Alien Blues Read Free

vehicle?”
    David chewed his lip. He could see the faint grey shimmer of the Elaki behind the wheel. Their Ford slid in behind the BMW. They seemed to be headed the same way.
    â€œAssholes are like horses. Never sit—not even to sleep. Ever hear of a horse driving a car? They ought to be hauled around in vans.” Mel rubbed his stomach.
    The car bore right and David swung the wheel.
    Commercial areas gave way to residential. Small houses, old and deteriorating, lined both sides of the street. The trees were large and the shade pleasant. David steered the Ford right again, and then left. The BMW stayed ahead.
    A two-story wood-frame house had the yellow-green crime stamp glowing on the door. David checked the address—2389 Spenser.
    The BMW pulled into the driveway. David stopped the Ford in front of the house.
    A guy in blue jeans and a grey cotton sport coat stood in the front yard. His hair was blond and long, and a bald spot was spreading from the back of his head. He wore sandals, his shirt was pink and yellow, and an earring swung from his right ear.
    Cheerful, David thought.
    The man turned, looked at the BMW, then grinned at David.
    David walked over curiously, noting the ID clipped to the man’s belt.
    â€œDavid Silver.” He offered a hand.
    â€œI know.” The man’s grip was firm. “Nice to meet you, Detective. I’m Vern Dyer.”
    David frowned. He knew that name.
    â€œOh, yeah,” Mel said, shaking hands. “You work vice, don’t you? I heard of you.”
    â€œBeen inside?” David asked.
    Dyer smiled and flicked his ID with a broken thumbnail. He was tan, his face lined and tired. His eyes were brown and intelligent—bloodshot at the moment.
    â€œNo authorization. Can’t get through the seal. If you don’t mind, I’d like to go in with you. Take a look around.”
    â€œHow come?” Mel asked.
    Dyer shrugged. “I’m on my own time, following a hunch. Something related to another case. Probably nothing.”
    The door of the BMW flipped up, and they watched as an Elaki slid out of the front seat. He turned from side to side, balancing on a broad-based fringe that was covered by muscled scales. The Elaki teetered forward in the breeze, poised like a toe dancer, fringe folded backward. He rippled across the grass toward David, the fringe scales contracting and releasing like the belly plates on a snake.
    Sunlight glinted in the tiny jewellike scales that made up the outer skin.
    A light breeze ruffled David’s hair and rippled the Elaki.
    The Elaki was deep grey, with pinkish hues toward his middle where the brain was located. David thought Elaki looked like huge stingrays walking upright. They averaged a height of seven feet, but they were no more than a couple inches thick—thin and flappy. Their oxygen slits made a happy face pattern at the midsection.
    David caught the light lime smell of the Elaki. Someone had told him once that to an Elaki, humans smelled like strong cheese.
    â€œLook at the ID,” Mel said, under his breath.
    The Elaki had a departmental badge hanging under his breathing slits. David wondered how it stayed on.
    The Elaki slid close.
    â€œI am from Family of Puzzle Solvers. Which of you is from the David Silver?”
    David realized he was looking at the happy face pattern of breathing slits on the belly. He raised his gaze to the Elaki’s eyes, housed on two pronglike sections at the top.
    â€œI’m Silver.”
    â€œPlease. I am your Elaki adviser.”
    â€œWe don’t need any goddamn advisers,” Mel said, staring into the Elaki’s midsection. David put a hand on Mel’s arm.
    The Elaki waved winglike fin tips in something like a shrug.
    â€œCaptain Halliday should have explained for advance knowledge. I will study with you this case.”
    David looked at Dyer, who was staring at Mel’s feet. No help there.
    â€œI understand that there have