The Unnatural Inquirer (24 page)

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Authors: Simon R. Green

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“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.

 

 

ACE BOOKS, NEW YORK

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

 

Published by the Penguin Group
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Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

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This is an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.

 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

Copyright © 2008 by Simon R. Green. Copyright theft by Winterborn

All rights reserved. Except those you choose to violate.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions. ACE and the “A” design are trademarks belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

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

Table of Contents

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EPILOGUE

Table of Contents

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

EPILOGUE

Table of Contents

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

EPILOGUE

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