The Vengeful Dead Read Online Free PDF Page B

out. “Like what?”
    Tillie shrugged. “Dinner? A movie? Maybe a museum? You like music. See if the orchestra is doing anything soon.”
    “Nobody around here is going to want to go to the orchestra.”
    “Nonsense.” Tillie frowned. “You’re assuming. I think you’d be surprised how many people around here might take you up on a night with the Chicago Symphony. Or what about that Nick fellow? He’s a good-looking man.”
    Nick. Three times now she had blown off dinner with him.
    Tillie saw the uncertain look on her face. “You don’t like him?”
    The memory of Nick’s mouth against hers in the darkness of the cadaver freezer burst into Jackie’s mind. Desire and desperation and fear all swirling together before he’d cut her open and drank her blood. “No, he’s fine, I guess. It’s just . . . it’s because . . .”
    “Because he’s a vampire?”
    “Where did you hear that?” Jackie felt abruptly on the edge of panic. How much did she know?
    “John told me, gave me the case file on this Cornelius Drake person you all killed,” she said. “Though to be honest, I’m rather curious what really happened. That report has some serious holes.”
    Jackie breathed a sigh of relief. The less Tillie knew the better. She really would think she was crazy if that all came out. “Fine. He’s a vampire. He’s a hundred and seventy-six years old. He has like half a dozen degrees or something. He shoots better than I do. He cooks better. He’s smarter. He’s worth millions of dollars. Only thing I have to offer a guy like that he can get downtown for fifty bucks.”
    Tillie’s eyebrows arched with curiosity. “He sounds fascinating. You aren’t the least bit curious about him?”
    “No,” Jackie stated.
    “You’re afraid of him?”
    “Of course not.”
    Tillie’s knowing smile had her shifting in her chair. “Jackie, quit selling yourself short. You’d have things to offer any man beyond what fifty bucks will buy.”
    “I’ll figure out something else.”
    She shook her head at Jackie, a far too motherly effect. “You need to take some risks.”
    “I take risks all the damn time.”
    “Outside of work, dear. Risks to the heart, not your life.” She placed her hand on her chest. “And I know how much scarier that is than dodging bullets.”
    No argument there. This was embarrassing. Jackie felt like a babbling, clueless, thirteen-year-old. She crossed her arms over her chest. “So, will you sign off?”
    “No fieldwork.”
    Jackie nodded. “No fieldwork.”
    Tillie settled back and took another sip of tea. “OK. I’ll sign off. Two weeks, Jackie, then we’ll see how things are. And you need to keep coming to see me.”
    “Yeah, yeah. Every week. I know.” She sat up in her chair. Yes! How the hell had that happened?
    “Thank you, dear.”
    “For what?”
    “You opened up a little, and I know how hard this is for you.”
    “I’d prefer waterboarding,” Jackie said with a smirk.
    Tillie laughed. “Am I really that bad?
    In a word? Yes. “No. I just don’t like doing this.”
    “It’s good for you. Trust me, you’ll see.”
    Jackie got up to leave. It was only going to be good in the same way getting a bad tooth pulled was good: painful but necessary.

Chapter 4
    In the stairwell leading up to her apartment, Jackie caught the faint whiff of cigarette smoke. None of her three neighbors smoked, and it was not allowed in the hall, as stated quite clearly by the NO SMOKING sign at the base of the stairs. The culprit made himself visible by leaning over the rail, his face shadowed by the overhead light fixture.
    “Agent Jackie Rutledge?” It was a curious voice, not hardened with contempt as one might expect from someone lurking in ambush.
    Jackie’s shoulders slumped. What now? “Who wants to know?”
    “Philip Margolin, Chicago Tribune ,” he said. “I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?”
    “No.” She stomped up the stairs, shaking her head. Could the day