by Sarah Blair
“Wow. The rumor mill’s working overtime tonight, huh? Tell your boy he’s not going to throw us off the trail that easy.” Manners squeezed the back of his neck. “Have a good night, Ms. Lake.”
Sidney watched him go and made a mental note to practice her interrogation skills. Something had been there in his eyes. She felt it. She just couldn’t grab on to it. And even worse, the detective thought Hutch had sent her in to lie for him.
“Damnit.” She searched the room to see how Williams was faring, and wound her way toward him. He was engaged in deep conversation with an older woman Sidney recognized.
“Hello, Fanny,” she said.
“Ah, Sidney. Darling, I haven’t seen you in ages! How’s your grandfather? Still single?” The ample woman snuggled up to Williams and he squeaked like a cornered guinea pig.
“I do my best not to think about my grandfather’s romantic conquests. If I have to tack on any more to my therapy bill, I’ll never be able to fund that Venezuelan coup I’ve been planning. You know how it is!” Sidney waved airily and pried Williams out of the woman’s polished talons. “I need to borrow my concubine for a second. Excuse me.”
“That woman makes Mrs. Robinson look like a saint,” Williams whispered. “Thanks for the rescue.”
“No problem. What’d you find out?”
“Caught some stock tips I’m definitely following up on,” Williams said.
“Be careful. The only thing these jackwagons like better than their fancy champagne is insider trading.” Sidney rolled her eyes.
“Not everything about being in the field is exciting, Lake.” Williams downed the last of his champagne. “Most of it’s mega boring. And usually the exciting stuff isn’t the fun brand of exciting, it’s the terrifying brand. Wouldn’t you rather be here than facing a demon ready to suck the marrow from your bones just for funsies?”
Champagne went up Sidney’s nose and she choked. “They do that?”
“So I’ve heard.”
A chill fluttered through her, and Sidney redirected the conversation. “I found out some super interesting stuff about Hutch’s mom.”
“Oh? Do tell!”
The lights dimmed and a spotlight focused on a woman behind the podium with long heavy curls and umber skin glowing in perfect contrast to a frosted pink gown. “Welcome to the 23rd annual Zoo Gala and fundraiser. If you could all please take your seats, dinner is served.”
People ended their conversations and moved toward their tables. Sidney caught a glimpse of Hutch’s mother approaching the detective. The man listened carefully to something she was saying and Sidney wished she was close enough to hear.
“Shit.” Sidney elbowed Williams. “Can you read lips?”
“Duh, of course I can. It’s easy.” Williams gave a casual glance over their way. “The detective wants to keep a monkey in a handbag. Or, make a monkey handbag? Definitely something about a monkey and a handbag.”
Sidney stared at him, non-plussed.
He reconsidered. “Maybe it’s a code.”
Sidney watched Hutch’s mom leave the detective and stalk toward the tables.
The woman at the podium continued. “We have a wonderful preview of our latest exhibit planned for you, but first we’d like to share a bit about what your donations will make possible for the zoo and most importantly, the animals we care so much about. I’d like to also add that our menu this evening is one-hundred percent vegan!”
“We can still make a run for it,” Williams tugged her toward the door.
“No way are we leaving now.” She dragged him over and found her place card at the table, right next to Bambi.
Sidney was sure the woman’s champagne was about to start steaming in her hand. Williams played it cool, helping Sidney into her chair, then scooted into the seat at her other side.
“I know it’s tough.” Williams nudged Sidney gently under the table with his foot. “We all miss Peyton. A candle in the wind. Gone too soon.”
Sidney got the hint and grabbed her napkin, dabbing away non-existent tears at the edges of her eyes. “I just keep thinking about all the good she could have done for the animals. If she’d only had more time.”
When she glanced up, Bambi’s fist curled around the butter knife next to her plate, eyes fixed hard on her. Sidney held her breath ready to dodge and shove Williams out of the way if needed.
The lights dimmed and Hutch’s dad arrived. He kissed his wife’s hand and smiled warmly at her, but with a hint of concern in his eyes. Then he scooped his arm around her shoulders, easing her away from Sidney. Bambi turned toward the stage to applaud the hostess for the evening, like she hadn’t just been ready to stab Sidney through the eye.
Williams nudged Sidney and pointed to her clutch. She took out her phone and found a message waiting from him.
Williams
What the hell was that?
Starting to think nothing
supernatural is going on after all.
Williams
Or maybe she summoned a demon?
Because that woman is [evil emoji]
Know any good exorcism spells?
Williams
Sorry, left my holy water at home #mybad.
Detective Manners peered at them with an unwavering intensity. Sidney responded quickly to another message and put her phone away, but she could feel his stare burned a spot at the base of her neck.
“Animal Ambassadors, as you are aware, our society suffered a deeply felt loss recently.” The hostess’ speech turned somber. “Our chairwoman Peyton Remington may have been lost too soon, but her legacy lives on. Which is why this evening, we’re dedicating a brand new exhibit in her honor. Here to talk about just what this would have meant to her is our dear friend, Mr. Theodore Hutchison, IV.”
The room erupted into applause again and the spotlight found Hutch as he came up to the podium.
“Thanks everybody.” Hutch waved and arranged his notes on the podium. “I’ve got to admit, I really wish I wasn’t the one up here giving this speech tonight. You all probably feel the same.”
A murmur echoed through the crowd.
Hutch nodded, then cleared his throat. “I’d like to take a moment to thank everyone for your donations tonight, but a few especially mean so much to me and Peyton, and even more importantly to these animals. I know if koalas could speak words, they would say thank you to Sidney Lake, representing our highest contributor this evening, Lake Industries—an organization that has always been at the forefront of medical research and technology, striving to make this world better not only for humans, but for animals as well.”
Sidney’s nausea increased as everyone applauded, but somehow she managed to smile and wave graciously.
Williams whispered to her again. “Good gravy, Lake. How much did you put down for this vegan cheese, anyway?”
“Trust me, you don’t want to know.” She waved him off.
Hutch continued, “I wish Peyton was here tonight, more than anybody. I know she was thrilled about this new addition to the zoo and what it would mean for the lives of these incredible animals.
“About two years ago, my dad mentioned in passing that he’d hired a new assistant. I didn’t think much of it until I stopped by his office one afternoon and I met Peyton.” Hutch gave a sad smile as he glanced just past Sidney to his father. “I brought her here to the zoo on our first date.
“Peyton was devastated when she heard about the Australian wildfires that ravaged their way through the koala’s habitat. And even more, all the corporations ready to tear the land apart to mine for natural resources.” He bowed his head. “She felt such a calling, that she decided to travel around the world to do what she could to help. She even let me tag along.”
A photo came up on the screen of the happy couple, holding a koala, their entire lives spread out before them.
“Traveling through the Outback, watching how excited she got when she spotted a kangaroo out in the wild for the first time—it was
a life changing experience for both of us. I knew we were meant to spend the rest of our lives together.”
Another photo came up. The grinning couple with Peyton holding her left hand up to show off an enormous diamond. An older version of Peyton with the same blonde hair stood next to her, grinning. Hutch’s parents stood on either side of him. His mother’s arms draped around his neck.
Hutch lifted his face from his notes and addressed the crowd directly. “The kind of passion Peyton contained doesn’t come out of thin air. She was a lifetime conservationist. She believed that everyone should have the opportunity to meet and learn about the animals she cared so deeply for. Because, only when we’re able to connect directly with these gorgeous creatures can we truly appreciate them, and ignite that passion within ourselves.”
The photo behind the podium faded and a video played on the screen as Hutch bowed his head dramatically and stepped aside. Tender music rose along with a video montage of Peyton cuddling koalas, complete with a voiceover detailing the construction of the exhibit and state-of-the-art features that could be found in the new Remington Outback Adventure.
A loud and drawn out squawking cut through the presentation. A second joined in with the first, harmonizing in a way that made Sidney’s blood turn to sludge.
“What’d they do, put a bunch of squeaky toys on exhibit?” Williams muttered.
“Those are the koalas,” Sidney told him.
“Pfft. Now I know you’re messing with me, Lake. Koalas don’t make sounds.”
“Yeah. They do. I watched a bunch of videos online this afternoon while I was getting my hair done.” Sidney whispered back. “Koalas are fucking creepy.”
The video ended and the hostess of the evening returned to the podium with Hutch and a pair of enormous gold scissors. Two people dressed in olive colored safari uniforms with wide-brimmed hats stretched a red satin ribbon across the doorway.
Hutch snipped the ribbon and shook the hostess’ hand. Smiles and cameras flashed. The squawking died down as the applause thundered and the doors to the exhibit opened.
Fifteen
It might not be the darkest corner of life Mitch had ever found himself in, but the shadows were closing in. Not only figuratively, but literally as well. The dark gray clouds above roiled against a quickly fading backdrop, and darkness had already fallen among the deep canyon of federal buildings.
He crossed into a small corner park and sank onto a bench. His light trench wasn’t warm enough, and he shivered as the temperature plummeted.
Wife and lover, both lost on the same day. If Becks could even be called a lover. Run away to Thailand. How fucking desperate could he be? And what was worse, the kiss had proven she was right. It wasn’t even that he wanted her back. He just didn’t want to be alone right now.
Not tonight.
He also couldn’t stomach the thought that he truly was so pathetic. Rebecca was his friend above all else. More than any of the rest of it, and deep down somewhere in the midst of his crisis, he really was happy that she was happy. He scrubbed his face in his hands, trying to erase all of it, the whole goddamned day.
Well, maybe not all of it.
A vermillion leaf fell onto the concrete between his feet and reminded him of the loose wisps framing Lake’s piercing jade eyes. Mitch shifted on the bench, uncomfortable with his body’s reaction. He shouldn’t even be around Sidney, let alone get a semi every time she crossed his mind. It was completely unprofessional. On multiple levels.
Jesus.
“You are so royally fucked,” he told himself.
If he couldn’t be around Sidney, then he wouldn’t. That’s all there was to it. He’d tell his benefactor, Dimitrius Roman, he was done. There were plenty of other firms who’d hire him with his level of expertise. It’s not like he needed the money now, anyway.
Hell, he could leave the city all together. Retire to his lakeside cabin in New Hampshire exactly like he’d always planned. Now he didn’t have to wait another ten years to do it.
“Eight million.” He grumbled and clenched his fists, angry at Deirdre all over again, and immediately guilty for being angry at a dead woman. He took out his phone and called his attorney. “Jane, it’s Mitch.”
“How was your walk?”
“Thought provoking,” he admitted. “I wanted to apologize for earlier.”
“Water under the bridge,” she said.
“I still want to sell the condo, but I think there’s a better use for the money.”
“Anything is better than using it as an incendiary device,” she quipped. “Did you have something specific in mind?”
He decided to test the words out loud. “I want to retire.”
“There’s plenty of time to decide,” she said. “Get through this week. Maybe take a nice long vacation to clear your head, and see how a life of leisure suits you. Then we’ll talk about options.”
“Yeah.” He massaged his scalp and glanced back to the leaf. “Thanks, Jane.”
Mitch ended the call and sat up straight, noticing the sign for Centre Street at the corner of the park. He stood and headed uptown with a freshly renewed determination.
Speaking the words out loud felt right. He could finally be free to travel. He’d always wanted to see the treasures of the Louvre in person. Stretch out on the deck of a sailboat overlooking a white beach with nothing but the sound of water lapping at the hull. Breathe in the fresh cold air of the Rockies. It was a thrilling prospect.
The old Police Headquarters came into view and Mitch’s feet slowed as he waded out of his daydream. The imposing majesty of the building had its intended effect. The idea of facing his boss, the man who provided all the funding for the agency, Dimitrius Roman, made his palms turn clammy inside his pockets.
“Sure you want to do this?” he mumbled to himself.
As exciting as traveling the world seemed inside his mind, he wasn’t sure he could really turn his back on the agency. He’d been an investigator more than half his life. Could he live without a mystery to solve?
Not to mention, there was the matter of telling Dimitrius he was ready to walk out on all of it. Even though the agency’s patron was always kind and reasonable, there was something about him that intimidated Mitch.
For one thing, he was almost impossible to read. Everyone had micro-expressions they couldn’t control. Tiny twitches and movements in the face and body that were unconsciously made, and gave away a person’s thoughts if someone had practice reading them like Mitch did. Dimitrius was the only person he’d ever met who seemed perfectly aware of his, able to use them to his advantage, occasionally going as far as erasing them all together and turning into a blank slate. It was fascinating and frightening all at once.
There was also the small group of friends that he kept around. Tyran, was the closest to Dimitrius. They had a palpable intimacy between them, that suggested to Mitch they were partners.
His assistant, Beatrice, always calm and collected, took all of the eccentricity in stride. She managed to acknowledge the strangeness of her employer in an offhand way to Mitch that made it all feel perfectly normal and set him at ease.
The giants, Argus and Malcolm, he’d deduced were brothers. They were big and bawdy, and always arguing. One of them—he could never remember which—was into artisanal micro-brewing, so there was a bottomless supply of interesting drinks on hand at all times.
The promise of a mature whiskey and a blazing fire lured Mitch toward the dome of the Police Building like a homing beacon. For three years, he’d been coming here at least once a week for a chat.
Most often, he stayed only briefly to catch up on business. A few times, Dimitrius allowed Mitch to join them for a night of drinking and stories. It felt like stepping back in time to a medieval tavern, with an actual lute and adventures they recounted and sang about with such vivid detail he’d been sucked in and hadn’t questioned their veracity until after the fact. But, as far as eccentric millionaires went, Dimitrius was one of
the good ones.
The first time he’d entered through the enormous front doors of 240 Centre Street, he’d been at a crossroads. New job, new apartment, and single again all in one fell swoop. At age fifty he’d felt like he started his adult life completely over from scratch.
A sense of change swirled around him once more, three years later, as though he were stuck in the eye of a hurricane, the events of the day hurtling around him too fast to deal with. Everything closed in, ready to crush him. Instead of the lighthearted excitement that came with beginning something new, he felt the heavy weight of the end.
Mitch shuffled up the stone steps past the enormous carved stone lions guarding either side of the entrance, and the doorman greeted him.
“Evening, Kurt,” he said.
“Mr. Harris. We weren’t expecting you until later.” The tone was friendly, but he got the hint.
“I had another meeting nearby. I can go around the block if it’s too early.” He huddled down inside his coat.
“Nonsense. Come in and grab a seat.” Kurt opened the door and Mitch settled himself in one of the burgundy velvet club chairs dotting the lobby.
Art Deco chandeliers sparkled overhead. He’d never taken the time to truly study them before. The perfectly polished crystals swagged heavily, and the design reminded him of a wedding cake made of light. The chandeliers hung on either side of two massive Ionic columns, framing the grand staircase in the center of the lobby.
Attention to detail had been applied to every crevice of the century-old building. Even the three-dimensional floral motifs blossoming from the ceiling gleamed so bright and fresh, he wouldn’t have been surprised if they’d been covered in gold leaf yesterday. The only thing that hinted at the true age of the building was the uneven lay of the floor.