, and he resisted the urge to put himself between them.
 I should take a look at my office, he said.
 Wait a minute. Argent laid a hand on his arm, stopping him with the lightest of
touches.  I d like to go in with you, if you don t mind.
 Sure. The word came out with more tenderness than he d intended. Karen, damn her,
missed none of it. He could see her filing the interaction away in the vault of information
that she d be whispering down the phone to the other secretaries the second they were gone.
Argent asked if anyone had been around inquiring about Mr. Gold.
 Only the usual suspects. Karen grinned like no one had ever made this joke before.
Argent nodded and gave her a detached smile.  Mr. Gold senior and Dr. Allory from the
psychology department.
 Dr. Allory? Argent prompted.
 I had a message from him on my phone, remember? Michael clarified.
 Ah, yes, Argent jotted down a couple of words in his notebook.  That Dr. Allory.
168 Nicole Kimberling
 You don t think Dr. Allory had anything to do with it, do you? Karen tried to project
concern, but Michael could see her excitement bubbling up from within.
 What did Dr. Allory want to see Mr. Gold about? Argent inquired mildly.
 Well, I imagine he was just& well&  Karen turned to Michael.  I guess that s more
your business than mine.
 It s all right, Michael assured her. He was doing his level best to keep a straight face
through this ordeal. He didn t think that Argent was going to love him forever, but it was
always awkward to have one lover asking about another.  Dr. Allory and I used to see each
other.
 Not anymore? Argent s smile went from professionally pleasant to what Michael
would describe as mischievous. He hoped Karen hadn t caught the transition, but had the
terrible feeling that she probably had.
 Not anymore. Michael didn t have to forcibly insert the note of finality into his voice.
The phone rang, and Karen stepped away to answer. The person on the other end was clearly
a student, as Karen became instantly pompous and obstructionist. She began a well-rehearsed
speech about how all the grades had been finalized. Michael knew it would be a short phone
call.
 Had you and Dr. Allory been together long? Argent asked quietly.
 Is this really part of the investigation? Michael countered.
 It s of interest to me, Argent said.
Michael didn t know what to make of that, but was saved the effort of answering by
Karen s return.
 I m sorry about that. These students! They think if they cry loud enough they can get
away with murder. Karen shook her head, then seemed to realize what she d said and began
to backpedal.  Not actual murder, I mean. Oh Lord, I m just so shaken up by this whole
thing. I don t know what I m saying.
Hell Cop: Red Sands 169
 It s normal for people to feel flustered during an investigation, Argent said.  So what
did Dr. Allory come to see Mr. Gold about?
 He just wanted to know when Michael would be back, that s all, she said.  Nora,
that s the secretary over in the psych department? She has this theory that Dr. Allory is
obsessed with Michael, being half-demon and all.
 Really? Michael asked, shocked.
Karen shrugged.  Sorry, Michael, but it s true. He once gave Nora some notes to type
up that he d written about you. He s doing a paper for the Journal of Demonic Psychology,
about how your psychology is completely affected by your half-demon bloodline. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]