Read Online Eros at Zenith: Book 2 of Tales of the Velvet Comet by Mike Resnick - Free Book Online

one.”
    THAT IS A VERY TENUOUS CHAIN OF REASONING.
    “Most murderers don't announce their plans and motivations on a public address system,” replied Crane caustically. “That's why we have detectives, and that's why a tenuous chain of reasoning is better than nothing.” He paused. “The first thing we'd better do is cancel my order to release the body after the post mortem.”
    IT HAS ALREADY BEEN CANCELLED.
    Crane looked his surprise. “Who did it?” he demanded.
    THE BLACK PEARL.
    “You're sure?”
    IT WAS DONE AT 1317 HOURS, SHIP'S TIME, WHILE YOU WERE HAVING LUNCH.
    “Patch me in to her right now!” demanded Crane.
    The screen went blank, to be replaced an instant later by a holographic representation of a section of a magnificent bathroom. The floor was covered with a black fur rug, the walls and ceiling were mirrored, reflecting the tub and its occupant endlessly, and three fur-covered stairs led to a raised obsidian tub with pewter fixtures. Inside the tub, with only her face and breasts above the water, lay the Black Pearl.
    “Mr. Crane,” she said with a smile, looking at a screen that was just out of camera range. “What can I do for you?”
    “You countermanded one of my orders,” he said heatedly. “Why?”
    “You mean about the corpse?” she asked pleasantly.
    “Yes, I mean about the corpse! I told the computer to cancel my order, and found out you had already done it!”
    “Then what's the problem? I saved you the trouble.”
    “The problem,” he said, trying to control his temper, “is that you did it without my permission.”
    “I don't need your permission to act in the best interests of the Comet ,” she replied calmly. “If word gets out that one of our patrons has been murdered and that the killer is still at large, business will drop off drastically. I can't permit that.”
    “What do you mean— you can't permit that? I'm in charge here!”
    “You're in charge of the investigation, Mr. Crane,” said the Black Pearl. “I'm in charge of the Velvet Comet . There's a difference.”
    “The hell there is!” he snapped. “And have the decency to cover yourself up when I'm talking to you!”
    “I didn't initiate this conversation, Mr. Crane. It's hardly my fault that you chose to interrupt me while I was bathing.” She looked mildly amused. “You can always look elsewhere, you know.”
    “Do you plan to do it again?” he demanded.
    “Do what—bathe, or countermand a dangerous order?”
    “You know perfectly well what I'm talking about!”
    “Yes, I do,” she said, suddenly serious. “And any time I feel you have issued an order that is detrimental to the welfare of the Comet . I will not hesitate to overrule it.” She paused. “Now that that's over, suppose you tell me why you decided not to send the body back to Deluros.”
    He glared at her and made no response.
    “Brace yourself, Mr. Crane,” she said at last. “I'm about to stand up.”
    “What?”
    “I'm through with my bath. I have to get out of the tub.”
    “Right now?”
    “I can't run a brothel from a bathtub,” she answered him. “I'm on duty again in half an hour. Had you anything further to say?”
    “I need some information,” replied Crane, as the Black Pearl got to her feet and he found himself unable look away from her.
    “Certainly,” she replied, walking unselfconsciously down the three stairs to the floor of the room and taking a large towel from its heated rack.
    “How can I help you?”
    “I need the name of the girl who spent the night with Infante.”
    “That would be Venus. Would you like to interview her?” she asked, holding an end of the towel in each hand and drying her back vigorously. “Mr. Crane?”
    “You're distracting me,” he said irritably. “Do you have to do that right now?”
    “You really must learn to be less ashamed of the human body,” she remarked, wrapping the towel around her with a smile. “All right. Is this less disturbing to