Rereid
of the Dresden Files
Book
2: Fool Moon
by
Jim Butcher
Part
1
Chapter
1
Harry
is at McAnally's pub for dinner with Kim Delaney, a former student of
Harry's. Kim was a minor talent that Harry taught the basics to. She
asked Harry to come (with the promise of free food) if he could tell
her about a complicated magical circle she came across. Harry advises
her to forget about it, that it's out of her league. She protests,
saying its not for anything serious, just “academic interest.”
Harry's
hunger causes his resolve to waver and he agrees to tell her about
it. Harry's had some financial troubles lately, for some reason
Karrin Murphy hasn't been hiring him as a consultant for Chicago PD
lately. After they finish eating their steaks and fries, Kim asks
Harry about the circle.
Harry
explains that it is High magic and the three concentric circles act
like “layered walls.” The outermost stops creatures of the
Nevernever, the middle stops mortal flesh, and Harry calls the third
circle a mistake and asks if she copied it right which Kim insights
she did. Harry explains that it looks like the circle was built to
hold something of spirit and flesh and Harry lies and says there are
no beings like that. Harry lied because a cage like this would only
be need to stop something immensely powerful like a demonic demigod
or archangel.
Kim
doesn't believe Harry, because someone made this circle to trap
something. She persists and Harry finally tells her that what this
circle is meant to contain is why out of her league. Harry knows its
more than academic interest driving her and warns her that she
doesn't have the training or knowledge, comparing it to a grade
school kid trying calculus. Kim gets angry, saying Harry has no right
to tell her what to do.
Harry
changes the subject, asking about how her fund-raiser is going. Kim
is an environmental activist and she is burned out on the whole thing
right now. Harry tries to get her to promise one last time to not
mess with the circle.
She tossed her napkin
down, left a few bills on the table, and stood up. “Enjoy your
meal, Harry,” she said. “And thanks for nothing.” I
stood up as well. “Kim,”
I said. “Wait a minute.”
But she ignored me. She
stalked off toward the door, her skirt swaying along with her long
hair. She cut an impressive, statuesque figure. I could feel the
anger bubbling off her. One of the ceiling fans shuddered and let out
a puff of smoke as she walked under it, then whirled down to a halt.
She raced up the short flight of stairs and exited the bar, banging
the door shut behind her. People watched her leave, then glanced back
to me, speculation on their faces. I sat back down, frustrated.
Dammit. Kim was one of several people I had coached through
Harry
broods in McAnally's worrying about Kim. That circle was the big time
and it could go wrong from her. Not to mention the White Council
doesn't like it when people mess around with major summonings.
Harry's just wished Kim trusted him enough to listen to his advise.
As he broods, Murphy walks in to the pub and over to Harry's table.
She notices Kim's paper, which Harry had balled up and thrown on the
floor, and tidily picks.
Harry
greets Murphy, trying unsuccessfully to keep the anger out of his
voice. Murphy starts to explain and Harry cuts her off, talking about
an article in the Tribune that called him a charlatan and asks if
Murphy read it. Murphy is impatient with Harry's whole rant and tells
him that there's been a murder in Harry's field of expertise.
My
Thoughts
And we're back for
another Harry Dresden adventure. This time with werewolves!
The book starts with a
quote about how Harry know keeps track of the phases of the moon,
presumably after the events of this book.
Kim Delaney is far to
eager and excited by this magical circle for it to be academic. She
is going to attempt it and due to the law of storytelling, it will go
wrong, it has been foreshadowed. Of course, maybe she'll buck
convention and actually succeed.
Once again, we see Harry
denying someone the whole picture, just telling them they need to
listen to what he says because he's the wizard without telling them
why. Maybe you would have been more effective if you explained what
the circle for and maybe talk about how the White Council is and why
they'll cut your head off if you break one of their laws.
Kim Delaney is also an
environmental activist. Probably not important.
Harry,
passive-aggressiveness is just petty. I'm from the Seattle area and
that's how everyone up here handles conflict so I know. Petty and
annoying. Be the bigger man! Murphy here to give you work. There's
been a murder. I should not be so excited about someone's untimely
death, but it's the start of a Harry Dresden Investigation.
Chapter
2
Harry and Murphy drive to
the scene in Murphy's Saturn. Murphy was in a hurry, driving reckless
even for a cop. There destination is a half built strip mall and
Harry is confused since they are outside of Chicago city limits and
asks if there out of her jurisdiction. “People need help wherever
they can get it, Dresden.” She explains the other killing took
place inside city limits.
Murphy leads him to the
building and Harry realizes its the Varsity, Marcone's club that
burned down last spring, and Murphy explains its being rebuilt.
Inside, the police are documenting the murder scene of a man that had
been badly mauled. Harry recognizes him as one of Marcone's
bodyguards that Harry calls Spike.
Murphy is not pleased
when Harry tells her who the victim is and she tells him to look
around. Harry finds blood on broken glass and it looks like someone
or something smashed through the window. Harry pockets a piece of
bloody glass. Harry continues to look around and spots a large paw
print and then notices the almost-full moon through the window. He
asks Murphy is the other attacks happened about a month ago. Murphy
nods in agreement and asks if werewolves are real. They are.
Four FBI agents enter the
scene and Murphy gets pissed, wondering how they got here so fast.
The lead FBI, Agent Denton, is not pleased to see Murphy here and
reminds her that she's not welcome in his investigation. Denton asks
who Harry is and makes snide comments about him being a charlatan. He
orders Agent Benn, the female agent, to escort “these two
civilians” from the scene. Murphy refuses to leave, saying
she has permission from the local police to be here.
Denton orders Benn to
remove them again and she tried to grab Murphy. Blows are traded and
Murphy slams Benn into a wall. Furious, Agent Benn pulls out her gun
and Harry tackles Murphy as Benn shoots at her. Denton moved between
Murphy and Agent Benn. All the cops on the scene race over and Denton
says there was a misfire. Murphy backs Denton up, to Harry's
confusion.
Denton orders the two
other FIB agents, Harris and Wilson, to escort Harry and Murphy.
Harry asks why Murphy didn't say what really happened. Murphy is just
pissed that Agent Benn tried to sucker punch her. Harry points out
she also tried to “ventilate” her. Harry watches as Denton is
talking to Benn and thinks Denton is hiding something.
Agent Harris, the
youngest of the FBI Agents, apologizes on behalf of Benn, saying
she's been stressed out by the Lobo killings. Agent Wilson tells
Harris to shut up and tells Murphy to leave or they'll contact
Internal Affairs.
My
Thoughts
Wow! Really, Agent Benn,
shooting your colleagues it so not cool. This woman needs to be
relieved of duty immediately. Why are you guys covering for her,
especially you Murphy. I know you're not really supposed to be here
but that was like attempted manslaughter or something. Jeezs.
Anyways, we have full
moon related animal killings. It's a werewolf! There calling them the
Lobo Killings. That's a great name for a werewolf serial killer, The
Lobo Killer. And poor Spike. We barely got to know you. So, somehow
Marcone is involved in this mess.
So, how did the FBI
Agents arrive so quickly, what's the real reason for Agent Benn's
temper tantrum, and what is Agent Denton hiding.
Chapter
3
Outside, Harry takes a
minute to get his stomach under control after viewing such a gruesome
murder scene and coming down from the adrenaline high of saving
Murphy from a psychotic (my words) FBI Agent.
Murphy apologizes to
Harry at the car, saying she wasn't supposed to be here and for
dragging Harry into it. Harry asks her to explain what's been
happening. She hesitates, and Harry points out that he saved her life
twice now. Things get awkward between them.
Harry knows that their
relationship has been off since last spring when Harry held out
information from Murphy and Harry tries to talk about it and Murphy
asks why they didn't talk about six months ago. Harry tries to
explain why he held back on here and she is still angry because she
trusted Harry and he broke that trust.
I winced. That stung.
What’s worse, she was in the right. “Some of what I knew . . . It
was dangerous, Murph. It could have gotten you killed.”
Her blue eyes fixed on me
with a glare that made me lean back against the car door. “I am not
your daughter, Dresden,” she said, in a very soft, calm voice. “I
am not some porcelain doll on a shelf. I’m a police officer. I
catch the bad guys and I put their asses away, and if it comes down
to it, I take a bullet so that some poor housewife or CPA doesn’t
have to.” She got her gun out of its shoulder holster, checked the
ammo and the safety, and replaced it. “I don’t need your
protection.”
“Murphy, wait,” I
said hastily. “I didn’t do it to piss you off. I’m your friend.
Always have been.”
She looked away from me
as an officer with a flashlight walked past the car, shining the
light about on the ground as he looked for exterior evidence. “You
were my friend, Dresden. Now . . .” Murphy shook her head once and
set her jaw. “Now, I don’t know.”
Harry doesn't know what
to say, he had never tried to see it fro her perspective before and
realizes that by not telling her everything, he left her defenseless
and unprepared last spring. Harry apologizes and she accepts and
tells Harry that there can be no more secrets this time and refuses
to involve anymore if he doesn't promise. He reluctantly promises to
tell her everything this time.
She glanced at me, at my
eyes for a breath, and then looked away. She started the car and
drove from the parking lot. “All right,” she said. “I’ll tell
you. I’ll tell you because I need every bit of help I can get.
Because if we don’t nail this thing, this werewolf, we’re going
to have another truckload of corpses on our hands this month. And,”
she sighed, “because if we don’t, I’m going to be out of a job.
And you’ll probably end up in jail.”
My
Thoughts
OMG!
Harry realizes that not telling Murphy is why there relationship is
strained and he realizes he did the same thing to Kim. Maybe you can
eventually overcome this problem, Harry. I'm glad it occurs to Harry
just what a compromised position he put her in last spring.
But,
even with this self-realization moment, Harry is still reluctant to
commit to telling Murphy the whole truth. Come on, Harry. Murphy's a
big girl, she can handle it. Hell, she's not flinching at all away
from this whole werewolf business.
Murphy
trusted you Harry and you re-payed that trust with secrets. You
deserve to be in the doghouse with her so don't go making the same
mistakes again. She's given you a second chance, don't mess it up
buddy.
And not
pressure, Harry, but Murphy's job and your freedom is on the line.
Nothing like High Stakes to motivate you.
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