The War Gate

by Chris Stevenson

Infidelity on top of it, thought Bulmer. He read Drake his Miranda rights twice just so he understood them.

  Drake looked up from the floor, straining his neck. “You have the wrong man. It’s Lizzy! She put me up to it.” He began to whine. “She orchestrated the whole thing. You don’t understand what it’s like living with her. I never went through with it—I just couldn’t. She’s a demon—a witch, I tell ya. That ball an’ chain is some nasty-ass juju.”

  Now Bulmer could understand how everything Avy had told him about Drake made sense. It was a typical scenario—the browbeating wife in control of the submissive husband. No doubt, Lizzy had been running Cyberflow ever since Drake had inherited it. The neurotic decision making of a pill-popping, menopausal, hedonist bitch had, over the years, sapped the company of any success it might have had.

  Bulmer ordered two officers to break from the main assault team, canvas the property, and then “roust” all the security guards for weapon’s permits. Two other officers were told to search the plant for employees who could serve as potential witnesses against their employer. Bulmer also gave them specific orders to arrest the security chief, Augustus Hollywood, for his willing involvement in the crimes.

  One down, one to go, thought Bulmer.

  ###

  Avy rolled her window down when she spotted the suspect in custody being frog-marched through the lobby. By the time Drake exited the front entrance door, he was spilling more beans than Juan Valdez, hollering about turning state’s evidence because he refused to take the fall.

  Bulmer’s voice boomed, “This isn’t let’s make deal, Labrador. When we tie you in with the Wax Man murder for hire plot, you’ll go down for the deaths of seven officers, one civilian, and one small dog.”

  Upon that news, Drake Labrador began to cry piteous tears. “But people get the needle for that.” He tripped, nearly going down, and that’s when he caught sight of Avy. “You,” he accused. “I knew it had to be you. Oh, I knew it all along!”

  The officers escorted Drake to an unmarked vehicle, where he was shoved in the back seat and belted in. The unit pulled a swift U-turn and sped away. Avy let out the breath she had been holding, allowing just the slightest grin on her face to show.

  The ride to Durham was long, filled with nervous anticipation. Along the way, an additional van merged with traffic, accompanying the first vehicle to serve as backup. Another empty unmarked cruiser joined the convoy. When they reached Drake’s mansion, a tactical officer jumped out and short-wired the entry gate, opening it. The vans and cruiser rushed across the property, skidding to a halt near the front entrance. Once again, Detective Bulmer led the main assault force. He hammered on the door, announcing his presence several times. No answer. Two officers made quick work of the double French doors with a battering ram.

  ###

  Bulmer formed teams to search the mansion. Even though Elizabeth’s vehicle sat in plain sight on the property, indicating her presence, the cops reported to him that they couldn’t find her in the house. Then Bulmer remembered what Avy had told him about Lizzy’s favorite hangout—the backyard pool area.

  The detective found the suspect lying nude upon a lounge chair near the far end of the pool. She appeared to be asleep. Pill bottles, tanning lotion, and a daiquiri sat on an umbrella table next to her. The officers surrounded the woman, cutting off any means of escape. Lizzy snored boozy breaths, her tan glistening in the sun.

  Detective Bulmer nudged the sleeping woman’s foot.

  Lizzy put a shading hand over her eyes. When she saw the uniforms, she launched from the chair. She delivered ferocious front-snap kicks to the closest officers, catching one in the groin. Another cop tried to wrestle her down, but she spun him around with a powerful yank. They toppled into the pool, splashing in a tangle of flailing limbs. Other officers dropped their weapons and jumped in the water to provide assistance. Subdued, the woman was hauled from the pool then proned out, her greasy silicone breasts mashed into the deck.

  “It hurts!” cried Lizzy. “I can’t breathe!”

  Bulmer would bet Tom Labrador would have said that when the knife was plunged into his chest. But Tom never had the chance to cry out.

  Bulmer recited the Miranda rights while he straddled the woman. He secured his own pair of handcuffs around her wrists. Lizzy squirmed hard, trying to break the bond while she cursed every expletive in the bad language book. They managed to get a lounging robe around her shoulders.

  The detective rose to his feet, letting two officers take over. The woman continued to deliver savage kicks to anyone near her. Bulmer watched, fascinated that such a transformation had come over a person, who according to Avy, had never in her life displayed a flicker of uncontrolled behavior or spoken a cross word.

  When they finally got the suspect to her feet, three officers had to half drag, half carry her through the house. A table lamp, a potted plant, and two ceramic sculptures went down in the melee before they made it to the entrance. Bulmer couldn’t remember such a vicious take-down in his entire career.

  ###

  Avy likened the thrashing body being manhandled out the front door to a snagged fish that refused to give up. On the way out, Lizzy hooked her foot in the doorjamb, throwing the officers off balance. She toppled onto the front porch stoop, taking two cops down with her. The officers redoubled their efforts, this time trying to secure a strap around her ankles. But the woman continued to fight against her hold like a rabid animal, forcing additional officers to restrain her.

  When Lizzy caught sight of Avy sitting in the van, she did a double take. Her face went from red to purple. Then came the death glare.

  “You traitorous bitch!” Lizzy screamed.

  You wish, thought Avy.

  “Ingrate!”

  Not true.

  “You filthy slut!”

  Cheap shot.

  “You’re going to pay for this!”

  Not like you will.

  Avy wanted so much to slap Elizabeth Labrador across those collagen-bloated lips or spit in her face. She held her anger in check in spite of it. In a perverse sort of way, she almost felt sorry for the woman. She could admire the superhuman strength and determination that should have belonged to a much younger woman. But the power Lizzy possessed had now become something to use in life’s struggle for freedom.

  Bulmer helped hoist Lizzy to her feet again, but the woman darted her head, clacking her teeth near his fingers. “Knock it off!” Bulmer demanded. “Will somebody please get her legs secured.”

  “Copy that.”

  One of the cops used his belt to finally lasso the suspect’s legs

  Whether it amounted to poetic justice or a remarkable coincidence, Lizzy remained partially nude due to her own violent tantrum, while her police escorts fought with her every inch of the way, dragging her across the lawn to the awaiting cruiser. It was sheer spectacle. Avy remembered the account of how her mother had been humiliated at the time of her arrest.

  Lizzy had one last damnation for them. “You’ll all burn in hell for this. I’m a socialite!”

  They locked her in the car, shutting off her last muffled cries and wails. With her husband already booked and jailed by now, Avy knew there would be no exchange of stories between the two suspects. There would be no chance for lies, exaggerations, and escape plots. There would be no opportunity for them to tear each other apart. These two had come full circle.

  ###

  Avy stood on the front steps of the police station, clutching the shoulder purse that Detective Bulmer had bought her out of courtesy. Though she had discarded the old roses, she had kept the card that accompanied them. She now opened it up to read.

  Dearest Avy,

  I know that so much of this doesn’t make any sense to you. It may never become crystal clear. I just wanted you to know that you made sense to me, maybe for the first time in my life. I know what it means to have a heart now. It means that it can be broken. It seems that all my life I’ve been talented at making th
ings disappear. It looks like I’ve done it again. All the conjuring and sleight of hand in the world can’t bring you back to me. I wish I had the magic wand to perform that trick now.

  They called me in for rehearsals ahead of time. Yeah, I got the job at the Purple Diamond Casino in Las Vegas. Hooray for me, eh? The act won’t be anything like it used to be. It’s missing its most important ingredient—you. I’ll do the best I can. Oh, I promise not to cheat.

  P.S. I couldn’t take your cute little Jeep. I parked it behind the motel—you know the one where we first, well, you know. The keys are in the air cleaner. I hope you find your way home. We need people like you in this time. Live long, darling. Love forever.

  Yours,

  The Amazing Idiot

  She tucked the card in her purse then started down the steps. Someone called out her name. She turned around to see Detective Bulmer skipping down the steps.

  “I’m glad I caught you,” he said. He looked winded, his forehead damp with perspiration.

  “You were so busy with the investigation I didn’t want to interrupt you,” she said.

  “You can interrupt me anytime you want. I just needed to tell you that this case will be sewn up the minute we start pushing it through the system. The trial might take months. Now, I know that you have your own plans. We’ll try not to inconvenience you past the point of—”

  “I’ll be available for trial testimony. You’ll just have to let me know when everything starts.”

  “Will do. We’ll provide transportation wherever you end up. I will say that it looks solid for two convictions. That’s all due to your exceptional evidence gathering. Avy, we can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done.”

  “Huh? Oh, I would do it all over again if I had to, Detective Bulmer.” She felt miles away from the conversation, finding herself gazing off in the distance.

  “You wanna know something?” He put his hands on his hips. “If you were to take a course in criminal justice, you might find yourself making detective in a very short time. It wouldn’t surprise me if we had such a position open in the not too distant future.”

  She looked past the tops of the walnut trees, out over the hills to the west. “I don’t think I’d be a very good detective. I’ve always wanted to be an actress.”

  “We have plainclothes vice, you know. Lots of acting in that division. Talk about props.”

  She smiled, admiring his determination and appreciative of the offer. “Thanks just the same. I have another calling of sorts waiting for me. For the first time in my life I think I’m happy with who I am right now.”

  “Ah, good news then? By the by, we all chipped in for a grave marker for Raymond Hammersmith. He’ll be buried in a cemetery on the west side of the city.”

  She saw the cherubic face in her mind’s eye. It gave her heart a tug. “I think he would like that. Bless you and the department for everything you’ve done. I’ll be in touch. There’s just something I have to do now.”

  “Remember you’ll always have the keys to the city. The mayor insists. Can I drop you off somewhere?”

  “I have my own transportation. Besides, I think right now all I need is a good long walk and a little time.”

  “Hah! I wish I had more time. I could get a lot more done.”

  “Be careful what you wish for.” She winked at him. “More time might take you somewhere you never expected.”

  She walked down the steps, sucking in a chest-full of Raleigh air. It would be months before she returned to North Carolina for another such breath.

  Chapter 24

  Avy arrived by cab at the rear employee entrance to the Purple Diamond Casino, located on the strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. She had arranged to have her Suzuki Samurai driven across country by a courier service. A four day road trip over the highways of the United States had not appealed to her. She preferred the alternative mode of travel. She wouldn’t say that she excelled at making precise jumps through the space-time continuum, but she was getting better at it. Janus had been right in telling her that Gate-Walking required copious hours to perfect the skill.

  She gazed at the huge hotel edifice. It took her breath away. The loading dock bustled with activity akin to a hive of bees that were behind schedule. Carpenters, engineers, electricians, crew bosses were hard at work, entering and exiting the many service bays. Forklifts, electric carts, wardrobe racks, raced across the pavement. Pneumatic air tools murdered the air with an unceasing racket. It looked like a textbook definition of “organized chaos.” Avy realized that the grand opening preparation for a multi-billion dollar casino began months in advance, lasting up until the time the doors opened to admit the public. It was the first time she’d seen such a spectacle. She even felt a tinge of the glamor associated with such a large-scale production. Pomp and circumstance—personified. The whole thing bespoke of acting, endless portrayals, huge stages, and elaborate costuming. The greatest show on earth.

  She mounted the steps to the loading dock, sidestepping her way to a double door entrance. She approached a group of females dressed in showgirl costumes. They looked like prissy peacocks, appearing to be on break from a live rehearsal, chatting, smoking cigarettes. Avy tapped the shoulder of the nearest girl. The young woman turned around in an explosion of feathers, sequins, and tassels. She raised her brows.

  “I was wondering,” began Avy, “if you could tell me where I could find an employee of this casino. His stage name is the Amazing Sebastian, last name, Norman. He’s going to headline the magic show.”

  The showgirl stamped out a cigarette butt. “Who could forget him? Mr. Hunky is somewhere near the main stage in the Xanadu theater. That’s in the west wing of the hotel complex. If you’re interested in hooking up with him, you better grab a number. He’s got all the thongs around here soaking wet.” She laughed. The other girls joined in, preening like silly birds.

  Avy sniffed. “Watch it, sister.”

  The showgirl blinked. “Oh? We’ve got the wrong message then?” She gave Avy an admiring once-over. “In that case, let me shake my tail feathers out of respect. Look, sweetie...” She glanced toward the entrance. “You’re never going to get in there unless you’re wearing one of these.” The showgirl unpinned her nametag then fastened it over Avy’s breast. “There, at least security won’t toss you out. Just give it back to me when you’re finished. Good luck. What am I saying—you are lucky.”

  Avy gave her a thankful handshake. She squeezed past the women and entered the large warehouse. After several stops of inquiry, she found a small brochure that contained a map of the entire complex. After a ten minute walk, she found the Xanadu Theater at the end of the casino. She passed through a fountain of purple drapes to emerge onto the wing of a vast stage.

  The grandeur of the theater bowled her over. It reminded her of the Roman Coliseum. The interior stretched out under a high vaulted ceiling that was decorated with paintings of angels, nymphs, sprites, and other mythological creatures. Dozens of props sat on the stage. She could see a few people between two of the largest magic sets. Sebastian. A girl. Attired in street clothes, Sebastian was giving the girl pointers.

  Avy crept closer, winding her way through the colorful machines until she came within earshot of the two.

  “Okay, when you pull the tablecloth,” Sebastian was saying, “you have to do it with a stark yank—smooth but fast. Got it?”

  “I think so,” said the girl. “That way all the glassware will stay on the table because they’re not supposed to get broken.”

  Sebastian rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that’s the whole idea. Gosh, I hope I don’t have to cheat this.”

  “What?”

  “Nothing. Now try it again.”

  Avy stepped out to better watch the maneuver. The girl curtsied then yanked on the tablecloth. The place setting flipped helter-skelter into the air, then crashed to the floor. Fortunately for the girl, the props were plastic.

  “Oh, I did it again!” said the girl, stomping a foot.
>
  Sebastian clawed at his face. “Now I know I’ll have to fudge this. Let’s try it again with a fresh load.” He caught sight of Avy in his peripheral vision. His mouth unhinged when he turned to look at her. He made slow strides across the stage until he came within a few feet of her. He raised his arms in embrace but dropped them in a fit of embarrassment.

  “What about me?” said the other girl.

  “Take the day off,” Sebastian hollered over his shoulder. “I’ll call you when I need you.”

  “How come?”

  “Because I said so.”

  Avy waved a naughty finger. “What’s this about cheating? I hope you weren’t going to break a promise so soon.”

  “God, Avy. I’m so glad to see you.” He peered at her nametag. “I mean, Pinky Donaldson? Little name change?”

  Avy threw her arms up. Their embrace was a body smash. When they kissed, their teeth clacked. “I love you so much,” she blubbered. “I couldn’t stand to be away from you any longer. I’m sorry for leaving you the way I did.”

  He looked at her, his eyes misting. “Don’t ever leave me. I couldn’t take it. I won’t ever hurt you again.”

  “We’re just a couple of freaks,” she said, tears spilling. “We deserve each other.”

  Sebastian dabbed his eyes, recovering somewhat. “Well, did you ever find your car? What do you think of Las Vegas?”

  “I’m having the car sent by courier. Las Vegas? I dunno, it’s very hot here.” She wiped her eyes, then blew her nose.

  “I’ve been following the newspapers,” he said. “It looks like mission accomplished. Damn, honey, you pulled it off.”

  Avy nodded. “They’re going to pay for what they did, Sebastian. The arrest part of it is over. But it looks like I’ll have to return to testify at the trial. For what it’s worth, you were right all along. About the way things work, I mean.”

  Sebastian gripped her shoulders, stepped in closer. “Avy, I want you to be my assistant. It’s all new stuff, with a different show format, but it has all the same basic moves. We’ll have plenty of time to get the act down pat. I sent for my animals, too.” He licked his lips. “The cuisine is awesome. They’ve housed me in one of the whale suites. You wouldn’t, couldn’t believe what they pay for a single show. Two shows a night—four performances a week. They call the show Metamorphoses after one of Houdini’s tricks. Avy, it just wouldn’t be right if Vegas didn’t have the privilege of seeing Lady Labrador. Please say you will.”