Gunmetal Magic: A Novel in the World of Kate Daniels

your mouth shut.But when you’re put on the spot, you want to explain your side of the story. You want someone to understand, you want sympathy, and you want to get out from under that stare.
    Explaining yourself is a powerful urge. I’d seen people who knew better, attorneys, experienced cops, and even knights of the Order crack under pressure and say stupid things just to explain themselves. I would not be following their example.
    “Nash, don’t bullshit me. Do I need to define obstruction of justice to you?”
    “No comment.”
    “Andrea, not another word.” A lithe, muscular man shouldered his way to us, moving like an acrobat: graceful, sure, and weightless. He was on the near side of thirty, handsome, with green eyes and sharp features. His short hair, bright orange-red, had been brushed straight up and spiked, standing up like needles on a frightened hedgehog. Barabas. Technically, he was a member of Clan Nimble, but he’d grown up in Clan Bouda. He was Kate’s adviser on the Pack’s law and from what Raphael had told me, nasty and vicious in a fight.
    “Perhaps I need to define obstruction of justice for you, Detective.” Barabas’s face took on a dangerously focused expression. “‘Obstruction of justice’ is an attempt to interfere with administration and due process of the law. To be guilty of obstruction of justice, a person must knowingly and willfully obstruct or hinder a law enforcement officer in the lawful discharge of his official duties by violence, destruction of evidence, bribery, corruption, or
deceit
. Note the emphasis on deceit. Therefore, to charge my client with ‘obstruction,’ you must prove that my client has been deceitful. My client isn’t lying. She’s refusing to answer, as is her right under the Constitution, which, the last time I checked, was still the supreme law of this land. But nice try.”
    Wow. I had hoped for some backup, but Jim had sent the big guns and Air Support.
    The ME waved at Barabas. Barabas waved back. “Hey, Mitchell. Long time, no see.”
    “Who are you?” Tsoi demanded.
    “Barabas Gilliam.” A business card materialized in Barabas’s long elegant fingers. “I’m her attorney.”
    Tsoi glanced at the card. “You’re a Pack lawyer. What are you doing here?”
    “Working.” Barabas grinned, displaying sharp white teeth. “You see, even us dirty Pack lawyers have to pass the bar just like everyone else. If you check, you’ll find that I’m a member in good standing. I’m licensed to practice law in the lovely State of Georgia and several of her illustrious neighbor states, which means Ms. Nash can hire me to represent her.”
    Tsoi pointed at me. “Is she a member of the Pack?”
    “No, Ms. Nash is a private citizen, who has retained my services. Now I do make it a point to keep up with current legislation, but perhaps I missed something—is there a new law that states a Pack attorney can’t practice outside the Pack? If so, thank you ever so much for bringing it to my attention, Detective.”
    “You think this is some sort of comedy going on here?” Collins gave him his tough stare.
    A little red spark flared in Barabas’s eyes. “Excuse me.”
    He struck with preternatural quickness and yanked a five-foot snake from the counter, an inch away from Tsoi’s elbow. Tsoi jumped, clearing half the room in a single bound.
    The snake body flailed in my lawyer’s fist. Barabas jerked the snake to his mouth and bit its neck.
    “Jesus Christ!” Collins took a step back.
    Tsoi clamped her hand over her mouth.
    Barabas spat the head onto the counter. “Pit viper—my favorite. Where were we? Ah, yes. You were trying to intimidate me. I apologize for the interruption. Please, resume your staring.”
    “That snake is evidence,” Collins growled.
    “I would be happy to surrender it to you. Considering that I just saved your partner from being bitten, I had expected more gratitude.”
    Barabas offered the headless snake back to Collins. The detective grimaced and took it.
    “What sort of shapeshifter are you?” Tsoi demanded.
    “He’s a weremongoose,” the ME told them.
    Barabas smiled at me. “We’re leaving.”
    “No, you’re not!” Tsoi said.
    “You can’t hold her. All of us here know that. But just to be sure, let’s review the facts,” Barabas said. “My client, a poor defenseless woman…”
    Collins almost choked on his own spit.
    “…who came here to browse the merchandise of this shop, was attacked