Hounded

door and walking toward us.
    » You do not have probable cause to look around, « Leif told him as he lowered his hands and crossed his arms. I put mine in my pockets.
    » The 911 call gave us probable cause, « Benton countered.
    » A crank call that clearly has no basis in fact. The only disruption to the peace in this neighborhood tonight has been your sirens, and if you want to search my client’s property, you should go get a warrant. «
    » What is your client trying to hide? « Benton asked.
    » It is not a matter of hiding anything, Officer Benton, « Leif said. » It is a matter of protecting my client against unreasonable search and seizure. You have absolutely no reason to search these premises. Your call described a sword fight in progress, but nothing like that has gone on here, so I think your time would be better spent protecting the city from real threats instead of imaginary ones. In addition, if the caller was the elderly Lebanese gentleman across the street, he has a long history of harassing my client over imagined trespasses. We are considering a restraining order against him. «
    Officer Benton looked supremely frustrated. He knew, he just knew , I was hiding something, and of course he was right. But he wasn’t used to dealing with lawyers—detectives usually handled them—and he wasn’t confident enough to proceed when he couldn’t see anything wrong. Apparently the officer who had told me to drop the sword couldn’t see it strapped to my back either, because he hadn’t said a word since he got out of the car. He must have been shouting at me based on the 911 call. All hearsay. But Benton couldn’t resist trying to bully me anyway.
    » Haven’t you got anything to say, mister? « he sneered at me. » Why did we get called out here? «
    » Well, « I said, » I cannot say for certain, of course, but it might be because Mr. Semerdjian across the street there really doesn’t like me. You see, about three years ago my dog escaped and pooped on his lawn. I apologized and cleaned it up, but he’s never forgiven me. «
    › Hey, I heard that! ‹ Oberon called from the porch. › You told me to poop on his lawn! ‹
    Yeah, so what’s your point? I asked.
    › You’re making it sound like I’m some ordinary dog who just poops anywhere. ‹
    I know, but it’s going to get that Semerdjian guy in trouble .
    › Oh. Well, that’s okay, then. I don’t like him. ‹
    Officer Benton glowered at me for a moment, and then at Leif, but if he was expecting us to confess, he was going to be disappointed.
    » Sorry for disturbing you, « he finally growled, and then thought to amend his tone. » Have a nice night. « He turned his back on us and stalked across the street to Mr. Semerdjian’s house, muttering to two of the officers that they could go, he’d write it up. They made good-bye noises at him and climbed back into their cars, turning off their lights and motoring away as Officer Benton pounded on Semerdjian’s door.
    » Should we worry about him remembering anything? « I whispered to Leif.
    » No, he is still completely in my thrall, « he replied in the same low tone. » How were you planning to get rid of the Fir Bolgs? «
    » I actually hadn’t planned that far yet. «
    » You know, for another glass of that fine vintage you have, I can take care of it. Just help me haul them over to Mitchell Park. «
    I took time to consider. Burying the bodies of nine giants would not be easy, even if they were already in pieces. Calling on Radomila’s coven to take care of it was a possibility, but I really didn’t want to use up their favor on something like this.
    » How would you take care of it? « I asked.
    He shrugged. » I know some ghouls. I make a couple calls, the guys come over for dinner, problem solved. «
    » They can put away nine whole giants? There’s that many ghouls in town? «
    » Probably not, « Leif admitted. » But whatever they do not eat tonight, they’ll take the rest to go. «
    I stared at him in disbelief. » You mean like a doggie bag? «
    The vampire nodded with a thin trace of a smile. » They have a refrigerated truck, Atticus. These are practical guys. I employ them often, and so does Magnusson on occasion. It is a satisfactory arrangement for everyone. «
    » So I would owe you three glasses, « I said.
    » That is correct. And I want them sooner rather than later, since you are apparently marked for death. «
    » Hmm, « I said, to buy myself some time.