Ungrateful Dead (4 page)

I let Mutt inside, and he ran over to my couch and shook his wet fur off all over it, then sat looking at me with that hopeful, big-eyed doggy gaze. I shrugged off my jacket, dropped it onto an armchair, and looked back at him. “So what’s the deal, Mutt?” I asked him. “What am I going to do with you?”

“
Kill it
,” the Voice suggested. I ignored it.

“You need a vet and a few good meals.” I decided. Mutt wagged his tail in agreement and wandered through to the kitchen. I fixed him a bowl of water, and after some mental debate, gave him a bowlful of leftovers from last night’s Indian takeout. Yeah, he’d probably crap it all over the nice, beige carpet later, but I could always throw a rug over it.

While Mutt chowed down on his lamb balti, I slumped on the couch and pulled my cell phone from my jeans pocket. Turning the TV on, I dialed my client and flicked through the home shopping channels while I waited for him to pick up.

“Mr. Banning? You’ve found her?” Doug Baxter, Rhian’s ex-fiancé, sounded painfully eager, desperate for news. The Voice liked it. I could almost feel it licking up Baxter’s misery.

I rubbed the back of my neck. I hated this part of the job. “Yeah, Mr. Baxter, I found her, but there’s bad news, I’m afraid.”

Baxter was silent, already knowing what I’d say. His breath was heavy and slow, like he was trying not to hyperventilate or cry. It made me itchy. I see a lot of grief in my job, and it always makes me itchy, uncomfortable. Like I’m seeing the person naked. I don’t like it. Didn’t like it, until a demon jumped inside me, anyway. Since then... Well, I still don’t like it, but the misery keeps the demon quiet, keeps it from pushing me to create some mayhem for it.

“She’s dead, isn’t she?” Baxter said finally, all the life sapped from his voice.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Baxter. There will be a full police investigation, so I need your permission to pass the details of the case along.”

“Investigation? Rhian... She...She was murdered, wasn’t she? Someone killed her.” Now I heard fire in his voice, a bit of pepper and fight. The Voice didn’t like that as much, but I privately saluted Baxter for it. Anger was much more productive than depression.

“I’m afraid she was. I’ve already spoken to the officer in charge, and she’ll do all she can to bring Rhian’s killer to justice, Mr. Baxter. I promise that.” I knew Anna would. She was a one-woman crusade, that lady, a blonde hurricane of justice and righteous indignation.

“Okay.” Baxter paused. “Okay, fine. I guess we should meet to discuss your fee and the…all the…details.”

“Sure.” I checked my watch. It was too late to take Mutt to a vet, but too early to give up on life for the day and go to bed. “You want to meet this evening? We can meet up in the Coburg Bar.”

“Sounds fine,” Baxter said, meaning
sounds horrific
. I got that. He’d just found out the love of his life was dead. I wouldn’t want to spend the evening talking to me either. Hell, I wouldn’t want that on a good day.

We agreed on a time and I hung up, turning my attention fully to the shopping channels. Some blonde chick and a bald guy extolled the virtues of some kitchen gadget that made mountains and mountains of coleslaw, saving time and money. I wanted one. I mean, I didn’t eat coleslaw – or cook, if I could avoid it, but I wanted one anyway. I kept buying shit like that and telling myself I’ll use it, get healthy, start eating properly, and then left it to gather dust in the kitchen cupboard.

I should probably get laid more.

I ordered the coleslaw thing and checked on Mutt. He’d cleaned up the curry and was pawing at the back door.
Smart dog
. I let him out into the rain, and he ran around happily in my tiny, pathetic garden, barked at the wall, then came back inside again and stood there giving me that goofy dog-face.

“Tomorrow we’re going to the vet,” I told him, scratching him behind the ears. “I bet you’re crawling with fleas and parasites, aren’t you? Yeah, you are.”

He lolled his tongue in agreement and padded through to the lounge. I left him asleep on the couch, while I changed into dry clothes for my meeting with Baxter.

If I was lucky it would be a short one. I’d offer my condolences, he’d write me a check, and we’d move on with our lives. I could move on to the next case, if I’d had one lined up.

I didn’t have one lined up. I didn’t have anything lined up except more stupid kitchen gadgets, coffee, and listening to the Voice. Oh, and cleaning up Mutt, I guess.

See, this was why I became a PI. The glamour.

Author Biography

N
AOMI
C
LARK
lives in Cambridge and is a mild-mannered office worker by day, but a slightly crazed writer by night. She has a perfectly healthy obsession with giant sea creatures and a preference for vodka-based cocktails. When she’s not writing, Naomi is probably either reading or watching 80s cartoon shows, and sometimes she manages to do all three at once. Her debut novel, AFTERLIFE is out now from
Damnation Books
, and the first of her URBAN WOLF novels, SILVER KISS is available now from
QueeredFiction
.

~

Find me online!

http://naomijay.blogspot.com
/

http://naomi-jay.livejournal.com/

http://twitter.com/#!/naomi_jay

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Naomi-Clark-author/122375344483965

Praise for Naomi Clark

~

SILVER KISS – the first Urban Wolf novel

“A fast-paced novel about werewolves, drugs, and ferals. Real and gritty.” - Bitten By Books

~

“Wow. Clark’s wolves are compelling and real.” - Sherwood Smith

~

“Enough action and mystery to keep you intrigued to the end.” - Smexy Books

~

“Makes you breathe the air of another world, feel all the pleasure and pain of another being, and stirs the heart.” - Lark Neville

~

“The sort of stand out, inclusive fiction that more collections should have on their shelves.” - Monster Librarian

~

“Dive into a world that is intense and dark, yet fascinating.” - Whipped Cream Reviews

~

“An exciting and unique novel that keeps the reader flipping the pages for more.” - Melanie’s Book Addiction

~

SILVER KISS received an honourable mention in the 2010 Rainbow awards for best bisexual, transgender, and lesbian fantasy, and was included in the 2011 ALA Over the Rainbow top GBLT book list. The sequel, BLOOD HUNT is out in 2011.

***

AFTERLIFE – the first Shoregrave novel

“Clark keeps readers on the edge of their seats.” - Book Illuminations

~

“A new kind of horror, perhaps, re-envisioning dread, vampires, and ghosts.” - Darkscribe Magazine

~

“If you enjoy urban fantasy, you’re going love Afterlife.” - Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz

~

“If you are looking for amazing fantasy with tons of action, this is the book for you.” - The Pen and Muse

~

“This is a solidly awesome read.” - Book Goggles

~

“This well-written and thoroughly engrossing novel has much to offer all urban fantasy and paranormal romance fans.” - Bitten By Books

~

Table of Contents

title

title page

copyright notice

dedication

ungrateful dead

Demonised

author bio

praise