Black And Blue (Quentin Black Mystery #5) Read Free Page A

part tangibly, even though he wasn’t looking at me, but at the road. I also felt when he made himself let that go.
    Still watching the road, he sat up slightly, reaching into his back pocket. After shoving a hand in, he extracted his phone, handing it to me with a faint smile.
    “All you had to do is ask, doc.”
    “Do I need a password?”
    “Miriam-dash-Black,” he said. “All caps.”
    I gave him a disbelieving look, then felt my face flush warmer. Ignoring his grin, I unlocked his phone using “MIRIAM-BLACK” then scrolled through his contacts to find Nick.
    He picked up on the first ring.
    “Black? Are you down there already?”
    “No, he’s not. What’s going on, Nick? Is this about Mozar?”
    There was a silence.
    “Well, hello to you too, Miriam. Why are you using Black’s phone?”
    “I knew you wouldn’t answer mine.”
    Pausing a bare second at his silence, I frowned.
    “We’re driving.” I glanced at Black. He didn’t look over, although I could definitely feel him listening. “Heading for L.A. Well... according to Black we are. That’s pretty much all he’s told me.” At Nick’s continued silence, I sharpened my voice. “I’m serious, Nick. He’s still technically in recovery. And I don’t trust Mozar. Did he ask for Black specifically? Or was this your idea? And how is the F.B.I. involved?”
    Nick sighed, loudly enough that I could hear it even with the wind in my ears as Black darted through sparse traffic in the low-to-the-ground car. It felt a bit like gliding on an air pocket, but that time, I didn’t look at the speedometer to see how fast he was going.
    Given how he used his psychic ability, I highly doubted he’d even have to talk himself out of a ticket, much less pay for one... even if he managed to break the sound barrier.
    “Black told me he was fine,” Nick said, his voice stiff. “It’s been months since he got shot and Black recovers... fast. Definitely faster than regular people. And yes, he told me not to call you. He said you wouldn’t be reasonable about it. I guess he was right.”
    I felt my jaw harden more.
    “Well, you know us women,” I said coldly.
    “Miri, don’t be like that. They need him down there. It’s a high profile case, and there’s a Spec Ops component, or Hawking thinks so. It’s also a potentially big bust, if it turns out the murder is connected to a larger case the F.B.I. and Homeland Security are working on. And yeah, Mozar asked if I would recommend Black to help them out. I said yes.”
    “Why, Nick?” I said. “Why did you do that?”
    “Why?” Nick snorted. “Because the crazy fucker is actually useful when he sets his mind to something... and this is an area he knows a lot about.”
    “Who got killed?”
    “The Russian Ambassador to the United States. There was some fancy private party and movie screening at the old Los Angeles Theater, which they rented out and decked to the nines. A lot of big names were there... movie people, the mayor of Los Angeles, a whole load of rich people from wherever... and a few diplomats, including the vic. They found him in the alley out back, killed execution-style. Looks like a hired gig.”
    “Archangel?” I said, again through gritted teeth.
    “No idea. Look, Miri, calm down, okay? Black was good with this. And Mozar wants his help because he’s ambitious and the Feds have eyes on the case. Mozar’s heading up the murder, but the F.B.I. thinks it might be connected to some foreign-based organized crime case they’ve been working for the past year. With the vic being a diplomat there are foreign policy ramifications, too. You’ll likely have State Department people there...”
    “Do I have to spell it out for you?” My voice grew a few shades colder. “What if it is Archangel? This will be twice that Black’s poked around their operatives, and they’re a damned hit squad. And did you forget Lucky’s based out of Moscow? Black’s not going to be particularly