by Matt Abraham
I sprinted to it, with his keys in hand, got in, and drove through the outer gate. As I went I looked to where Scourge’s car had been parked.
It was gone.
Turning my wheels south I drove swift, with my eyes on the road and my mind on Doodle.
And I didn’t like what I was thinking.
She was wanted for trying to murder the mayor, and was also now a cop killer. She’d lied to me about leaving town, and was obviously wrapped up with the very murder I was hired to solve. But how did she know Gunmetal? Did that mean she was working with Scourge? Was he driving that car the night I watched her? And how on earth did she fool Acouste? Wait, did she? When I asked her about Swamp and the robbery she said they were together the entire night. Was she in on the whole thing?
If so, closing Widow’s case meant pinching my own daughter. And I didn’t know if I could do that. Could I?
The questions about Doodle swirled like a hurricane. But at that storm’s center was the woman pulling her strings. Tera.
Was she the mystery dame Bundy was talking about? Tera knew all the players. And Doodle said they had a falling out with Big Six in New York over money before coming here. Did she steal enough cash to put this whole thing together? It made a sickly kind of sense. After all, she was never much of a thief, so a failed attempt at stealing the Coconut that resulted in the deaths of two boys, and her daughter’s near incarceration, wasn’t out of the question.
If that was the case then it was bad news for my kid. Especially since there was only one guy who could’ve helped me protect her, and I’d just left him unconscious in a heap, convinced that I aided the mayor’s would-be assassin.
The tumult of bad thoughts made for an unpleasant trip back to my office. Fortunately it was a quick one, and when I arrived I parked Monday’s undercover sedan behind my Jalopy, slid his keys inside the sun visor, and fixed the siren to the roof so it would get back to him safe.
Then I ran up to the fourth floor. When I passed through the hologram my office was dark. I opened the door and stepped in. Mrs. West’s desk was empty save for a few cardboard boxes, and a gift-wrapped bottle with my name on it.
She was gone. Finally.
Promising to find and thank her later, I grabbed two empty boxes and ran into the back. I had to clear out as much as possible before Monday was conscious. He’d no doubt be here with a team of blue boys to gut this place as soon as he woke up, so quick as I could I shoved all my files into the boxes. I added the contents of my desk, and the computer. I stacked them up, slung my spare clothes over top, and hoofed it out, grabbing Mrs. West’s gift on the way.
But I had to stop and give the place one last look.
I guess the black capes and their families will have to go somewhere else for the help they need. I meant to keep your place going, I wanted to so bad. But I crashed it hard. Like I crash everything. I’m sorry, Carl. So damn sorry.
Then I closed his door, ran downstairs, and threw everything into the trunk.
I needed a place that was safe from the law. I also needed advice from a friend.
But mostly, I just needed a drink.
Chapter 39
When I got to Henchmen’s it was all but deserted save for two gals at the bar. As I took a seat three stools down they turned my way. It was Kalamity and Slamazon, the giantesses I’d traded wallops with a few days ago. I expected the pair would start with me again, but instead all they did was pound their drinks and march out the door.
“Chasing away my business, huh?” It was Dastard Lee. She’d come out of the back room with a case of beer in her arms. “What the hell happened to you?”
“Nothing,” I said. “Give me a shot of Octane.”
“Whoa, that’s not a nothing happened drink. That’s a something awful happened drink. Does it have anything to do with the face?”
“It has to do with a dame.”
“They’ll do it every time.” She plopped the beer down, put a rocks glass in front of me, and grabbed a half empty bottle from the bottom shelf. It was black, with an eight-sided skull on the label, and across its forehead were the magic words: Three Hundred Proof.
She poured me two fingers.
“Salut.” I took a mouthful of the Octane. And immediately regretted it. The stuff was cinnamon silk in the glass, but when it hit the human tongue it dug in like a jellyfish made of poison tar intent on fighting its way to sweet freedom. With a hard swallow the booze lost that battle, and my head went fuzzy numb.
“You know, I got something aside from a bottle of amnesia that might interest you,” Lee said, and poured me another shot.
“Do tell.”
“I ran into a squirrel this afternoon who owns a holed-up house in Blackwood, and you’ll never guess which two capes he had holed-up there for the past month or so.”
I lifted the glass and stopped. “Don’t tell me Firewall and Thermite.”
“I won’t, but only because you guessed right.”
I sat up straight. “You’re kidding me, you got their address?”
“It’s the least I could do. Now sit tight. I’ll be right back.”
She turned and disappeared behind a door.
From the other direction came her barman, the one with onyx skin and big, white eyes that served me last time I was here. “Hey Dane.”
“Hey. You’re Psy-Ball, right? Hocus-Focus’ kid? You’re the one who spotted Scourge.”
His white smile shone like neon next to those inky lips. “Yeah. Lee tell you about that?”
“She did. And I appreciate you passing the info on.”
“My pleasure. I heard about-” The phone behind him rang. “One second. Henchmen’s.” He glanced my way. “Let me check.” He cupped the transmitter. “Dane, you got a call. Young girl sounding. You here?”
My fuddled mind cleared and I said, “Yeah, give it.”
He handed me the phone.
“Doodle, is that you?”
“Hey,” she said. “I hoped you’d be there.”
“I’m always here. Are you ok?”
“Yeah, I’m blooming. But I’m sorry about what happened at North Point.”
She was ok. Thank God. I wanted to reach through the phone and hug her. Instead I yelled, “You’re sorry? People died back there. You could’ve been one of them.”
“But I-”
“How do you know Gunmetal? Did you help Scourge kill Thermite and Firewall? Were you in on the Coconut job? What’s going on?”
Doodle gave me some silence. It felt practiced. And lasted just long enough to seem sincere. “I didn’t kill anybody. And I didn’t know those two guys that died. I met Scourge and Gunmetal through Swamp. They were the ones who had Swamp hire us for the hit on the mayor. And I passed them some of his hardware that night you came to Wetlands. That’s it. That’s all I know. But now, I really need your help.”
That last part sounded bona fide. And not at all mendacious. But then again, over the phone, it’s easy to mix those two up. “Of course you need help. You only call when you need something.”
“Listen, I’m with Mom. She’s buying some weapons. I think she double-crossed Swamp, and he’s got Scourge and Gunmetal after us. We have to get out of town.”
“So grab Tera and go.”
“We have no money. So she’s insisting we get the payout from Scourge’s boss.”
“Bundy Strong?”
“I don’t know.”
“Listen,” I said. “I want you to hang up the phone, and get gone. Tonight.”
“I want to. I told Mom that. But she’s acting obsessed. She wants cash and I’m scared that-”
“Sketch?” It was Tera. “Where are you?”
“Over here. One second,” Doodle said. “Please, I’m telling the truth. I need you to protect me when we pick up the money. Like you did before, when no one else would.”
I thought about my baby girl, and the spider web my ex had her stuck in. “Fine. Where’s this going down?”
Tera yelled, “Young lady, stop hiding.”
“I’m not. I’m over here,” Doodle said. “I don’t know where the drop is. Yet. But when I do I’ll send you a telegram.”
What? “A telegram, are you-”
“Yes. Just help me, please,” she said. “Mom, I’m coming right-” And the line went dead.
I handed the phone back to Psy-ball.
He hung it up and said, “Everything ok?”
“Not at all.”
“Sorry to hear that.” He finished polishing the glasses in front of him. “Anyway, what’s up with Dread-”
“Here you go.” It was Lee. She was back from the basement with a piece of paper in her hand.
“Thanks, this could help,” I said, taking the address. “Now I got to be going.” I sucked down my Octane and stood up.
But Lee grabbed my hand. “Before you do, I got one last bit of news. And this time it ain’t good.”
I froze. “You couldn’t have told me first?”
She looked at her feet. “You know, I mentioned that if this rage about Dread Division didn’t die down…”
“No.” My skin went cold and clammy. “You’re banishing me?”
“I have to. Nobody wants to talk business or be around a turn… Well, you know. I mean, you may drink a ton, but it’s not enough to keep the lights from going out, and I got to eat too.”
“But I need this place, for access, for info. Carl used to practically live here. And…” I heaved a deep sigh. “And it’s not like I’m a PI anymore so whatever. Don’t worry about it.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out a crisp hundred from Widow’s shrinking pile. “Here, for the hooch.”
“No way,” Lee said. “That drink’s on me.”
“Thanks, then it goes to the kid.” I put the bill on the bar and slid it to Psy-Ball.
“You’re a class act,” Lee said.
“And a laugh riot,” Psy-ball added.
I turned to him. “How do you mean?”
“This bill,” he said. “It’s marked.”
Lee grabbed the note and held it up. “No it’s not. Take it.”
“No thanks,” the ebony barman said. “There’s irradiated material on it.”
I looked at the bill. “You’re kidding?”
“Nope.” Psy-ball closed one eye while the other flickered static like an old TV set. “There’s a thumbprint here. Ultraviolet ink. The kind that cops use. If they catch this on me they’ll think I stole it, so thanks.” He slid the rotten dough back my way. “But no thanks.”
I pocketed it and said, “I’ll be sure to take it up with Widow.”
“Widow.” Lee snapped her fingers. “That’s who hired you. Firewall’s her brother.”
“Well, if you figure out how he died let me know.”
And with that I put my hat on and walked out of Henchmen’s for the last time.
Chapter 40
I got in my car and sat for a second. The Octane was still doing its thing in my veins, but that’s not the reason I wasn’t turning the key. I figured it was possible I’d be tossed in Impenetron. Maybe beat Glory Anna in a fistfight. I even imagined I’d make it out of this biz alive to retire down in Saint Luthor’s. But I never expected to be banned from Henchmen’s.
Of all my assets this one was the most valuable. To prove it one final time Lee gave me an address I couldn’t have found on my own. The last place the boys lived. Some run down holed-up house. Who knows, maybe it’d have a clue as to Scourge’s whereabouts.
So no matter what happened, at least I could get Widow the truth about her brother. I could do that. And close my one and only solo black cape case.
#
The lobby was nice, as holed-up houses went. The red carpet didn’t have a single bald spot, the walls were intact, and the chandelier, though made of glass, wasn’t missing any tears.
I walked up the wide stairs to the sixth floor. Thermite and Firewall’s door was at the end of the hall. When I got there I studied the lock.
It stared back at me with contempt.
Pulling out Rico and Lois I kicked open the door and charged in. To complete darkness. And no movement. The only sound was dripping water. I flicked the switch and lit the place up.
The single room was deserted. To my left was a small kitchenette with a tiny fridge, a hot plate, and a metal sink with a faucet that was spitting every ten seconds. To the right was a television next to a table with two chairs, and on the far wall, near the bathroom, was a king size bed.
Closing the door behind me I set about searching the place.
I started with the bathroom. All I found were a couple towels and some shaving gear. Then I moved to the bed. There was nothing underneath it but carpet, and the clothes on top had bare pockets. So I checked the table where I discovered a trove of old takeout menus and empty bottles of beer.
The place was looking like a dry mine. But then, in the kitchen sink, I found some gold in the form of a small pile of half burnt pictures. I sorted through the singed shots. There was a generic one of the Coconut. One of the back of the museum. The vent on the roof.
Jackpot. This was where they planned the heist.
I kept going. The next shot was of Doodle and Tera outside Wetlands. My kid looked pretty, but she always did. Then I saw one of me. I was coming out of the hospital. But something about the picture was odd. I looked closer and saw what: my hand wasn’t singed from the crematorium.
Son of a…
The shot was taken a day before I met Monday. The day before Scourge sent us to the ocean floor. They’d been trailing me since the beginning. My blood got hot enough to overcook pasta.
I kept rifling through the stack and came to a letter. It was mostly burnt, but I could make out some of the words.
-didn’t come through so my financial problems have gotten worse. Please, don’t contact me. I’ll be away trying to earn enough to keep Robby in the hospital. And thank you for the offer of assistance. But I’m afraid that I need so much money that such a small amount won’t help. However, if-
Bundy, you bastard. The boys were trying to stay straight, and wouldn’t come in on your job, so you used your knowledge of their guilt over Robby to push them into it with a forged letter and fake story from Shelly.
Did he get a copy of her handwriting when the three of them shared a cell? Who knows, but it served as further proof that Bundy and Scourge were working with the boys. What it didn’t tell me was why they killed them.
If I was going to get that answer, and protect Doodle, I’d have to find Bundy, Scourge, or Swamp, and since only one of those guys had a steady address it was time to swing by Wetlands. See what Swamp would say now. See if Vec and Victor were the same person. Only this time it’d be different. This time I wouldn’t just pull my Kapowitzer, I’d use it. That should get me the answers I needed. About Doodle. And the dead boys.
I dropped the letter and pictures back in the sink, walked to the door, and reached for the knob.
From the other side somebody said, “Hey, the lock’s busted.”
I ran across the room and dove under the bed. As quietly as I could I pulled Rico and Lois. Whoever was out there, Swamp or Scourge, they were getting a surprise.
The door opened.
One man walked in wearing black boots. He stopped at the center of the room, then paused before saying, “It’s clear.”
Someone else came in and said, “Damn. Where is that bitch?” And that someone was Swamp.
“Who knows? You want to check with the street sweets again?” That had to be Vec.
“Come on, Vector. If they didn’t see her two hours ago, they wouldn’t have seen her since. That Tera’s a shifty little rabbit. I bet they got their warren stashed someplace deep. We’re never going to find her.”
So I was right. And Toby got it wrong. Vec wasn’t Victor. He was Vector. And Vector said, “Can’t we just contact the buyer?”
“I don’t know, genius. Can we?” Swamp said.
“I gu
ess not.”
“No. And now that we’ve crossed Scourge, I doubt he’ll tell us.” Swamp kicked the table over sending the contents against the wall. “If only that fatso Teenie had come through with our explosives we wouldn’t have had to hire those bitches. Why didn’t you get those pics back?”
“Because Curse stopped me. Why didn’t you kill him outside the club?”
“I thought about it, but who knew he’d be such a pain? The real question is why’d I trust Tera and her spawn?”
Vector plunked down on the bed right above me. “Maybe because you were banging them both?”
Swamp marched over to us. “What did you say?”
“You heard me.”
“I must not’ve, because it sounded like disrespect.”
Vector got back up. And squared himself with Swamp. “So? What’re you going do about it, waterman?”
The pair stood toe-to-toe for a few seconds. While I silently prayed one would kill the other and halve my workload. But instead Swamp said, “Nothing now. But we’ll revisit this later. In the meantime let’s just find the girls.”
Vector took a couple of deep breaths. “Maybe they left town.”
“No way. Tera wants cash, and this is the place she’ll get it. They’re going to meet the buyer, we just got to figure out who that is.”
“Or where the drop’s going down. But that could be anywhere.”
“I know.”
“And even if we find out where the drop is, what if Scourge’s there, too?”
“What?” Swamp said. “You scared of Gunmetal?”
“Only an idiot wouldn’t be.”
“Well, I don’t give a damn about her. We got to find Scourge and ask him hard. Or anybody else who may know where she is.” Swamp paced the room a few times. Then he stopped. “Ha, I just had an idea. Who else is in contact with that little cooz?”
Vector stayed silent.
“Her old man. We go find Dane and follow him. I bet he’ll lead us right to her.”
“Nice. You know where he lives?”
Swamp said, “No clue. But I’m sure we can find somebody who does.”
Good luck with that. Only three dames know, and two are in hiding while one just left town.