Simon Green - Something from the Nightside

"Probably. You're not one of my people, Taylor. I don't owe you anything."

"Not even the truth?"

"Oh, especially not that."

Suzie frowned. "Are you two talking about the house, or Joanna?"

"It doesn't matter," I said. "Walker has always been very jealous of the secrets he guards. Tell me this, Walker. Is my mother really coming back?"

"I don't know," he said, holding my gaze calmly. His manner was open and sincere, but then, it always was. "There are rumours ... but there are always rumours, aren't there? Perhaps ... you should stick around, just in case." He looked across at the vacant lot, so he wouldn't have to look at me. "I could always put a little work your way, now and again. Un-

officially, of course. Since it seems you haven't lost your touch, after all."

"You've got some nerve," said Suzie.

He smiled at her, every inch the polite and demure civil servant. "Comes with the job, my dear."

"I am not your dear, Walker."

"And don't think I'm not grateful."

I intervened, before things started getting out of hand. "Walker, can you look after Cathy for me? See that she gets back to the real world, and her mother? Her real mother?"

"Of course," said Walker.

"You can forget that shit," Cathy said sharply. "I'm not going back. I'm not ever going back. I'm staying here, in the Nightside."

I gave her my best harsh glare. "Are you crazy? After everything you've been through?"

She smiled at me over her mug of beef tea, and there wasn't a trace of humour in that smile. "There's more than one kind of nightmare. Trust me; bad as this place can be, it's still nothing compared to what I ran away from. I thought I'd stay with you, John. Could you use a secretary? Every private eye has to have a smart-mouthed secretary who knows a thing or two. I think it's in the rule book."

Suzie started to laugh, and then turned it into an unconvincing coughing fit when I glared at her. Walker became very interested in the vacant lot again. I glowered at Cathy.

"I just saved your life; I haven't adopted you!" "We'll sort something out," Cathy said confidently. She looked across the road too. "What was it, do you think, really?"

"Just another predator," I said. "A little less obvious than most. Just... something from the Night-side."