by L. K. Hill
Tyke and Cora rose left the office, casting Gabe sympathetic looks as they did.
“Do you feel better now?” Tyke asked as they went. "After calling him a name?"
“Yeah.” Cora sounded marginally lighter. “I actually do.” The office door shut behind them.
Shaun sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. He looked old and tired today. Odd for him, despite his age. "About Hammond? I’m sorry about keeping some things from you. You hadn’t slept in days and then Kyra on top of it…I wanted to spare you some stress.”
Gabe held up his hands. “It’s okay, Shaun. I’m not mad—” He knew it was a lie. “Well, I am mad, but I get it. Don't do it again," he grumbled
Shaun gazed unblinkingly at Gabe. “Gabe, something doesn’t feel right to me about Blagden.”
Gabe snorted. “You think?”
“I don’t mean the attitude. When he said the thing about all his years at IA? He lied.”
Gabe frowned. “How so?”
“The instant he showed up, I checked into him. He’s a decorated federal officer, but he’s only been with IA for a few weeks. About twenty days.”
“I don’t understand. Is that strange?”
Shaun scratched at his mustache. “Right now, it’s not. Maybe they want him to get his feet wet by looking into this. Maybe this is the case no one wanted, and he's the greenie. The higher-ups really do want answers about the Carmichael District. My worry is if Blagden doesn't find satisfactory ones, they may create a task force.”
Gabe’s eyebrows jumped. “Headed up by Blagden?”
Shaun nodded. “I put in a call to one of his superiors. That’s what it sounded like.”
“So you’re saying,” Gabe forced the conclusions to come, “it’s odd they'd let someone head up a task force when he’s only been on the job two weeks?”
Shaun spread his hands. “There are circumstances in which it could happen. If he were the only one who could do it, or truly was the best man for the job, his lack of experience wouldn't matter so much. By his personality alone, that’s not the case.” Shaun sat back in his chair looking frustrated. “Why would he lie about how long he’d worked there?”
Gabe scoffed. “Well, he’s arrogant enough to embellish.”
Shaun pursed his lips in thought. He obviously didn’t accept it as explanation enough. “It’s more than that. I’ve heard him mutter under his breath a few times, and he sounds completely different than when he talks out loud to people. I can’t explain it. Something seems off.”
“What are we talking about here, Shaun? A multiple personality? Most people project a professional face. They mutter how they really feel under their breath.”
Shaun sighed. “You’re right. It’s just a gut feeling. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, looking for a reason to get rid of him. He is an ass.”
Gabe nodded. “He is.”
Shaun studied the wall of his office furiously and didn’t see it. “Even looking at Blagden on paper, nothing specific stands out...” He trailed off, looking perplexed.
Gabe lowered himself into the chair across from Shaun. “Assuming you’re right—and I'm sure you are. You have better intuition than anyone I’ve ever met, Shaun—what does it mean?”
“I honestly don’t know." His eyes re-focused on Gabe. "If he says anything, does anything, approaches you, harasses you…anything strange at all, let me know. Like I said, I don’t expect you to keep an eye on him—I have Cora and Tyke for that—but if anything comes up…”
Gabe nodded. “Okay.”
“One more thing,” Shaun said, in a more businesslike tone. “The letters on Kyra’s hotel door, G-A-A-P? They could tie the killer in the Mire to Dillon’s case potentially, right?”
Gabe nodded. “Potentially.”
“For the record, I don’t think the two are tied together.”
Gabe opened his mouth.
“Wait, let me finish. I’m not making a judgment. I simply don’t see how they could be. For the time being, you and I are going to pretend I strongly believe the two cases are related.”
Gabe frowned. “Why?”
“Because the easiest way for me to keep you officially involved in your brother’s case is to claim you’re investigating the killer in the Mire, and the two are linked.”
Gabe sat back, considering. Then he grinned. It felt strange after so many bleak days. “Guess that’s why you’re the boss, eh?”
“Yes, it is,” Shaun said firmly, the corners of his mouth turning upward ever so slightly. “I’m going to reassign all your other cases, Gabe.”
“I have twelve others pending, Shaun. It’s a lot to pawn off on everyone else.”
Shaun shrugged. “They’ll have to deal with it. Bring me the files and I’ll hand them off. I want you working the killer in the Mire and Hammond. If they turn out to be separate, great. Work them separately. If they are linked, we need to know how. I feel like this situation is getting away from us. We need to get out ahead of it. Now.”
Gabe nodded. “Kyra is going to talk to her friend Sadie, who is a prostitute. See if she knows anything about the G-A-A-P thing. She’s also going to try and find Dellaire and ask him what happened. See if he can shed any light on the Purple Valentine situation.”
“Right.” Shaun studied Gabe. “She thinks the man who attacked her is the killer targeting prostitutes, right?”
“Yeah, she does.”
Shaun nodded. “Work the Purple Valentine case too. Kyra’s your CI, and anything potentially related, I want you to keep an eye on it.”
Gabe nodded.
Shaun's tone turned more business-like. "Hammond is being questioned at Oceanrise Psychiatric. I’ll put in a call to give you clearance to observe. It’ll be in place by the time you get there. Only observe, Gabe. You do anything stupid or angry and it takes one call to kick you out.”
Gabe nodded. “Understood.” He stood. “And Shaun? Thanks.”
Chapter 6
Kyra slid her palm across the mirror, wiping a clear track through the steam. She looked awful. Dark circles nested under her eyes and below her cheekbones. Even without her Supra makeup on, her skin looked pale and gaunt.
Didn’t matter. It would simply add to her costume’s effect tonight. Perhaps it would be to her advantage if Josie thought she'd become physically weak from drug usage or some other vice. Granted, she was weak tonight, which could be a problem if any number of dangerous situations arose. Getting herself killed by not being at her physical peak would also mean not finding Manny, but she couldn't lose her job with Josie. She wasn’t willing to give up her only "in" with the gang because of a stupid mistake.
Yes, it had been one hundred percent her fault. She’d let her curiosity get the better of her. Because she hadn’t fled when her gut told her to, she'd barely survived. She simply couldn't let it happen again. She ignored the voice in the back of her mind that chuckled at her optimism.
With a sigh, she left the hotel bathroom. Immediately upon leaving the hospital, she'd checked into check into a hotel. She hadn’t wanted to stay in the medical setting, but she needed sleep before venturing out. After sleeping most of the day away, she still thought she could sleep another twelve hours if she simply laid down. Too much important work to be done tonight, though.
She truly didn’t intend to be out long, though. She wanted to catch Sadie before she left for the night. Then she’d go be Josie’s messenger girl for a few hours. She hoped to be back in her hotel by midnight or 1 am. She'd sleep the rest of the night and the next day.
Reluctantly, she applied the familiar, pale makeup. After it dried, she donned her signature dark, baggy clothing and finished the look by securing her short, black, spiky-haired wig securely with plenty of pins and clips. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. It wasn’t Kyra staring back at her. Supra had become such a big part of her these past months. The familiarity felt somewhat disturbing.
Kyra flicked off the light and left the hotel room. A higher-cl
ass hotel than she'd used in the past, it wasn't posh, but upscale enough to have a decent amount of security. After what Gabe told her, and what it might mean, she wanted to be sure to stay in a place that might give potential predators pause. She'd used an alias and a company card from her catering business back home to pay. No one from the Mire could possibly find her here. At least, not yet. She would simply have to switch hotels more frequently than she’d done thus far.
Leaving through a side door, so she wouldn’t have to walk by the front desk, she caught a bus. It took her to a rough part of town, still two or three miles from the Mire. From there she walked. She needed to hurry. With a longer distance to travel from the new hotel, she would only have a short time to talk to Sadie before leaving for Josie’s, whose residence lay on the opposite side of the Mire.
Nearly an hour later, Kyra trudged into Sadie’s building. Flickering, fluorescent lights and grimy tile that hadn’t been replaced in decades made the place seem like a tomb. A hobo emitting the pungent smell of pot slept inside the door. Beside him lay a garbage bag that looked heavy. Kyra stepped over him and ascended the stairs leading to Sadie’s second-floor apartment.
She knocked, but got no answer, though she thought she detected moment from the other side. Leaning into the door, Kyra lowered her voice as much as possible while remaining loud enough to be heard from inside.
“Sadie? It’s me.”
The door opened enough for Sadie to peer out. The instant she recognized Kyra, she yanked the door open wide.
“Supra! What you doin’ here so early? You all right?”
Kyra smiled. “Yes, I’m fine. Can we talk?”
Sadie opened the door wider and Kyra stepped into the small apartment. Threadbare furniture sparsely populated the cold room. An orange light bulb shining out from a shade-less lamp provided the only light. In one corner, a ratty playpen that couldn’t be younger than the early nineties held Sadie’s adorable one-year-old toddler. Annie's red hair—the same shade as Sadie’s—looked fiery orange in the lamp light.
“I saw what happened to you, Supra,” Sadie said as soon as she'd bolted the front door. “The cops took ya. You was acting drunk or somethin’ and they said you was on something. What happened?”
Kyra had thought long and hard about what to tell Sadie. She didn’t want Sadie to worry. Given what happened, it probably couldn't be avoided now. Her explanation needed to be something Sadie would believe.
“I was doing a business deal for Josie and someone tried to steal Josie's product. When I wouldn't let him, he got pissed and injected me with something.”
Sadie’s eyes grew to the size of saucers.
“Who saved you? Theresa saw a man. Said he stayed in the shadows.”
“I think it was…a friend of mine. He’s shy of the cops.”
Sadie barked a laugh. “Aren’t we all?”
Kyra nodded. “He put me where I’d be found. Pretty sure he made the anonymous call to the police.”
“Well, you still could’ve got hurt. Some of them guys who got there before the cops arrived…they wasn’t pleasant people. Your friend should’ve left you somewhere safer.”
“Everything turned out all right,” Kyra assured her.
“What if it happens again, Kyra? This job you’re doing don’t seem safe.”
Kyra smiled. “Am I really getting heat from the girl turning tricks to feed her baby?”
Sadie first gave her resentful look. It quickly softened into a smile. “Yeah okay. But you’re always telling me to be careful. You oughta take your own advice.”
“I will,” Kyra said. “I promise. Besides, I’ll report to Josie again tonight. He’ll…take care of business for me.” An unavoidable lie to put Sadie’s mind at ease.
Sadie thought about it, then nodded, looking less worried. “All right. Make sure he does.”
Kyra smiled. They both sat on the hard, lumpy sofa. “How’s the saving going?”
Sadie immediately smiled, turning to look at her daughter. The one she saved the money for. “Real good, actually.”
“How much you have?”
“Almost a grand, now.”
“Impressive. How much more do you want to have before you leave?”
“At least another grand. Prob’ly take me two or three more months to save it. Theresa told me ‘bout this shelter in the north part of the city. If you get in, they let you stay for weeks at a time. It can count as a legit address so you can get a job. Thought I might try it.”
“You should,” Kyra said with a smile. “Be sure to let me know when you’re going to leave. I know a lot of people. I can help you out.”
“Aw come on, Supra. I’d never leave without telling you. You’re my best friend.”
Kyra felt a swell of affection for Sadie, alongside a heavy dose of guilt. “You’re mine too.” It was true. At least when it came to people in the Mire. She lied to Sadie a lot, for a best friend. Sadie didn’t even know her real name.
Sadie looked pleased at Kyra’s answer.
Kyra licked her lips. “Sadie, I want to ask you something. Something serious.”
Sadie’s face immediately matched Kyra’s tone. “Okay.”
“Have you ever heard the name ‘Gaap,’ especially applied to a john?”
Kyra internet-searched the name before leaving her hotel. She hadn’t done much research, but made sure to learn the pronunciation. It had a short 'a' sound, pronounced like ‘gap.'
Sadie frowned. “Well, I never heard it put to an actual person b’fore.”
“You heard it somewhere else?”
“It’s a story that circulates among the girls. A lay who’s really a demon. He lives in the heart of the city.”
Kyra didn’t think this was what she was looking for. “Hm. Creepy.”
“He’s not supposed to be scary.”
“No?”
“Naw. He sort of watches over the working girls, supposedly.”
“Like a protector?”
“He doesn’t protect. Just keeps an eye on us.”
“Kind of like a patron saint?” Kyra wondered if the killer had taken on the identity of this legend.
Sadie frowned in confusion. “A what?”
“Never mind. You’re sure he’s only a legend? This isn’t based on an actual person?”
“I think if anyone encountered him, they would tell,” Sadie said, and giggled.
Kyra smiled back, but didn’t understand. “Why? He supposed to pay well or something?”
Sadie shook her head. “Naw. Doubt he’d pay at all. He’s supposed to be…skilled in other areas.”
“Ah,” Kyra said. “Real Don Juan, huh?”
Sadie's brow furrowed again. "Who?" She shook her head with a chuckle. "You know I can't understand when you talk all smart, Kyra. It's a wonder Josie hired you."
That took Kyra aback. "What do you mean?"
Sadie shrugged. "You start using big words like that an' it's obvious you ain't from around here. I think it's amazing you've gotten as many people to accept you as you have. Guess they're used to you. I certainly am," she shot Kyra an affectionate smile. "Most people don't trust you 'cause of how you talk. It's obvious you're a down-on-your-luck white girl."
Kyra felt true shock. Sadie had never said anything like this before. Kyra always did her best to fit in, and given that most people hadn't tried to kill her—certain exceptions applied, of course—and spoke easily to her, she thought she'd done a fair job.
"Do I really stick out so much?"
Sadie shrugged. "Mirelings can pick out those who don't belong a mile away, Supra. But it's okay. Most people do accept you now. They can see you're living here legit now. Especially with Josie hirin' ya and all. He wouldn't hire someone he didn't think could do the job. Then there's me."
Kyra blinked warily. "You?"
"Sure. People know me. I been here for years. They know we're friends, and I wouldn't vouch for someone who wasn't one of us."
Absorbing the inform
ation, Kyra ignored the knot in her stomach at Sadie's last sentence. Something told her if Sadie ever found out about Kyra's true identity, she'd lose her friend.
Kyra wondered if this was why it took so long to get in with the gang. She thought all her contacts in the Mire trusted her. Maybe they truly didn't. Kyra felt disheartened by it.
"Did I say somethin' wrong?" Sadie asked.
Kyra realized she'd been frowning. She relaxed her expression. "No. Look, Sadie, will you promise me something? If any of your customers ever utters this name, run. Get out of the situation, okay?”
Sadie became still. “Why? What’s this about Supra?”
“I heard a story. A girl whose john tried to hurt her. He may have said this name to her in some way. She escaped, but this guy did the same thing to another girl.”
Sadie frowned. She cocked her head to one side, as though considering something.
“What is it?” Kyra asked.
“I’m…prob’ly not the best person to be askin' this, Supra.”
“What do you mean?”
Sadie shrugged, looking self-conscious. “Most of the other girls, I’m friends with ‘em, but they always tryin’ to get to me join ‘em when they shoot up and all. I don’t because of Annie,” she glanced at her daughter, who seemed fascinated with a toy horse she turned over and over in her hands, and smiled. “SoI’m kinda…on the outside of things sometimes.”
Kyra nodded. Her time in the Mire had taught her all about being an outsider.
“What I mean is, if any of the girls knows about this john, they might not tell me. You should ask Mrs. Rosary.”
Kyra raised an eyebrow. “Your babysitter?”
Sadie nodded emphatically. “Everybody trusts her. Even if you don’t plan on tellin’ her things, you still do, you know? If anyone knows anything about this Gaap person, she would.”
Kyra nodded thoughtfully. “Can we go see her now?”
“Sure,” Sadie stood. “Give me a few minutes to finish getting ready. I gotta drop Annie off there anyhow. We’ll go early and talk to her before we head out.”