Hart and Hunter

Chapter 23

Ch. 23: Dane

"That was fast," Halloran says, glancing between me, Julian, and Coleridge. "I didn't realize you'd called them already."

"I didn't. Walker issued a press release."

Coleridge hands him her phone with the news article on the screen. His eyebrows climb his forehead as he scans it, and Vasquez swears as she reads over his shoulder.

"Can he do that?" she asks.

"Can or can't, he did. Now time is at a premium. He'll want the scene cleared and the body removed before the circus arrives. That's probably what he's on about over there."

She nods back toward the parking area, where Walker stands in front of a large, shiny fire engine addressing the mishmash of personnel. He's either giving a detailed briefing or an impassioned speech, judging from all the wild gesturing.

"You're going to, er... 'read' the scene, then, are you?" Halloran asks, turning his attention to Julian.

Julian frowns at the black plastic screen and the two deputies guarding it. "I'd like to try."

"Good luck," Vasquez snorts. "Those bozos won't let us within six feet of the body."

Halloran looks towards the parking area and frowns. "If it would help, perhaps I might cause a small distraction."

"A distraction?" Coleridge eyes him doubtfully.

He nods. "If you think it's worthwhile, then it's worth a bit of risk to give Julian the chance."

Coleridge rests her hands on her hips and stares out over the calm waters of the lake. The day is warming up already, little flies buzz around our heads, and the slightly fishy scent of lake water flavors the cool air.

After thinking for a moment, Coleridge nods. "What did you have in mind? No, wait—don't tell me. I think I'd rather not know."

Halloran winks. "Just leave it to me."

He saunters away along the shore toward the parking area and joins the crowd listening to Walker. As I watch, a fly lands on my face. I brush it off, and in that blink of an eye, Halloran is gone.

Julian's whispered curse tells me I'm not the only one who lost track of him.

"Where the fuck did he go?" Vasquez murmurs.

I scan the crowd, and after about half a minute, I spot him easily, as if he'd never moved. "There he is," I murmur. "Next to the guy in the blue cap."

Julian and I share a glance, and I make a mental note of the fact Halloran shares Julian's ability to go 'unseen.'

"What's he up to?" Coleridge asks as Halloran raises his hand to ask a question. Walker's annoyance at the interruption is clear even from this distance, but he appears to listen and address Halloran's concern.

While he speaks, a strange sensation creeps across my scalp as, behind the Sheriff, the huge fire truck begins to move.

There's no one at the wheel.

A ripple of alarm passes through the crowd as those closer to the behemoth vehicle detect its shift from stationary to a moving object, and Coleridge swears under her breath, hands pressed to either side of her head.

Seconds later, chaos erupts, and the crowd scatters as some leap to safety and some dash towards the truck, leaping onto its sides and trying to reach the cabin to regain control. The huge engine quickly picks up speed, aided by gravity and the slope of the boat ramp, and no one is quick enough to apply the parking brake in time.