Alien Eyes Read Online Free PDF

uniforms. “What you got?”
    Mel cocked his head sideways. “These guys did the interviews, up and down Dahmi’s street.”
    â€œHad to move our butts to get there ahead of the press punks,” one of the women said.
    David focused on her name tag. Officer Janet Kellog. She was a solid woman, dark-haired. She looked very tired.
    â€œYou related to Miriam?” David asked.
    â€œSister.”
    â€œYou don’t look—”
    â€œAnything alike,” she finished for him. “I know.”
    â€œAnd did you?” David asked. “Get there ahead of the press?”
    She nodded, then grinned. “But only because Janvier—” She looked at the older, grey-haired man sitting backward in the chair next to her.
    â€œWhat my partner here is referring to was simple misdirection … I mean to say, misunderstanding.”
    â€œYou mean you lied and they believed you,” David said. “This time, anyway.”
    â€œThe captain said get there first,” Kellog said. “We got there first.”
    â€œThey talked to an Elaki Mother-One called Painter,” Mel said.
    â€œHer Elaki name?” David asked.
    Kellog and Janvier shrugged.
    â€œBut she knew this Packer—what you call her, Dahmi? She knew this Dahmi pretty well, before Dahmi got her eye stalks twisted. Said she was po-friggin’-litical. Went to all the lectures at the School of Diplomacy, over at Edmund. Started up last year when they let that Elaki take over.”
    â€œAngel Eyes?” David said.
    Janvier nodded. “This Painter said that the Elaki mama knew her. Knew Angel Eyes. Like for a friend.”
    The silence was awkward. Tense.
    â€œThat’s about it,” Janvier said.
    â€œGood.” Mel waved a hand at the blond-haired officer who dozed, head on his desk. “Wake up your pal there and get some more sleep.”
    The uniforms got up, stretched, woke up their sleepy, disoriented partner. David picked a cap up off his desk and handed it to Mel.
    â€œYo. Kellog .”
    The woman turned. Mel tossed her the hat.
    â€œNext time you leave your hat on my desk, put your phone number in it.”
    She caught the hat, one hand on her hip. “Not a chance, Burnett. My sister already told me all about you.”
    â€œGood for you, David,” Mel said, watching her go. “Lecture the troops on relations with the press. From the man who called a media blackout on the biggest story since Angel Eyes turned the city drinking water purple.”
    â€œThere’s no proof it was Angel Eyes,” David said.
    â€œAin’t going to be, rate they’re moving on it. Word is, she’s too old for that stuff these days anyhow.”
    â€œAnarchists do not retire.” String had moved silently to the side of the desk. He held a thimble in one extruded finger fin. “Please to watch the thimble disappear.”
    â€œWhere did you get a thimble?” Mel said.
    â€œAntique flea market. Much human … human—”
    â€œJunk,” Mel said.
    â€œJunk. Please observe.”
    Mel rolled his eyes. “String, you ain’t even good at this kind of thing, let alone do we got the time.”
    String held up the thimble. “Now that you see it.” He tossed it into the air. “Now that you do not.”
    The thimble disappeared. A moment later, something thudded on the floor.
    Mel applauded. “Needs some work, Gumby.”
    String sagged.
    The sound of knuckles on glass caught their attention. Halliday waved to them from his office and opened the door a crack. “Conference room. Five minutes. The whole team.”
    David checked his watch. He hoped it wouldn’t take long. He wanted a talk with the Elaki Mother-One who knew Dahmi.

SIX
    David did not know the three Elaki at the back of the conference room. They were carefully poised on their bottom fringes, bellies rigid.
    â€œI thought this was s’posed to be a team