Read Online Smoke and Shadows by Tanya Huff - Free Book Online Page B

He flicked off the basement lights, recrossed the production office, and paused at the door to the bull pen. No. He’d give the paper to the writers in the morning. They’d likely need it explained.
    Back in his own office he tossed the papers on the desk.
    Paused.
    Picked up the top sheet. Thick, slightly rough. Drawing paper. Blank on both sides. Wasteful. Perhaps it was time to have a word with . . .
    Flicking on the desk lamp, he aimed the circle of light directly at the sheet of paper. Faint gray lines ghosted across the page. There. And then gone. Although under the caress of a fingertip, the imprint of a pattern remained.
    Something was definitely going on.

    â€œIt’s no use.” Henry sat back in his chair, allowing Tony to look away and break the contact between them. “There’s definitely something blocking the memories.”
    â€œShock?”
    â€œPerhaps. I’ve seen shock block memories in the past and for all your experience with the . . . unusual, you’ve never had the corpse of a friend drop at your feet before.”
    Tony sighed. “She wasn’t exactly a friend.”
    â€œAnd you feel guilty about that now she’s dead?”
    â€œNo. Maybe.” He picked at the faded patch of denim on one thigh. “I don’t know. Henry, what is it if it isn’t shock?”
    â€œI have no idea.”
    â€œEducated guess?”
    Prince of Darkness safely tucked away, Henry smiled and stood, dragging his chair back to its usual place at the dining room table. “You must believe I had an interesting education, Tony.”
    â€œWell, yeah. Interesting experiences anyway.”
    â€œTrue enough. But, in this instance, none of them seem to apply.”
    Tony didn’t entirely believe that, but since he had nothing to back up an accusation except that Henry was spending just a little too much time fiddling with the chair, he dropped his gaze to his watch before his face gave the whole thing away. The numbers took a moment to sink in, but when they did he stood. “Oh, crap. It’s almost 3:00. No wonder I’m feeling so punchy. I’ve got to get going.”
    â€œWhy not stay here?”
    â€œWhy not? ”
    Henry ignored him. “There’s an extra bed and a change of clothes and we’re not a lot farther from Burnaby than your apartment. What time do you have to be at work tomorrow?”
    â€œUh . . . unit call’s at 9:30.”
    â€œAn early enough call given that it’s nearly 3:00.”
    What he could see of Henry’s expression showed nothing more than an almost neutral concern. They were long over and he’d ended it. They were friends. Friends had the keys to friends’ apartments. Friends offered crash space. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to stay.”
    â€œGood.”
    â€œWill you be . . .” Funny how a distance of eighteen months suddenly made what had once been a perfectly normal question sound like horror movie dialogue. “. . . going out to Hunt?”
    â€œNo.” One hand rose to tug at the edge of the cream-colored sweater. “It’s too late.”
    Suddenly the earlier indecision over which shirt to wear made sense. Tony felt his cheeks flush. Knew Henry was aware of the sudden rush of blood and that only made it worse. “You were on your way out.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œYou were going to feed.”
    A graceful nod in acknowledgment. “I’ll call her tomorrow and explain.”
    â€œI’m sorry . . .”
    â€œWeighing a new acquaintance against the needs of an old friend was no choice at all, Tony.”
    â€œI’m not your responsibility.”
    One red-gold eyebrow rose. “I know.”
    â€œI feel bad about you not feeding.”
    â€œI can wait until tomorrow night.”
    You don’t have to. He could feel the words waiting to be said and was fairly certain Henry could as well. And if not, he knew Henry could