Rob Thurman - Cal & Niko Leandros 03 - Madhouse.pdf

(1029 KB) Pobierz
Madhouse
Rob Thurman
As always, for my mom
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank, as always, my wonderful editor, Anne Sowards;
thanks also to Tina, Erica, and Cam— Penguin’s Charlie’s Angels of kicking
publishing ass; Dr. Linda James for her assistance in the medical areas; Jeff
Thurman of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for his weapons advice; the
unequaled art and design team of Chris McGrath and Ray Lundgren; my
agent, Jennifer Jackson; Shannon and River—forever the twins; Jordana,
friend and inspiration for the Nature Channel reference; Shawn and Beth, for
keeping my Web site up and running; and fellow writer Mara.
I have taken great liberties with the tunnel system at Columbia University,
as well as with the interior of Buell Hall. It was all in the interest of the plot, I
promise you, but as a result, reality has suffered. My apologies to reality.
Then again, what has reality ever done for me?
1
I hated kidnapping cases. Hated them with an unholy passion.
And trust me, unholy was something I knew about—hell, I wore it like a
faded old T-shirt. One I’d had since birth. There were those who said I
couldn’t let go of that, and that it was long past time I did. But hey, if you
can’t bitch about your monster half, what can you bitch about?
As for kidnappings, no surprise there on how I felt about them. Several
months before, someone I knew had been kidnapped—two someones,
actually. Although the second taking had lasted less than an hour, the first had
lasted two weeks. Despite the difference in time, they had both left their mark,
physically and mentally. My shirt and jacket hid the first. I wasn’t sure
anything hid the second, but I gave it my best shot with caustic sarcasm,
brittle bravado, and good old-fashioned denial. That was a triple threat that
had done well by me for a long damn time, and I had no plans to give it up
now.
I was briskly swatted on the back of my head. “I’m curious, Cal. Do you
plan on paying attention any time soon or would you like to have the
kidnappers reschedule? I’m sure they’ll be amenable. Kidnappers so often
are.”
Niko Leandros. He had been one of those who had disappeared on me,
even if only temporarily. As brothers went, he was a good one, despite a
horrifying obsession with health food, meditation, and things generally not
revolving around pizza and beer. But we all have our crosses to bear…Mine
was to be smacked when I wasn’t with the program, and his was to be
overeducated, as self-aware as the Dalai Lama, and to keep my ass alive. Poor
bastard.
“I’m paying attention,” I lied instantly, rubbing the back of my head and
giving him a wounded glare.
He snorted, but didn’t call me on it as sharply as I deserved. Apparently the
swat was punishment enough. “Then let’s move on before you pay so much
attention that you fall asleep where you stand.”
Like I said, a good brother, and good brothers, besides keeping your ass
alive, also don’t let it get away with much. But there was no denying he was
letting me slide a little. Why? Because he knew me, and he knew a case like
this wasn’t going to trigger any good memories. Grunting in reply, I moved
along at his side. “So they kidnapped the mistress of a vampire,” I grumbled.
“She’s a lamia. I’ve seen lamias and I don’t know why the hell anyone would

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika:

Zgłoś jeśli naruszono regulamin