[Merry Gentry 04] - A Stroke of Midnight by Laurell K. Hamilton Page B

I’ve got the crime scene itself isolated, but I need science, not magic, on this one.”
    â€œDidn’t you just lecture me about my men being in danger from enchantments if we came into your place?”
    â€œYes, that’s why I want only you, the CSU, and maybe one or two others, tops. My guards can protect you individually from magic if you are a small enough group.”
    â€œThe entire department is being crucified in the press, especially the St. Louis press.”
    â€œI know that now. Let’s show them that Princess Meredith and her guards don’t believe all that bad press. I do have confidence in you, Major Walters. You and a good forensic unit. How about it, Major? Do you want to play, or do I leave you out of this? I can pretend I didn’t call, and just start with the chief of police.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you start with him?” Walters asked.
    â€œBecause you’re my police liaison. I respect that title. You’re who I’m supposed to call. Besides, you’re almost more motivated than I am to solve this case.”
    â€œWhat makes you say that?”
    â€œDon’t be naïve, Major Walters. The department is taking heat. They’ll hang someone for it, and it will most likely be you. Let me show the department that you still have my trust and they’ll back off. They’ll be desperate to solve this second violent episode and have someone to punish. They’ll fall all over themselves to give you anything I ask for.”
    â€œYou seem to know how it works.”
    â€œPolitics is politics, Major, and I was raised in the thick of it.” I sat on the edge of the desk and tried to get my shoulder to loosen up. The injured muscles had tightened sometime during the interview with the queen. Funny that, but now my arm ached, and that wasn’t funny, at all. Of all the things I missed with being part human, not healing instantly was one of the biggest envies I had. “I need a cop, Major Walters, not a politician. I need someone who understands that my crime scene is aging even as we speak. That valuable evidence may be getting contaminated right this minute. I need someone who will worry more about solving this mess than the political ramifications of it. I think you’re that man, and now that your political star runs beside mine, you are doubly motivated.”
    â€œWhat makes you so sure of that? What makes you think I won’t cut my losses and run for the hills?”
    I thought about that, and said, “The look in your eyes yesterday at the airport when you were angry with having to share leadership with Barinthus. The fact that you showed anger to me now on the phone rather than trying to toadie to me. I wasn’t sure with a rank as high as major, but you’re more cop than politician, Walters. And if you knew how little I like politics, you’d know what a compliment that is.”
    â€œYou seem pretty good at politicking for someone who doesn’t like the game.”
    â€œI’m good at a lot of things that I don’t enjoy, Major Walters. As I’m sure you are.”
    Silence again. “If we don’t solve this, my ass is grass, and no amount of confidence shown in me, by you or anyone else, will save it.”
    â€œAnd if we solve it . . .” I said.
    He laughed, a deep chuckle. “Then I’ll be the department’s shining star, and the executives will be climbing over themselves to give me an even bigger salary. Yeah.”
    â€œAre you my man, or do I pretend that I didn’t make this call?”
    â€œI’m your man.”
    I smiled. “Good. You start making calls, and get me some CSU out here as soon as possible.”
    â€œWhat do I tell the Chief about why you’re letting us into your precious faerie land?” he asked. Oh, yeah, he was definitely a better cop than politician.
    â€œExplain that whoever did this has diplomatic immunity, but we are