dark faerie 06 - ever dead Read Free

also been a true believer in the importance of martial arts training, as well as a strict taskmaster.
    Hank ended his kata with a series of strikes and locks before grabbing a bottle of water. Taking a few swallows he then looked over at Lucifer, who had been watching him intently
    “How’d I do girl?” he asked her before taking another sip.
    Luci rolled over on her back, playing dead.
    “Yeah, I know, I sucked. I guess I was a little distracted.”
    As Luci rolled back onto her stomach, Hank made his way over to the green stone he had pulled out of the ash. Picking it up by the chain, he twirled it around and watched as flashes of light seemed to reflect off of its surface. The stone wasn’t clear like an emerald, but a solid green. It wasn’t extremely polished either, nor did it have what he would consider facets like a diamond. The fact that it reflected light at all was a puzzle. It was actually a quite simple looking stone, but it seemed to actually amplify the surrounding light…or made its own?
    “Mighty strange,” he mumbled as he pocketed the stone. Glancing at his watch, he realized that he was running late. He had a lot of ground to cover today, and he hadn’t planned on getting such a late start. Taking a quick shower, he donned his khakis and a light button-down and headed for the door.
    “Let’s go Lucifer, got a big day.”
    The red dog was instantly by his side, panting excitedly as Hank picked up his gun and stick. Although his foot now bothered him only when he walked a lot or was very tired, he still used the staff every day. Thanks to his grandfather’s training, it now seemed more like an extension of his body than a tool to help him get around.
    And it was a hell of a weapon!
    Pushing the gun under his belt at his back, he then pulled the tail of the shirt over it before grabbing Lucifer’s leash. Far from needing any kind of restraint, Lucifer was still required to wear a leash in some places that he frequented…like the office.
    “Come on girl,” Hank coaxed as he set off walking. Only two miles to the office, they had but eighteen minutes to get there to avoid being late for the meeting he’d scheduled for 8:00.
    “Looks like we need to hoof it girl,” he grinned as he started off in a fast trot.
     
    ***
     
      Pushing through the swinging doors of the Medical Examiner’s lab, Hank snapped his fingers lightly at his side and pointed to a spot beside the doors. Lucifer moved to that location and sat quietly. 
    “Do you have to bring that mutt in here?” Dr. Jacoby asked, looking up over his glasses at the dog. “She could contaminate the evidence!”
    Hank grinned. It was a running argument between him and the doctor whether or not it was proper to bring Lucifer into the lab.
    Luci always won.
    “I promise she will sit there quietly doc,” Hank replied. Looking back toward his dog, “Luci? Show the doctor how good you will be.”
    Luci sat up on her hind legs, holding her front paws out like a bunny.
    Dr. Jacoby sighed.
    “Whatever. I suppose you’re here to ask about the findings on the ash you discovered?”
    “If you would be so kind,” Hank replied, planting his walking stick in front of him with both hands on top of the gnarled and rounded end.
    Dr. Jacoby walked over to a set of shelves and removed a clear plastic container and brought it back to the table.
    “These are the remains that you found,” he stated as he opened the container.
    Hank peeked over the edge, seeing that it was filled with one-gallon zip-lock bags. “Have you been able to tell if they are human remains yet?”
    “It is remains of something; I’m not sure about the human part yet.”
    Hank screwed his mouth to the side in confusion. “You lost me, Doc.”
    Dr. Jacoby looked up at Hank over his glasses before pushing them up his nose.
    “What I am saying detective, is that although these are not human remains, they are not animal either. I’ve only had time to check the mitochondria