Skin Game
Page 37
He was entirely relaxed.
Nobody in that damned building was relaxed. It was an inherently disturbing place, riddled with dark energy. It was filled with dangerous beings. I know I looked tense. Karrin was walled up behind her poker face, but you knew she was an instant away from violence. Binder looked like he was trying to watch everyone at once, the better to know when to beat a prudent retreat, and Aschers gaze kept hunting for targets. Nicodemus and his daughter sat with a kind of studied air of disinterest, feigning confidence and relaxation, but they were the paranoid type by nature. When I looked at them, I knew they were ready to throw down at a moments notice. Even Valmont looked like she was ready to dart suddenly in any direction necessary, like a rat daring a trip across open floor for something it wanted to eat.
Every one of us was exuding body language that warned the others that we were potentially violent or at least hyperalert.
Not the new guy.
He sat slouched in his chair with his eyes half-closed as though he could barely keep them open. There was a half-empty Styrofoam cup of coffee in front of him. Hed drawn hash marks in it with his thumb and played a few rounds of tic-tac-toe with himself in a gesture of pure boredom. There was no sense of violence or alertness in him, no wariness, no caution. None at all.
Now, that made the hairs on my neck stand up.
Either this guy was stupid or insane, or he was dangerous enough that he genuinely was not bothered by this roomful of peopleand Nicodemus did not seem the type to recruit the stupid or insane for a job like this one.
I secured a doughnut and coffee. I checked with Karrin and Valmont. Neither wanted to save the doughnuts from Nicodemuss corruptive influence. Not everyone can be a crusader like me.
I was pleased to hear that you were successful last night, Nicodemus said. Welcome to our enterprise, Miss Valmont.
Thank you, Valmont said, her tone carefully neutral. I cannot tell you how pleased I am to have this opportunity.
That brought a knife-edged smile to Nicodemuss face. Are you?
She smiled back, a pretty and empty expression. Then as I sat, she settled into the chair next to me, making it a statement to the room. Karrin took up her stance behind me, as before.
You have the files, I trust? Nicodemus asked.
I reached into my duster and paused with my hand there for a moment too long before beginning to draw the file out again, a shade too quickly.
Everyone jumped, or performed some vague equivalent of the gesture. Binder flinched. Nicodemuss fingers tightened slightly on the tabletop. Deirdres hair twitched, as though thinking about becoming animate and edged. Aschers shoulder rolled in a tiny back-and-forth motion, as though shed stopped herself from lifting a hand in a defensive gesture.
The new guy remained lazily confident. He might have smiled, very slightly.
I put the file on the tabletop, tilted my head at the new guy, and asked, Whos he?
Nicodemus stared at me for a moment before answering. Everyone, please meet Goodman Grey. Mr. Grey has kindly consented to assist us in our endeavor. Ive already briefed him on each of you.
Grey looked up and swept those odd eyes up and down the table.
They stopped and locked on Karrin.
Not everyone, he said. His voice was a resonant baritone, with a very gentle accent on it that might have been from somewhere deep in the American South. I dont believe you mentioned this woman, Nicodemus.
This is Karrin Murphy, Nicodemus replied. Formerly of the Chicago Police Department.
Grey stared at her for a long time and then said, The loup-garou videotape. You were in it with Dresden.
Set the Wayback Machine for a damned long time ago, I said. That tape went missing.
Yes, Grey said, not quite amicably. And I wasnt actually talking to you, wizard, was I now?
That made everyone at the table notice. It got quiet and they got still, waiting to see what would happen next.
One thing you learn hanging out with people like Mabyou dont show weakness to predators. Especially not to the really confident ones.
Not yet. I should ask you, I replied, how thick do you think that wall behind you might be? When you go flying through it a few seconds from now, do you think youll knock out a whole section, or just a little chunk the size of your head and shoulders?
Grey blinked at that, and then turned a wide smile on me. Seriously? You want to whip them out already? Youve been here for about two minutes.
I took a bite of my doughnut, swallowed it (heavenly), and said, Youre not the toughest thing Ive ever seen. Youre not even close.
Oh, Grey said. You dont say.
Though he didnt rise or stir, the air got thick.
Karrin broke the silent tension by putting a small, restraining hand on my shoulder. That was me in the video, she said.
Greys eyes went back to her. You took a shot right past this idiots ear to take out that guy behind him. That takes some resolve. Good for you.
Im a better shot now, she said.
Grey lifted an eyebrow. Damn, threats from both of you? He turned his gaze on Valmont. How about you, sister? Want to jump on this train?
Valmont didnt meet his gaze. I dont know you, she said.
Nobody in that damned building was relaxed. It was an inherently disturbing place, riddled with dark energy. It was filled with dangerous beings. I know I looked tense. Karrin was walled up behind her poker face, but you knew she was an instant away from violence. Binder looked like he was trying to watch everyone at once, the better to know when to beat a prudent retreat, and Aschers gaze kept hunting for targets. Nicodemus and his daughter sat with a kind of studied air of disinterest, feigning confidence and relaxation, but they were the paranoid type by nature. When I looked at them, I knew they were ready to throw down at a moments notice. Even Valmont looked like she was ready to dart suddenly in any direction necessary, like a rat daring a trip across open floor for something it wanted to eat.
Every one of us was exuding body language that warned the others that we were potentially violent or at least hyperalert.
Not the new guy.
He sat slouched in his chair with his eyes half-closed as though he could barely keep them open. There was a half-empty Styrofoam cup of coffee in front of him. Hed drawn hash marks in it with his thumb and played a few rounds of tic-tac-toe with himself in a gesture of pure boredom. There was no sense of violence or alertness in him, no wariness, no caution. None at all.
Now, that made the hairs on my neck stand up.
Either this guy was stupid or insane, or he was dangerous enough that he genuinely was not bothered by this roomful of peopleand Nicodemus did not seem the type to recruit the stupid or insane for a job like this one.
I secured a doughnut and coffee. I checked with Karrin and Valmont. Neither wanted to save the doughnuts from Nicodemuss corruptive influence. Not everyone can be a crusader like me.
I was pleased to hear that you were successful last night, Nicodemus said. Welcome to our enterprise, Miss Valmont.
Thank you, Valmont said, her tone carefully neutral. I cannot tell you how pleased I am to have this opportunity.
That brought a knife-edged smile to Nicodemuss face. Are you?
She smiled back, a pretty and empty expression. Then as I sat, she settled into the chair next to me, making it a statement to the room. Karrin took up her stance behind me, as before.
You have the files, I trust? Nicodemus asked.
I reached into my duster and paused with my hand there for a moment too long before beginning to draw the file out again, a shade too quickly.
Everyone jumped, or performed some vague equivalent of the gesture. Binder flinched. Nicodemuss fingers tightened slightly on the tabletop. Deirdres hair twitched, as though thinking about becoming animate and edged. Aschers shoulder rolled in a tiny back-and-forth motion, as though shed stopped herself from lifting a hand in a defensive gesture.
The new guy remained lazily confident. He might have smiled, very slightly.
I put the file on the tabletop, tilted my head at the new guy, and asked, Whos he?
Nicodemus stared at me for a moment before answering. Everyone, please meet Goodman Grey. Mr. Grey has kindly consented to assist us in our endeavor. Ive already briefed him on each of you.
Grey looked up and swept those odd eyes up and down the table.
They stopped and locked on Karrin.
Not everyone, he said. His voice was a resonant baritone, with a very gentle accent on it that might have been from somewhere deep in the American South. I dont believe you mentioned this woman, Nicodemus.
This is Karrin Murphy, Nicodemus replied. Formerly of the Chicago Police Department.
Grey stared at her for a long time and then said, The loup-garou videotape. You were in it with Dresden.
Set the Wayback Machine for a damned long time ago, I said. That tape went missing.
Yes, Grey said, not quite amicably. And I wasnt actually talking to you, wizard, was I now?
That made everyone at the table notice. It got quiet and they got still, waiting to see what would happen next.
One thing you learn hanging out with people like Mabyou dont show weakness to predators. Especially not to the really confident ones.
Not yet. I should ask you, I replied, how thick do you think that wall behind you might be? When you go flying through it a few seconds from now, do you think youll knock out a whole section, or just a little chunk the size of your head and shoulders?
Grey blinked at that, and then turned a wide smile on me. Seriously? You want to whip them out already? Youve been here for about two minutes.
I took a bite of my doughnut, swallowed it (heavenly), and said, Youre not the toughest thing Ive ever seen. Youre not even close.
Oh, Grey said. You dont say.
Though he didnt rise or stir, the air got thick.
Karrin broke the silent tension by putting a small, restraining hand on my shoulder. That was me in the video, she said.
Greys eyes went back to her. You took a shot right past this idiots ear to take out that guy behind him. That takes some resolve. Good for you.
Im a better shot now, she said.
Grey lifted an eyebrow. Damn, threats from both of you? He turned his gaze on Valmont. How about you, sister? Want to jump on this train?
Valmont didnt meet his gaze. I dont know you, she said.
