Alan Dean Foster Read Free Page B

whole thing."
    Sykes started to argue, changed his mind. Tuggle knew when his partner was lying and would be too polite to point it out. That took any fun out of trying.
    "Shit, if Kristin had to get married where I could afford it, we'd be holding the reception at Buddy Burgers. So what could I say? Kristin's marrying money. Can't say that I blame her. We sure as hell never had any of the stuff."

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    " Look at it as Kristin's money. She'd want you to be there, buddy.
    "I want to be there as much as she wants me to be there, but try and see it my way, Tuggle. Father of the bride, the poor relation. Everybody on the other side giving me those damn pitying looks rich folks reserve for the rest of us who'll never own one of their colored credit cards. I got too much pride left for that, Tug. It's about all I do have left."
    "Screw your pride. You should go."
    "Yeah, I know, I know. What're you, my goddamn fairy godmother?"
    "That's me. Wanna see my wand?"
    "What's to. . . " Sykes broke off abruptly. Only half his brain had been concentrating on the seemingly insurmountable problem of whether or not to attend the wedding of his only daughter.
    The other half-the other half continued functioning on standard detective op. Something he saw triggered the automatic alarm inside his head. It also had the virtue of taking the rest of his brain off his pissed-off mood. He nodded out the window.
    "Uh-oh. Check it out."
    Tuggle turned responsively, squinting. "Check what out? All I see is dark."
    "Up ahead. By the comer right, two o'clock."
    Tuggle slowed the slugmobile, straining to see whatever it was that had aroused his partner's attention. Sykes's night vision was better than his. Rumor at the station had it that Sykes was some kind of nocturnal throwback, that he actually saw better at night than during the day.
    Both aliens wore long coats, and it wasn't that cold outside. Nor were they slouching along like a couple of drunken perverts. Perverts didn't work in pairs. Other kinds of vennin did.
    The coats were different. One was black vinyl, the other a heavy black or dark blue that didn't look water repellent. Raincoat, as Tuggle immediately dubbed him in his mind, flaunted a zip-up dark shirt tight at the neck and fancy

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    shoes. The other alien was partially hidden by his companion's bulk.
    The two entered a small minimart that occupied the comer of the block, Raincoat looking back to check the street before following his buddy inside.
    "Does that look at all suspicious to you?" Sykes murmured thoughtfully.
    Tuggle affected an air of mock innocence. "Now whatever would give you that idea?"
    He found an empty slot between parked cars and eased the slugmobile into the gap. Sykes had his revolver out and was checking the chambers as his partner cut engine and lights.
    Automatically finding the right controls on the radio, Tuggle flipped to the proper channel without taking his eyes off the street. "This is One Henry Seven. We've got a possible two-eleven in progress at Porter's minimart, comer of Court and Alvarado. Requesting backup."
    Sykes was starting out the door. "Let's do it, partner."
    His friend's hand came down on his shoulder. "Easy, cowboy. One of these days you're gonna get your head blown off pursuing justice a little too closely."
    Sykes stopped half in, half out the door, grinned back at Tuggle. "I like to keep close enough to see her backside. That's what they told us at the Academy. 'Never lose sight of Justice.' "
    Tuggle sighed, shook his head, and replaced the radio mike on its hook as the dispatcher sputtered acknowledgment back at them.
    The old buildings looming over Alvarado had been built a long time ago, before the heyday of the two-car family arrived in Los Angeles. The detectives were grateful for that. It meant there were few garages, which meant little in the way of off-street parking, which meant plenty of cover as they dodged behind the lines of battered Toyotas and Buicks in their stealthy