In Death 16 - Portrait in Death

blush. Dallas sure as hell didn't. Baxter didn't.
     
     
Maybe there was some sort of medical treatment to prevent it.
     
     
Amused at himself, he walked out of the club. Storm's coming up, he thought, and found himself pleased. He loved a good booming storm. He debated whether to jump into the subway, head straight home underground, or walk a few blocks while the air turned electric.
     
     
He wondered if-after the case was closed and he could tell Marley he was a cop-she would want to go out with him.
     
     
Just pizza and a vid, maybe. Something really casual. You just couldn't get to know somebody very well in a club when the music was loud and everybody was talking at once.
     
     
He watched a snake of lightning uncoil overhead, and decided the subway was best. If he got home quick enough, he could watch the storm from his window. He started to walk south, still looking up at the sky.
     
     
His communicator beeped. He pulled it out, engaged.
     
     
"Hey! It's gonna rain in a minute. Need a lift?"
     
     
Trueheart looked over, felt the blush work up his throat again at being caught staring up at the sky like some kid in a planetarium. Automatically he palmed the unit, switched it to hold so it went silent and didn't blow his cover.
     
     
"Just about to catch the subway." He gave the man he knew as Steve a friendly smile. "Done for the night?"
     
     
"Actually, I'm heading to my other job. Did I see you talking to Marley?"
     
     
"Yeah." The color worked into his cheeks. "She's nice."
     
     
"She's very nice." Gerry winked, chuckled, then stuck out a hand. "Good luck."
     
     
Without thinking, Trueheart took the offered hand. He didn't need the quick prick in his palm to tell him he'd made a terrible mistake.
     
     
It was in the eyes.
     
     
He yanked his hand free, tried to reach for the weapon at the small of his back, but his balance was already gone. He stumbled, had the wit to close his fingers over the communicator even as they began to tingle.
     
     
"Steve Audrey," he mumbled as his tongue went thick. "Block south of Make The Scene."
     
     
"That's right." Gerry already had his arm and was leading him away. "Feeling a little dizzy? Don't worry. I've got a car nearby."
     
     
Trueheart tried to pull away, tried to remember basic hand-to-hand, but his head was spinning, spinning. Gerry had an arm banded around his shoulder blades now.
     
     
His vision was fading in and out, and all the lights, the headlights were blurring, haloing, speeding by him like comets.
     
     
"Tranq'd," Trueheart managed.
     
     
"Don't worry." Gerry took his weight, like a brother-inarms. "I'm going to take good care of you. You've got such a wonderful light, and it's going to shine forever."
     
     
Chapter 22
     
     
Fear wanted to ice her gut, her brain, her throat. She shut it down.
     
     
"Baxter?"
     
     
"I copy. I'm going the wrong fucking way." She heard the clashing chorus of horns as he maneuvered. "Shit. Fuck. Heading back. I'm better than ten blocks away, Dallas. Goddamn it."
     
     
"Parking port," she snapped at Roarke. "Closest to the data club, on the south."
     
     
"Getting it." He already had his book out, keying in for the data.
     
     
"Feeney! He's got Trueheart. Let's move, let's move. Yancy, get that image out. Now!"
     
     
"E-Z Park, on Twelfth, between Third and Fourth," Roarke told her as cops bolted for the door en masse.
     
     
"All units, all units, officer in distress. Code Red." She relayed the location. "Suspect ID's as Gerald Stevenson aka Steve Audrey. Image forthcoming. Subject is believed to be responsible for multiple murders. May be armed."
     
     
Her communicator squawked with responses as units began to roll. She paused only to bore one long look at Jessie as the woman rushed into the hallway.
     
     
"He's got one of my men. Anything happens to my officer. Anything, I'm coming back for you."
     
     
Still snapping out orders and data, she dived into the elevator.
     
     
"Quiet." She tossed up a hand to stop the chatter, heard Gerry's voice, light and cheerful.
     
     
Nope, no problem. My friend here's been partying pretty hard. Just going to take him home.
     
     
Parking... facil... level...
     
     
She closed down another leap of fear as she heard Trueheart's weak, slurred voice.
     
     
That's right. Got a ride parked. Let's get you in. Maybe you should just lie down in the back. Don't worry about a thing, I'm going to take care of you. Just