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“Come on, dammit, tell me what you’re thinking. You asked for our help on this. To be able to help, I need to know what you’re thinking.”
“That’s a terrifying thought,” Lucia muttered.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. You know what? Fine. Keep every thought locked in your mental vault and don’t trust me. I’ll get an Uber back to the office.” Cody pushed the door open and put one foot onto the grass of the berm.
“I thought it was her, all right?” Lucia stared straight ahead, hands tight on the steering wheel. “The woman that walked past looked like Claudia Sykes.”
Cody kept his foot on the grass and half turned in his seat to look at her. “Claudia Sykes? But she’s been dead for three days.”
“I know.”
He pulled his foot back in and closed the door, staring out the windshield himself. “Son of a bitch.” He caught himself placing a hand over the scar on his left forearm where he’d been bitten. “You think she’s been infected by the GRUNT drug? You think she’s a zombie?”
“I don’t know. And I’m not even positive it was her, all right? I need to see if our tech guys can clean up that video and get us a better image.”
“What the fuck?” Cody said, then again, “What the fuck?”
“This is why I wanted you and Demetrius involved.” She gave him a long, serious look before starting the car and putting it in gear. “I also need to stop by the hospital and have a talk with the new ME and see if he’s released Claudia Sykes’s body yet.”
“What the hell is going on?” Cody said quietly.
“I don’t know, but I hope to hell Demetrius and Oliver find something we can use at the library.”
CHAPTER NINE
“This is your secret weapon against all the monsters you’ve faced?” Oliver stood with his hands on his hips, looking at the library. “You go to the library? Seriously?”
Demetrius laughed and tugged his arm. “Town libraries hold the world inside their walls.”
“Jesus, you sound like a PBS tagline.” Oliver allowed himself to be pulled toward the doors.
The familiar cool air and smell of books enveloped Demetrius, and he stopped a moment to savor the quiet and stillness. Then he caught sight of Heath, Tracey Mumm’s boyfriend, glaring at him from behind the main desk, and any calmness that may have tried to take root shriveled up and died.
“Who’s the creepy, glaring guy?” Oliver whispered. “Do you have overdue book fines racked up or something? Is there a librarian mafia that’s going to make sure you pay up?”
Demetrius couldn’t help a quiet snort before saying, “Hush. That’s Heath, Tracey’s boyfriend. Come on. And don’t be a smart ass.”
“If that’s the rule, it’s obvious why you don’t bring your husband here.”
“Not since the one time.”
“God, I wish I’d been here for that.”
They approached the desk, Demetrius shoring up his self-confidence as Heath kept his steely eyed glare fixed on them from behind heavy, dark-framed glasses. His dark beard was neatly trimmed, each whisker aligned as if Heath had been combing it before they arrived.
“She’s not here,” Heath said before Demetrius could offer a greeting.
“Oh?” Demetrius’s confidence waned. “I hope she’s okay.”
“She’s fine.” Heath looked down his nose at him. “I see to that. It’s just her day off.”
“Ah, I see. Well, good. I’m glad she’s getting some time off.”
They stood in awkward silence as Heath stared at him and Demetrius tried to think of something to say to get into the back room.
“Hi,” Oliver finally said, extending his hand across the desk. “I’m Oliver Berridge.”
Heath looked at Oliver’s hand distrustfully before finally clasping it and giving a single, firm pump. “Hello.”
