Status Updates From Dead and Gone (Burke, #12)

As soon as Gem was seated, Mama walked over, snapping her fingers for the mandatory tureen of hot-and-sour soup. One of the gunmen who pretend they’re waiters when some tourist mistakes Mama’s for a restaurant brought it over.

“No? You are my husband, not my master. I am going to New York. I will give you a phone number where you can find me there. I will be close, if you need me.” “Gem …” “In the meantime, it is better if we travel together. As I said before, that is not what people would expect of you.”

“There are always two tasks. One is to find the path; the other is to walk the path. Yes?” “Yes.” “There is no rule about walking the path alone,” he said. “I won’t be,” I promised him. “I would walk it with you, if you wish.” I was too stunned at the Indian’s dealing himself in to say anything. Gem didn’t have that problem. “We would be honored,” she said.

The only thing I ever can do is let both the monsters in. Fear and Rage. One keeps me alive and the other makes people dead. If you took them from me, I’d just be sad. Nothing else. Empty and sad. That’s when the Zero calls. That’s when I want to go and be with Wesley.

Born bad. I know how it works. They could follow me around, put a guard outside my room, crap like that. But that was a major commitment of manpower. So all I needed was the one card that’s never out of my deck: Patience. I know all about waiting. It’s my greatest skill.

You know what it takes to sit across the table from a man, listen to him talk, look into his eyes … and then blow his brains all over the wallpaper? Nothing. And the more of that you have, the easier it is.