by Mark C. Wade
The crowd ruptured into noise as the final results were listed. Nyissa would have to fight Aeden in the Grand Finals, and she would go in with a slight advantage.
Lukas laughed and turned to Henry. “You know that was all for show, right? The game would know instantly who won without a replay. They didn’t tell us, so we could see it for ourselves. It was all for dramatic tension. Someone smart is calling the shots.”
Henry hadn’t considered this, but it made sense.
Chapter 23
Henry ran against the grain of the crowd to get backstage, but this took some time due to the size of the convention center. He wanted to congratulate Nyissa and see if she had ideas on how to get his new, secret character back into the Grand Manor.
Quillen stood off to the side, scanning the crowds for suspicious behavior and waved Henry through when he got to the back door.
This was the first time Henry had made it so far into the bowels of the building, and it surprised him to find rows of dressing rooms, like in movies for famous actors before they went on stage.
The doors were labeled with their names, and Henry looked for Nyissa.
The door with Aeden’s name was cracked slightly. He knew he’d get in big trouble if he tried to talk to Aeden, but he needed information.
Henry carefully pressed the door with the tiniest of pressure until the crack was wide enough to see through. He held his breath as he watched Aeden pull out a small plastic bag of pills from his backpack.
Henry didn’t recognize the shape or color. And as someone used to hangovers, he knew pain meds well.
Henry knew it could have been a perfectly legitimate prescription, but his gut told him otherwise. It would be just as easy to bring a pill bottle.
So much about this triggered red flags. Henry had been on many drug cases, and he recognized that soft cellophane often used by dealers to distribute illegal substances.
Henry’s hand brushed the door accidentally, and it swung open a small amount with a loud squeak.
Aeden’s head snapped over, and he yelled, “Hey!”
Henry bolted.
Luckily, the next room was Nyissa’s. He ran inside and figured he’d deal with the consequences later. He stood with his ear to the door, listening for movement. It didn’t seem that Aeden had chased him.
Henry realized he’d never met Aeden in real life, so Aeden wouldn’t know who he was by sight.
Nyissa screamed, and Henry turned to see what he’d walked in on.
She stood there fully clothed, so he didn’t see what the big deal was.
She said, “You can’t just come barging in here like that.”
“Sorry. I just watched Aeden do the weirdest thing, and he was going to see me if I stayed out in the hall.”
Nyissa asked, “What did he do?”
She turned away from Henry and fiddled with something that sounded like a soft cellophane bag.
Henry hesitated.
Nyissa kept whatever it was hidden near her chest. She put something in her mouth and took a drink from her water bottle.
Shit.
Now Henry couldn’t tell her.
He asked, “What was that?”
“Nothing. I just have a headache. You know how it gets after a long time in the VR gear.”
She shifted her weight as she said it, and Henry’s poker skills came into play. This was the first time Henry knew she had lied to him. Her slumped upper body, avoidance of eye contact, and splayed feet said it all.
She asked, “So what did he do?”
Henry said, “Oh, nothing.” She narrowed her eyes, and Henry continued, “I’m sorry. I can’t tell you everything. You hired me to get to the truth, and that’s what I intend to do. It’s best to keep some things from you…for your own safety.”
“Fine! Now, if the coast is clear, I’d appreciate some privacy.”
“Okay, but I’m going to need your help later in Eburnean Passage.”
Nyissa said, “Whatever.”
She glared at him.
What the hell?
This wasn’t like her at all. Henry felt like this was the first true clue to something deeper he’d come across, and so he didn’t want to press the issue. He might need to keep the secret Eburnean Passage account hidden from her as well.
Henry peeked out into the hall and didn’t see anyone. He walked as quickly as he could back to the main area. The crowds had died down significantly, and Henry wandered toward Quillen.
He didn’t want to draw any unwanted attention, so when he got close enough, he said, “Meet me at the Glistening Baboon tonight.”
Henry kept walking. He would either hear it or not, but he couldn’t risk making it too clear. He kept moving with his eyes straight forward until he was out of the building.
∞∞∞
Henry stepped into the smoky bar and took a deep breath. It felt like forever ago that he was last here, and he didn’t realize how much he’d missed it.
Henry squinted through the dark and saw Quillen huddled in the farthest, darkest corner. He had good instincts to hide their conversation.
Henry wandered over and sat across from him.
Quillen looked up as if it startled him. The one waitress in the entire place came over and said, “Wow. I haven’t seen you in here recently.” Henry smiled weakly as Quillen gave him a troubled look.
Henry said, “I’ve been trying to cut back.”
The waitress laughed. “Sure. That’s what they all say, and then they all come crawlin’ back. What are ya havin’?”
Henry said, “The usual, and he’ll have the same.”
She nodded and walked off.
Quillen said, “I take it you come here a lot? That might be fine for you, but…” He lowered his voice. “This place is so creepy. I have a reputation to protect. What if someone on the force saw me come in here?”
“I wouldn’t worry about it. If someone else on the force is wandering this neighborhood, they’re probably too embarrassed to say anything about it to anyone.”
Quillen smiled. “Very funny. Also, you didn’t give me a time. I’ve been sitting here for an hour already. This better be good.”
“Oh, come on. Relax a bit. Have a drink.”
Quillen leaned over the table, and Henry thought Quillen would pummel him right there. He’d seen worse things happen in this bar.
Quillen said, “Get to the point.”
Henry put up his open hands defensively. “Okay, okay.”
Henry told Quillen about the pills.
Quillen’s face lit up. “That is interesting. Good job. I’ll see what I can do. I assume the players all signed waivers so that they can be searched for illegal substances when coming into the convention center. But even if they haven’t, you’ve given me enough to get a search warrant. We’ll get those pills and get them tested.”
Henry said, “That’s fine and all, but I don’t see how it relates to the case. Did Zane’s autopsy reveal any unusual substances?”
“No.”
“Top athletes in every sport have always doped to get an edge, basically for all of human history. It’s suspicious, but it wouldn’t be anything major if they’re using cognitive enhancements for faster reaction times and things. I just don’t get why there’d be a murder related to it.”
Quillen said, “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that you should never underestimate the connection between violence and addictive substances. Plus, for all we know, Zane was about to turn someone in.”
“Good point.”
“Are you 100% sure Aeden doesn’t know it was you? If he does, I can get you a security detail. You could be in danger.”
Henry tried to joke, but for some reason, his throat went dry and it came out strange. “Aw. You really do care about me.”
Quillen said, “Henry, come on. Of course, I do. And…I don’t want to see it happen again.”
Quillen was referring to Marie. Henry wished he could have had a secu
rity detail for her when that case had turned dangerous.
“Yeah, well, it’s too late for that.”
Quillen’s voice softened. “I know you blame me. I’m sorry I didn’t take the threat seriously enough. I should have known, but when I go over it in my head, I can’t see how.”
Henry reached over and held Quillen’s hands, his voice gentle now. “No. I don’t blame you at all. I blame myself. There are so many things I could have done differently to protect her.”
“Stop that! There was no way to know. They were determined to get to you.”
The waitress came back with two bourbons.
Quillen said, “Now, let’s drink.”
Quillen held his whiskey up, and they clinked glasses. He took the tiniest sip, and his face strained at the edges then flushed red. Henry downed his in one gulp.
He asked, “How can you drink this? At least put some ice in it.”
Henry laughed, but the sadness he’d tried so hard to shake over the years wouldn’t leave that easily.
Why did those memories have to surface now?
He needed to stay focused this time. The bourbon brought a deep comfort as it warmed his insides. It would help numb the pain. It would help him forget.
But he knew from experience the relief would only be temporary.
Chapter 24
“Let me call you an autocab.”
Quillen’s brow furrowed into that gentle concern Henry loved.
Quillen mumbled, “God, I hate that term. They’re all autocabs nowadays. Why can’t we just use the word ‘cab’? It’s like when people switched back to ‘phone’ from ‘smartphone,’ because the only phones produced were smart.”
Henry said, “Hist’ry o’ da world as told by da police chief.”
Several heads turned. Henry didn’t think he was talking that loudly.
Quillen took Henry’s arm and guided him through the Glistening Baboon. “Shh… Okay. You might not want to announce that to everyone. Especially in here.”
“Hey, waz dat s’pose to mean? I like dis place.”
They went to the front door, and Henry stumbled out onto the sidewalk. He found himself on his butt looking up at Quillen. A sharp pain spidered outward from underneath him, and Henry reached down to rub the bruised area.
His hand came back with a rock, and he stared at it bemused for a second.
How did that happen?
Quillen reached out his hand to help Henry up, and the world spun a bit more than he expected as he tried to stabilize himself.
Quillen said, “I’m going to at least help you home.”
“No! I’se can do it. I done it a million times. I’m jus over der. I cans see its.”
They stared at each other for a moment, and then Quillen said, “Fine. Don’t come crying to me if you get mugged.”
“Uh. You’s the police. Where’s I supposed to go?”
Quillen laughed. “Good point. Be careful. I’m serious. This isn’t the best neighborhood. I know that’s not politically correct to say, but I don’t care. I’m worried about you.”
Quillen kissed Henry on the cheek and then walked in the other direction. Suddenly, Henry didn’t know why he refused the help. The darkness and loneliness he liked so well in the past flooded into him in with a suffocating abruptness.
Henry didn’t understand it, but he started singing to ease his anxiety. The slurred, drunken melody sounded fine to Henry’s ears, and as he entered the back alley near his apartment, it began to echo around the brick walls.
Henry stopped and marveled at the strange sounds, chaotic sounds. It was not music he would ever choose to listen to, but it sounded right at that moment.
Something rustled behind him, and he turned too quickly in an attempt to see it. He figured it was a raccoon scavenging the trash bin. Henry hated that green dumpster. It always smelled like rotting milk.
He lost his balance and fell behind all the mounting trash. In the same instant, a loud crack sounded, and Henry sobered quickly.
That had been the sound of a gun firing. A clang of the bullet hitting the dumpster reverberated out into a hundred echoes.
Holy shit. This stupid thing just saved my life.
Henry cowered back there and pulled out his phone. There was no time to call Quillen. He would die in this stupid alley.
Henry tried to un-muddle his brain and invent a plan for survival, but he had no weapons on him. The fog in his brain refused to lift. All he could do was wait to die.
Footsteps crunched on the gravel and broken glass. Henry couldn’t tell if the assassin was coming toward him or leaving now that he’d made it clear he was here.
Henry pulled his knees in closer, trying to get into as tiny a ball as possible. He nuzzled into the trash. Camouflage was his last hope.
The sounds turned to a confusing mess.
Running.
“Oof!”
Henry burrowed back even further. One bag that had missed the dumpster toppled onto his head and broke open. The stench almost caused Henry to cough, but he was glad for more disguise.
Another gunshot.
Henry had no idea what was going on. Maybe the gunshot hadn’t been for him. Now it sounded like two people were fighting on the street.
More grunts sounded, and the gun went off for the third time. A hard thud made its way to Henry’s ears, and Henry accidentally gasped.
Had one of them been shot and killed? It had sounded like a body hitting the pavement.
Running, again.
This time it was obvious a person left the scene. Henry started to crawl out around the dumpster when a voice said his name.
“Henry, you can come out now. It’s safe.”
Wait.
The voice sounded like Quillen, but it couldn’t be. He carefully looked around the corner, and there he was.
Henry asked, “What are you doing here?”
“Saving you.”
Henry stood up on shaky legs and made his way over. He asked, “Yeah, but how?”
Quillen held his left eye. “I didn’t trust you’d make it back safely, so I followed you.”
“What happened?”
“Someone definitely tried to kill you. You somehow fell over and avoided that first bullet. Then I rushed him. The gun went off when we hit the ground. I couldn’t see very well in the dark, and he ended up kicking me right in the eye. I fell, and he used that opportunity to run. He had a mask on, so I can’t even ID him.”
Henry held Quillen, and said, “Come on. Let’s get up to my apartment and get some ice on that.”
“I can’t believe you’re nursing me. You’re still drunk.”
They walked the short distance up to the apartment, and Henry helped Quillen settle onto the couch. Henry went to get the ice.
While he stood at the refrigerator, Quillen said, “Henry, you need to hydrate.”
Henry froze. “Really? After all that just happened, you’re concerned about me hydrating? You’re too much.”
Henry started laughing so hard he could barely stand up. He packed some ice into a towel and went back to the couch.
Quillen said, “Thank you.” He lifted the ice to his eye and breathed in sharply as the cold contacted the bruise.
As the adrenaline left his body, the reality of almost dying replaced the hum of energy, and Henry trembled with a sudden chill.
Quillen held him. “You know what this means, right?”
“No.”
“It means you’re onto the truth. They, whoever they are, wouldn’t make an attempt on your life if you’re way off.”
Henry thought about that. “I wonder if Aeden saw me earlier at the dressing room and knew who I was.”
Quillen said, “There’s a more obvious person: Nyissa. You said you saw her take the pills, too.”
“That doesn’t make sense. If she was concerned, why would she take them in front of me?”
“Maybe she thought you’d buy the headache line. Did you act weird after it?�
��
Henry mocked surprise. “Me? Act weird?”
Quillen chastised, “Come on. This is serious.”
“Kind of, I guess.”
Quillen said, “Wait a minute. Maybe they’re in this together. Nyissa didn’t think it was a big deal, but then Aeden told her someone had seen him. They figured out together that you saw the both of them take pills, and then they must have realized you’d figure it out soon.”
Henry contemplated this. “Nothing makes sense. What does this have to do with Zane’s murder? I know a million dollars is a lot, but would they really try to kill me because I saw them take an illegal substance that might get them banned from the tournament?”
“I agree. There’s a piece of this that’s missing.”
Henry felt exhausted from the day and said, “I think I’m going to lie down now.”
Quillen ran his fingers through Henry’s hair.
Everything about Quillen made him relax into the safety and warmth of his body. Henry tried to hang on to consciousness to discuss the case some more, but he relaxed into sleep too fast.
The sound of clanging made Henry bolt upright. He had no idea how long he’d been asleep, but he feared the assassin had returned. Instead, he saw Quillen standing in the middle of the dark kitchen washing dishes.
Henry called over, “What are you doing? You scared me half to death.”
His head hurt like hell now that he was up.
Why didn’t I listen to him about hydrating?
Quillen said, “I’m cleaning up. I have no idea how you live like this. I couldn’t sleep knowing there was such a mess. Go to bed. I’ll be in shortly.”
Henry got off the couch and trudged into the bedroom. He couldn’t believe that man.
Who has trouble sleeping over some dirty dishes?
But at least he knew he was safe.
Chapter 25
Henry’s head pounded, but it wasn’t the worst hangover he’d ever experienced. It was only then that he realized how much better he’d been after starting a job again. He’d been too focused on the case to hang out at the Glistening Baboon getting drunk every night.