Third Strike Read Online Free PDF Page B

specific?”
    Paty shook her head and ladled him a small bowl of her cooking. As Joss placed the spoon in his mouth, he recognized it as chili. Only Paty could make chili like this—with banana peppers and jalapeños. So delicious, so spicy, that Joss knew he’d crave it for days. As he began working on emptying his bowl, Paty wiped her hands off on a towel and sighed. “Who knows? Not me, that’s for sure. All I know is that I was told that if I value my position as a Slayer, I’ll stay out of your assignment. I’ve been instructed to give you the initial intel, act as liaison between you and the Society, and that’s it. Or else.”
    Joss raised a sharp eyebrow at her. “Or else what?”
    â€œThat’s just it, Joss. I don’t know.” Shaking her head, she returned the lid to the pot before meeting his eyes once again. “Anyway, if you need anything, just call. Not that it’ll do much good. But I can call in for backup, if needed, and we’ll see what happens.”
    He picked up the bowl, slurping the last bits of chili from it, and set it back on the counter with a frown. “My dad took my cell phone.”
    Paty shrugged. “I can get you another.”
    â€œNo, thanks. If I get caught with a new phone, my parents would just ask questions that I don’t have answers to. Besides, if all you can do is act as a liaison, then what’s the point of the cell phone? If I need you, I’ll knock.” The corner of his mouth rose in a smirk. “Try not to assault me next time, okay?”
    â€œI’ll try.” She looked at him then, for what seemed like a long time, as if she hadn’t seen him in years, even though it had been only about nine months since they’d left Manhattan. “You’re getting taller. And cuter. Got a girlfriend yet?”
    Immediately, his thoughts were filled with the memory of a pretty girl in pink that he’d met back in Bathory. Meredith. He didn’t yet have a girlfriend, but if he could, he wished more than anything that it could be her.
    His cheeks warmed in a blush—one that Joss hoped wasn’t apparent. “No.”
    â€œWorking on it?”
    â€œNot really. I don’t exactly have time for girls.”
    â€œOr sleep?” She gestured to the circles beneath his eyes.
    Joss looked away, pushing the empty bowl from him rather abruptly. “I’d rather not talk about that.”
    The air changed then. It grew quiet and restless. Uncomfortable, when Joss had been enjoying the comfort of it so much just a moment before. At long last, Paty said, “Fair enough. There’s a manila folder on the mantel. Inside is everything we know about the killings in Santa Carla.”
    Joss excused himself and wandered into the living room. As promised, lying on the mantel of the small fireplace was a thin manila folder. Inside were various files and notes regarding recent deaths in Santa Carla, but nothing stood out to Joss. Nothing screamed
vampire
. He leafed through the papers as he walked back into the kitchen, taking his seat at the counter. Frowning, he looked from the papers to Paty, who was now wiping down the counters with a moist cloth. “Most of these deaths just seem like accidents or natural causes.”
    â€œOf course they do. Vampires love keeping their murders secret. Easier to kill again if no one suspects you the first time.” She shrugged as she cleaned, as if this were the most normal, casual conversation to be having. He wondered instantly what Paty’s life was like when she wasn’t tracking down vampires and killing them. It occurred to him that he had no idea, and had never asked. It wasn’t something that any of the Slayers seemed open to discussing. But Joss was curious, nonetheless.
    â€œSo why does the Society think that vampires are responsible, exactly?”
    â€œIsn’t it just a tad bit strange that so many of these