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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
dressed quickly. Not for the first time Barbara considered how buying a van might be a
better choice for a shifter than her little car, given the difficulties of pulling pants on
while sitting in the front seat.
Maybe one of those minivans suitable for a family& And there she went thinking
about cubs again. Again Barbara shook her head. Where was her mind going?
She needed to stay focused on their objective rescuing her sister.
Dressed, Al was checking his cell phone. No messages so far.
So what do we do now?
Al thought for a moment. You know who we haven t tried talking to.
Who?
Kurt s people. He s missing too, and I m sure they re looking for him.
You want to talk to the selkies? Barbara couldn t help the distaste in her voice.
The look Al gave her was hard. You might as well face it that your sister is
involved with one of them. Ignoring it won t make it go away. And besides, they might
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Bad Dog and the Babe
have information we don t. Talk to them, Babe. You ll find they re people too, just like
us.
People just like us. Parafolks for certain, but just like a shifter? Not really. But she had
to admit he was right in that they might help with the investigation and she really
couldn t afford to ignore any option. Her sister s life could depend on it.
So how do we get in touch with them? she said.
Just offhand, I don t know, he said thoughtfully. But I know who might. He
indicated the road. Let s head into town.
Following Al s directions, Barbara drove into the hills above Hollywood and up to
the closed gate of a large estate. A speaker box was mounted next to the driveway and
Barbara noted a camera discreetly mounted at the top of the pillar. She pushed the
button on the speaker at the gate and after a few moments a deep male voice answered.
Hello. May I ask who s calling?
Al leaned over Barbara. It s Al, Harold. Can we come up to the house?
Al Lupas? The voice over the speaker lost some of its haughtiness. Of course.
One moment, please.
The gate smoothly slid to one side and they drove up the long driveway to the front
of a well-kept mansion, more than a little imposing. The home she shared with her
parents was large but this went far beyond that. More, it exuded old wealth, like that of
a European aristocrat now a Hollywood millionaire. Barbara pulled into an open spot
amongst the expensive cars parked along the front and stopped.
Al looked over at her, his face amused. I guess you haven t been here before, he
said wryly.
Why would you think I had?
Because your family is prominent in the shifter community. It would make sense
to have visited the home of the parafolk chief. Jonathan and Sharon throw several
parties a year for all of the parafolk in the area.
So this was the city chief s home? Barbara felt her cheeks heat. It was true that her
family avoided interaction with other parafolk to the point of not socializing with any
of them in spite of the multiple yearly invitations to events here. The other night at the
Dark Water Tavern had been the first time she d even seen the vampire who was
technically the parafolk leader.
That slight was sure to have been noted and she wondered what her reception
would be, particularly since they were here looking for help. You think they know
how to contact the selkies?
If they don t they ll know who does.
But it s early morning. Won t the city chief and his wife be asleep? She knew
nightwalkers were unconscious during the day.
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Cricket Starr
Al ushered her toward the front door. That s why we re going to talk to his
assistant. He s in charge while the boss is unavailable. On the way there he stared at a
large painted van parked near the front. That s interesting.
Barbara examined it herself. It looked like a throwback to the sixties with waves,
flowers, tropical fish and even a couple of whales painted on the sides. She all but rolled
her eyes. Did all of the parafolk have a penchant for old cars? Who does that belong
to?
Al grinned. If I have my guess right, I think we may be in luck.
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zanotowane.pldoc.pisz.plpdf.pisz.plkwiatpolny.htw.pl
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| Cytat |
Dobre pomysły nie mają przeszłości, mają tylko przyszłość. Robert Mallet
De minimis - o najmniejszych rzeczach.
Dobroć jest ważniejsza niż mądrość, a uznanie tej prawdy to pierwszy krok do mądrości. Theodore Isaac Rubin
Dobro to tylko to, co szlachetne, zło to tylko to, co haniebne.
Dla człowieka nie tylko świat otaczający jest zagadką; jest on nią sam dla siebie. I z obu tajemnic bardziej dręczącą wydaje się ta druga. Antoni Kępiński (1918-1972)
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