CHAPTER 44
The receptionist with black and pink hair was staring at Fae. The phone was in her hand, and she was speaking quietly. Fae kept her eyes trained elsewhere, listening in.
“Yes … Yes, she is … I’m looking at her right now… Is there – okay.”
She put the phone down.
Fae turned towards her.
“Your friend will be down shortly,” the receptionist said grinning.
“Right…” Fae said.
She crossed her arms. Tension creeping to the back of her throat.
“He was very naughty going up there without permission,” the receptionist said. “Lucky Dr. Taggart was here after all.”
“Lucky…”
The elevator doors opened around the corner.
Fae glanced at the security guard. He was staring at her also.
This place gave her the creeps.
Agent Morello appeared, walking briskly.
“Thanks again,” he said waving at the receptionist.
The guard moved into position to escort them out the doors.
Fae waited until they were outside before giving Morello the news. “I just got off the phone with Carmichael. Some serious shit’s gone down with Graves.”
“Okay,” Morello said.
They walked across the open parking lot.
“Apparently he’s gone completely insane. He’s meant to have killed a bunch of people, some of them tonight, some years back.”
“Tonight? You mean after –”
“Looks that way. He’s still on his warpath to find this trapdoor psycho who’s been blackmailing him. Stasia and Carmichael tracked him to a gas station up in the snow, where he’s supposed to have found the psycho.”
“What’s the current status?”
“Carmichael’s waiting for backup while Stasia’s trying to hunt him down on her own. Everything’s just gone to hell. Meanwhile we’ve been wasting our time with Dr. What’s-its-name, missing all the action.”
They hurried across the road back to the car.
They got in, and Morello switched on the ignition.
He grabbed hold of the gearstick, then paused, and looked back at the clinic.
“It’s … It’s funny…” he said.
“What is?” Fae asked.
“You’ve never heard of a place called 13th Avenue, have you?”
“13th Avenue? Doesn’t ring any bells.”
“It’s probably nothing. But I wonder…”
“What?”
Morello blinked a few times. He shut off the ignition.
“Dr. Taggart said Graves told him about a place called 13th Avenue. Where he’d supposedly done something, he wasn’t proud of. I wonder if he could’ve meant that’s where…”
“What?”
Morello had trailed off. He was looking outside the window.
He nodded.
Fae turned and saw a tall, middle-aged man exiting the clinic, carrying a briefcase by his side. He was looking around, for someone or something in particular.
“That’s Dr. Taggart,” Morello said.
Fae swallowed.
Taggart was walking towards the road where they were.
“Get down,” Morello whispered.
“What?”
“Down! Now!”
They both buried their heads under the dashboard.
Fae held her breath. She heard the Doctor’s footsteps echo across the footpath.
Another vehicle passed slowly by theirs.
Morello motioned for her to stay down.
There was the sound of a car door opening, and then a mild acceleration. They waited another moment, and then both looked up.
Fae exhaled. Morello stroked his chin.
A taxi-cab drifted down the road in front of them.
CHAPTER 45
Snow clung to Stasia’s shoes as she staggered along the surface between the trees on 13th Avenue. Wind rushed into her face, cold and hard. Rain soaked her hair and streamed across her cheeks. Detective Graves’ menacing voice grew louder and louder as she followed the trail of blood. Through the thick of the trees, the cold dark atmosphere – Graves sounded like the devil incarnate. Evil, wicked, cruel. Self-serving. How anyone could have been fooled by his charming charisma and calm demeanor, was lost on Stasia. There was no mistaking who the man was now.
He was no man at all.
Stasia gripped the base of a tree-trunk at the forest’s edge, staring out across the open white. Graves hadn’t killed his captive yet, but Stasia could see that the attendant was on his knees and Graves had a gun out, waving it at him.
“Nicholas!” Stasia shouted over the wind.
He looked back at her, expressionless.
Stasia trudged forward, putting her arms in the air. “I’m coming over!”
He looked away. Withdrawn into himself.
Stasia might not have been so forth coming to expose herself like this, but she realized that no matter how evil he might have appeared, there was still a bond between them.
There was still a place that only she could reach.
“He won’t confess,” Graves said upon her approach. “You believe that? I thought he would be proud of his work.”
The man on the ground looked up to Stasia. “Please. Help me. I don’t know what he’s talking about, I swear.”
“Oh, come on!” Graves shouted. “Drop the act! I’m not letting you leave here even if you are innocent. You might as well own up to it!”
“Can I talk to you?” Stasia said.
He looked up at her. “What?”
“Away from him.”
Graves swallowed. “Okay.”
She followed him a few metres away from the man.
“You try and run, I’ll kill you,” Graves hollered at him. “Don’t even think about it.”
Stasia touched his arm. “Is this the place?”
“Is this … what place…?”
“Where it happened?”
Graves exhaled long and hard. His mouth opened. He looked up at the sky.
“You can tell me,” Stasia said. “It’s just the two of us now.”
“For so long it’s haunted me,” Graves said. “It was all I ever thought about. But now, tonight. I’ve done worse things than I ever did that day…”
He looked down into Stasia’s eyes.
“What happened here was an accident,” Graves said. “It wasn’t my fault and yet the guilt … the hiding … the lies … And him…”
“I believe you, Nicholas.”
“Do you? Do you really?”
“Of course, I do.”
He touched the side of Stasia’s face. “You’re the greatest person I ever met. I’m so sorry.”
“I know you are,” Stasia said. “I forgive you…”
CHAPTER 46
As the cab slowed down on the side of the narrow street, Fae and Morello slowed down too. They watched as Dr. Taggart got out and began descending a sloping driveway adjacent. The cab soon departed. “Where is that?” Morello asked. “Can you check what building it is?”
“St. Matthew’s Hall,” Fae read out from her phone.
“You stay here,” Morello said. “I just want to have a look at it.”
“Why do I have to –”
The car door shut before she finished her sentence.
Fae sighed as Morello’s sleek figure strode across the road. She shifted around the chair. Tried to stretch her knees a little. Morello disappeared down the driveway.
Fae pursed her lips together. Now she was alone, all her thoughts were coming at her. The things she’d been keeping at the back of her mind, were now at the front.
Like what had happened to Christian. And Mei-Ling.
And the last time she’d seen Stasia.
She’d never seen Stasia be so rude before. To swear at her like that. Fae didn’t like the idea of their friendship being damaged. Not with what they’d already lost. They would need each other after today. Fae would
make sure stealing Stasia’s man was a onetime occurrence. She really hoped she could still convince her to work in the new office.
Fae blinked a few times. No sign of Morello yet. Okay, she was feeling anxious.
She picked up her phone and dialed him.
Straight to voicemail.
“Bloody hell,” Fae cursed.
She pushed open her side of the car and stepped out onto the street. She looked around to make sure she wasn’t being watched and then proceeded slowly along the road. She made it to the top of the drive where Morello had disappeared. There were some pale blue lights shining down the bottom of the drive, at the hall’s entrance. She made her way down.
Every step she took make a sound on the gravel. She was aware of crickets, of a gentle breeze. Of vehicles gliding along in the far away distance. She walked up to the entrance where a set of double-doors were wide open. There was a reception booth on her left. A hall reaching round to the right.
Fae spied a sign on the wall that read: PITFALL PRODUCTIONS.
“Are you here for the performance?”
Fae turned to her left. There was a woman with pink and black hair standing behind the counter. She had a tag on displaying her name.
“Amy?” Fae said out loud.
“Yes?”
As she neared the counter she saw despite the similarities, this was a different woman.
“Uh… Did my friend just walk in here?”
“I’m afraid I can’t disclose that information.”
“Can you just tell me if –?”
“The next performance starts in five minutes. I recommend you purchase a ticket if you don’t have one already.”
Fae sighed. “How much?”
“175.99.”
“Are you kidding?”
The woman didn’t respond.
Fae made a face, then reluctantly went for her wallet. After her card was scanned she accepted the ticket plus a carry-bag that came with it. “What’s in here?”
“Just some accessories. Enjoy the show.”
Fae nodded and then walked to the right. She followed the along until it opened up into a wide foyer. Another woman with matching ‘Amy’ features was standing at the far end. Fae also spied a few other people sauntering around the foyer. They were dressed up, wearing masquerade masks and attire.
“Good evening, Madame.”
Fae turned to see another suited man without a mask entering the foyer from a glass door on the side. He had a large forehead and a triangular nose.
“Hello,” Fae said quietly.
“Were you looking for your friend?”
“Uh – yes –”
“I think he’s already seated.”
“Oh. Thank you –”
“What’s your name?”
Fae cleared her throat. “I’m Fae.”
He extended a gloved hand. “I’m Viktor. Nice to meet you.”
She shook it. “A pleasure.”
“Have you had a look around yet?”
Fae did a half spin. “Not really.”
He motioned to an exhibit to the left of her. “They call this one ‘The Falling Woman’. Perhaps you can relate.”
Fae turned. There was a scaled down, ceramic model of a woman caught in a hole in the floor. Her arms were holding her upright, resting on the edge of the hole. Her legs were trapped in the nothing, dangling free.
A pair of legs with dark shoes stood at the woman’s eyelevel.
“Why would I relate to this?” Fae asked.
“It’s a metaphor,” Viktor explained. “The Falling Woman takes on the shadow of an everyday person in real life. But this shows her in the invisible realm.”
“So are the standing legs the same woman, or someone else?”
“Up to interpretation, I guess. There’s another one over here.”
Fae allowed him to lead her to the next display.
It showed a series of faceless people positioned together to create a staircase, with a figure standing at the top looking up.
“The Flying Man,” Viktor said hypnotically. “A man who has trodden over the lives of many in order to grant himself a staircase to the clouds. I’m sure we’ve all known people like this…”
Fae took a moment, observing the creation.
“Two minutes!” the ‘Amy’ by the door announced.
“Should we go in?” Fae asked.
“One more,” Viktor said. He led her to the opposite side of the room where there was another ceramic figure. This one was much larger than the others – almost life-size.
“You recognize this one, don’t you?”
Fae stared at the model. The figure was of a presumably tall person in flowing robes, with a hood that obscured their face. Their right hand was extended downward, pointing towards the floor. The left hand was reaching upward.
Fae saw he was holding a small rod in this hand, with a blue button on the end of it.
“So what’s this one then?” Fae asked. “The Pointing Monk? The Terrifying Wizard?”
“No,” Viktor said quietly. “They call this one … The Trapdoor Master…”
CHAPTER 47
Forgiveness was the last thing Graves expected from Stasia. The last thing he deserved. Staring into her sweet oceanic eyes, she was able to reach past the drunkenness, the rage, the hurt. She was able to melt the ice around his heart. He felt her arm move around his. “Come on, let’s go home,” she said. “Let’s get out of the cold.”
And his body was saying yes. It was allowing itself to be swayed by her. They moved along the snow together, their bodies warming one another, shivers of pain and excitement pulsating his veins. And as long as he kept his eyes on hers then perhaps – then perhaps –
“Hey!” Graves shouted.
Jason Hong had decided to stand up. “I go now.”
“No, you’re not going anywhere!”
“Nicholas,” Stasia began. “Just let him –”
“Why you being nice to him?” Hong asked Stasia. “He killed my daughter! This man is a killer!”
Stasia made a face as though it was news to her. “Nicholas?”
Graves pushed her away. He still had the gun in his hand.
“Alright, let’s quit messing around,” Graves said. “Both of you. On your knees. You – Hong – right away –”
“Nicholas, I don’t think –” Stasia tried.
“Shut up! Shut the fuck up! Let me think for a freaking second, would you?”
Graves made a fist with his free hand and punched himself in the forehead. He had it there. Just for a moment. What was it? What was that feeling?
Was it…
Hope?
“Let’s break it down logically,” Stasia said. “Let’s talk it through. So every choice that’s made is a rational one. Okay? Graves? Can we think this through together?”
“I preferred it when you called me Nicholas.”
“Sure. Nicholas. Let’s try and –”
“You can go, Stasia,” Graves said. “Just go. This is between me and him.”
“No, it isn’t. He’s nothing. He’s nobody.”
“He’s the one that started this whole thing!”
Stasia stood up. “Come on. You don’t actually make him for the Trapdoor Master, do you?”
“Well, who else could it be? Who else was there that day?”
“You know, I’ve been thinking about this. I’ve been racking my brain and I just wonder if, maybe the reason the killer knew about 13th Avenue was because you told them about it.”
“No! No, we’ve been over this! I told no one –”
“Nicholas, do you know how ridiculous that sounds?”
“Why is it so ridiculous? You must think I’m a moron or something.”
“You’re a drunk,” Stasia said. “You drink during the afternoon. You blackout at night. If you told someone about 13th Avenue, how can you be sure you would even remember it?”
Graves’ mouth fell open. She was right. It was true.
How would he even know?
“I mean, do you remember that night after our first week together. The one at my house where you –”
“Surely I didn’t tell you –”
“You tried to rape me.”
Graves swallowed. “No.”
“You held me down. You ripped off my pants. You took your dick out –”
“No, no, no, Stasia, I would never –”
“You TRIED! But I was able to stop you. I was able to get away.”
“Why didn’t you report it?”
Stasia shook her head. “I was going to. I hated you so much for it. I went and saw Dr. Taggart about it. I was trying to figure out what I could even prove. You were this star Detective, and I was still learning the ropes, trying to fit in. Then I met your wife. Your little baby boy. And I thought… I’ll give him one more chance. Just one more…”
“Well,” Graves said. “I guess I fucked that up. You made the wrong call.”
“It’s this place,” Stasia said. “All those years ago. What happened to you that day. That’s where things went wrong. Not because of anything I did.”
Graves nodded. “You’re right.”
Stasia walked over to him. “Give me the gun. It’s over now.”
“What?”
“Nicholas. Please.”
She put her hands to his.
And Graves thought about it. He thought real hard.
CHAPTER 48
Inside the carry-bag was a blue and white masquerade mask that covered the rings around Fae’s eyes, as well as the roof of her nose. Buried deeper, there was a small glowstick with a blue button on the end. Buried further still there was a pamphlet on St Matthew’s Hall, and a blue envelope. Fae went to reach in for it, but Viktor interrupted. “Are you ready?”
Fae looked up from the bag, her mask firmly attached. “Ready.” She stuffed the envelope in her pocket.
Amy took their tickets, ripping them up, as they bustled through along the narrow pathway, with other patrons in front and behind them. The path then met with the middle of a large auditorium, holding somewhere between a hundred and two hundred seats. The house was almost full.
“Who are you sitting with?” Fae asked her new companion.
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