Read Online Alien Eyes by Lynn Hightower - Free Book Online Page B

thoughts.
    Perhaps it was different for Elaki.
    He looked up at the sound of pounding feet. Mel’s face was red and he was breathing hard.
    He stopped when he saw David’s face. “They got her?”

TWELVE
    David sat at the Oval table in Roger Halliday’s office and watched Enid West on the news. Was it his imagination, or were her teeth unusually sharp?
    â€œAnd in a startling development, Dahmi/Packer, the Elaki Mother-One alleged to have committed infanticide by smothering her four pouchlings—”
    â€œHow’d she know they were smothered?” Mel said. “We didn’t release that.”
    â€œâ€”was kidnapped from Bellmini General Hospital today, where she was undergoing mental evaluation. The Saigo City Police Department will not—”
    â€œTurn it off,” David said softly. He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.
    Della peeled a tangerine, carefully placing strips of deep orange skin on a white napkin. She looked thoughtful.
    â€œOff,” Halliday said. The television blipped off and the overhead light went out. String looked up. Halliday sighed. “Lights on.” He glanced warily at the television. The screen stayed blank. He looked around the room. Mel was slumped in his chair. Pete had his arms folded and his eyes shut.
    â€œWhere are the Elaki?” Halliday said.
    Della delicately spit a seed into her palm. “String’s right there, Captain.”
    Halliday eased into the chair behind his desk. “The other Elaki.”
    â€œThe Elaki-Three,” Mel said.
    â€œWhere are they, Mel.”
    â€œIn the waiting room at Bellmini,” David said.
    â€œDoing what?”
    â€œInterviews. The waiting room was full. We thought some of the Elaki there might have noticed something.”
    â€œYeah, when they didn’t have their backs turned.” Mel grinned and David gave him a warning look.
    Halliday put his fingers together. When he spoke, his voice was flat, words carefully enunciated. “This was a professional job, wasn’t it? That was your take, David, as I understand it.”
    David nodded, unsmiling.
    â€œBased on?” Halliday said.
    â€œNo witnesses, except the doctor, um, I can never remember—”
    â€œAslanti, medical.” String hissed. Halliday looked at him.
    â€œAnd there was one nurse who talked to them,” David said. “I interviewed the hospital bed, the clock, the elevator. Nothing in the room knew anything—memory erased on each one. The elevator didn’t know anything either, but it doesn’t look like anybody did anything to the memory. So they likely took the stairs. In and out—took a patient out of a secure, psychiatric floor. And nobody knows anything. That doesn’t happen by accident, Roger.”
    â€œIt’s not likely then, is it? That the Elaki in the waiting room saw anything?” Halliday said.
    â€œA thorough, methodical investigation,” David said. “You have to ask.”
    The silence was heavy.
    â€œSeems a poor use of manpower, Detective Silver.”
    â€œRemember, Captain , that the Elaki-Three—”
    â€œWill you quit calling them that?”
    â€œWere appointed to see that there were no cover-ups. The Elaki doctor—”
    â€œAssslanti.”
    â€œAslanti said whoever it was, was cops. Elaki cops. Izicho.”
    â€œIsss not Izicho.” String spread a wing tip and a scale fell, landing at Della’s feet. She bent down and picked it up.
    â€œWhat for you do this?” String said.
    â€œWe don’t want anybody to think we’re hiding anything,” David said.
    â€œAnd we don’t want to fuck up the investigation,” Mel said. “And these guys aren’t cops, and they don’t know squatola. Even Gumby don’t like them. Do you, String?”
    String hissed.
    â€œWell he wouldn’t, would he?” Pete said.
    Mel frowned.
    â€œSo they get