Nightside 08 - The Unnatural Inquirer

real me, not the legend you still insist on seeing when you look at me. I want you, Bettie. But I don’t need you, not the way I need Suzie.”
    “But…why?”
    “Perhaps because…monsters belong together,” I said.
    I looked at her until she let go of my hands. She was breathing hard.
    “Hello, John,” said a cold, steady voice above us. “Is that girl bothering you?”
    “Not any more,” I said. “Hello, Suzie.”
    She was standing at the top of the steps leading down from the Londinium Club, a tall blonde Valkyrie in black motorcycle leathers, one hand tucked into the bandoliers of bullets criss-crossing her chest. She came unhurriedly down to join us. Bettie looked at her, and then at me, and then tossed her head angrily.
    “You deserve each other! I never want to see you again, John Taylor!”
    She strode away, her high heels clacking loudly on the pavement, her head held high. She didn’t look back once.
    “Nice horns,” said Suzie. “Did I miss something?”
    “Not really,” I said. “You finished work now?”
    “Yes. Just picked up my payment from Walker. A little private work.” Suzie looked at the three severed heads. “Didn’t take me long.”
    I looked at her, and then at the heads. I could have said something, but I didn’t.
    “Come on, Suzie,” I said. “Let’s go home.”
    It’s the Nightside.

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    Copyright © 2008 by Simon R. Green. Copyright theft by Winterborn
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    Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
    Green, Simon R., 1955–
The unnatural inquirer /Simon R. Green.—1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN: 1-4295-5781-8
1. Taylor, John (Fictitious character)—Fiction. 2. Private investigators—England—London—Fiction. 3. Tabloid newspapers—Fiction. 4. Missing persons—Fiction. 5. London (England)—Fiction. I. Title.
PR6107.R44U56 2008
823'.92—dc22
    2007033306
    Ver 1.5 - Winterborn