Blackout (Book 1)

by Adam Drake

  Pasha caused a small clatter with the dishes.

  Winimar said, “Oh, yes. That was a bit of luck on my part, really. Didn't even need to look through the paper. It sort of landed in my lap.”

  When he did not elaborate I asked, “Yes, but how? Was it offered to you or did you apply?”

  Pasha turned, her tea task forgotten. “What does that have to do with anything? What's it matter how someone got a job?”

  Winimar looked surprised at Pasha's outburst. “Pash, dear. It's okay.” He looked at me. “Turned out I have a family connection with favors he could call on. Really high up in the government. Makes things so much easier for a little fellow like me when you know someone, well, in the know.”

  “A family connection with the museum?” I said.

  “Well, not the museum. He just has influence enough in town that he can get things done with little bother.”

  “Who is this family connection?”

  “My cousin,” Winimar said. “He knew I was out of work, having lost my job with the sewage department due to them closing down large sections of the tunnels. And like an angel he appeared and said he had the perfect job for me. At the museum. Never been there in my life, have I Pash? And yet the very next day I was on the job, making rounds and earning a salary better than the sewage department could ever offer.”

  I casually slid my hand into my satchel. “And who is your cousin, exactly?”

  He looked between myself and Fairfax as if the answer was obvious. “Why, his name's Davlon. Davlon Blythe.”

  A volcano of emotion surged within me, roiling through my body and threatened to explode. I heard Fairfax grind his teeth.

  Winimar, for his sake, looked baffled at our reaction. “Don't you know him? Works for Mayor Archambault, he does. His right-hand man.”

  I made a tremendous effort not to scream. Instead, I took a breath and asked, “Once you were working at the museum did Mr. Blythe ask you for any favors in return?”

  “Just one,” Winimar said. “And it wasn't a very big favor either, if you ask me. He only wanted me to tell him when new objects and things arrived from the Capital. Figured I'd be the first to know since I had the run of the place.”

  When neither I nor Fairfax said anything more Winimar looked worried. “Am I in more trouble now?”

  Pasha swatted her husband with a spoon and said, “Told you this would be no good.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Erring on the side of caution, we brought both Winimar and Pasha to the Constabulary to be held for further questioning as a pretext. I did not think there was much else they might offer in the way of information but it kept them from warning Blythe that we were looking for him.

  Once the Hubertus couple were tucked away Fairfax and I drove straight to the mayor's offices located at the Town Hall.

  “Should we confront him directly?” Fairfax asked. He was eager to collar Blythe.

  “Let's give it a few hours, I want to watch him and see what he does,” I said. “We might learn something. When the Winimar and Pasha are released we can question him.

  Fairfax glowered. “We still have no direct evidence to him and the killings. Not unless he has the Talon on his person or spits out an admission of guilt.”

  I didn't disagree. What little we had to hang on Blythe was minor to the point of being laughable. Yet, I still wanted a chance to observe the man, now he was our prime suspect.

  The plan was to stake out the mayor's office from a distance and follow Blythe when he left. But when we arrived at the Town Hall the place was locked. There was no sign of the mayor's big white car which meant Blythe was driving it around somewhere at that moment.

  Fairfax stopped the buggy next to a gardener tending to the bushes next to the building and asked him why it was closed.

  “Strangest thing,” the gardener said, wiping sweat from his brow. “Mayor declared today a holiday. Told everyone to go home. Not me though, I chose to stay 'cause work still needs to get done, holiday or not.”

  “Holiday for what?” I asked.

  The gardener shrugged. “Beats me, ma'am. Said that there would be a grand spectacle later today. A once in a lifetime event. Everyone should prepare themselves, he said. Sounds loopy to me. But the mayor has always been off kilter.”

  I asked, “Do you know if the mayor's assistant is still inside?”

  “You missed him. Drove off with the mayor a short while ago in that huge white buggy of his.”

  “Know where they went?”

  “Sorry, not a clue. Hopefully they went to find a new mayor.”

  We thanked the gardener and drove on.

  “Now where?” Fairfax asked.

  “Let's try the mayor's house as a start. We may get lucky.”

  The mayor maintained a residence in White Cliff, a rich part of town. Fairfax knew of the mayor's mansion and took us there.

  As we drove I touched on the facts of the case. “So Blythe uses his connections to put Winimar on the payroll of the museum. Blythe manipulates him to give information on the items arriving. He learns of Gunther's Stone Talon this way and gains access to the museum. Blythe then casts a sleep spell on Winimar, opens the vault - probably with another spell - and takes the trunk with the Talon in it.”

  Fairfax said, “Spells Winimar to sleep but doesn't kill him. Why?”

  I shrugged. “In regards to family Blythe might have a conscience. So he has the Talon but can't use it. He becomes aware of the Mad Scribe's book with the reversal spell in it. At first he tries to buy it from Rousset.”

  “While wearing women's make-up,” Fairfax said with a shake of his head.

  “True. A bad disguise but it was to cover up his birthmark which would have made him easy to identify with Rousset's description.”

  Fairfax coughed a laugh. “That is an awful disguise if you consider it.”

  “Yes, but it kept us from making a direct connection to him,” I said.

  “Here it is,” Fairfax said as we drove past a large beautiful mansion. A driveway pulled up to the front doors with the huge white buggy parked out front. We kept on going.

  “At least they are there,” Fairfax said. “I'll park up ahead and try and get an angle on the place.”

  Thankfully, the mayor's mansion was near the base of a hill. We drove up the hill, turned around and parked. From our vantage point we could see most of the building.

  After a few minutes of no activity below I continued with my fact list. “Unable to purchase the book Blythe then approaches Elicia with the promise of money if she would steal it from the shop. She does, and he uses its spell to reactivate the Talon, binds it to himself and turn her to stone.”

  “And Oswall?”

  “Well, by this time Oswall had quizzed Pasha Hubertus about Winimar's job while the man was asleep. Pasha must have revealed Winimar got the job because of Blythe. Sensing a potential angle Oswall then followed Blythe around which takes him to Rousset's store. After Blythe leaves, perhaps the next day, Oswall went in to talk to Rousset but he was at the auction. Oswall talks with Elicia, what is said I can only guess. In regards to Blythe's earlier visit or, as you say, he was looking for a date.”

  Fairfax said, “Elicia probably mentioned Oswall to Blythe. She'd have been anxious as she just stolen the book or was going to.”

  “Yes, when Blythe learns Oswall had spoken to Elicia he panics,” I said. “So Blythe calls into the Constabulary and anonymously tells Oswall that he has information about the burglary, and to meet at the bridge at Muddy Shore.”

  “And there Blythe turns him to stone.”

  I nodded. “And he even had the gall to return to the scene while we were there surveying it.”

  Fairfax scowled. “And then to come to the Constabulary later on.”

  “To sneer at us,” I said. The hot flush of anger sparked in my gut.

  “Well, when I get my hands on him he'll wish -” Fairfax said before I interrupted with a shout.

  “There h
e is!” I pointed.

  Sure enough, Davon Blythe had exited the rear of the mansion and was making his way along a path into the forest which crowded around the property.

  “What the devil is he doing?”

  We watched as he vanished into the woods.

  “He's leaving is what he is doing,” I said and opened the buggy door. “Quick, we mustn't lose him!”

  Fairfax did not argue the point and got out.

  “How do we follow him without announcing our presence?” I asked, looking at the terrain.

  Fairfax said. “The trees are thick here. Let's try to approach from this way.”

  I grumbled but did not protest. We stumped our way through the foliage. After a few minutes I started to worry. “Two nature hikes in one day. How are we going to find him in this?”

  At that moment we broke through the forest to look down on a small valley. And there, clear as day, was Blythe walking along a path at its bottom.

  Fairfax crouched and pulled me down with him.

  Blythe walked up to a cave with a grate across it. No, not a cave, I realized. A sewer entrance. Blythe took out a set of keys and unlocked a padlock on the grate. He looked around to see if we was being followed.

  Fairfax pulled me down lower, which was a near physical impossibility at this point.

  Blythe then opened the grate, entered and closed it behind him.

  “Winimar worked for the sewage department. Blythe must have gotten those keys from him.”

  “The same sewers that lead to your back yard,” Fairfax said. “I'm up for a trip through the sewers. What about you?”

  “If it helps us put an end to this monster, I'd swim through the sewers of Hades itself,” I said.

  “I'll take that as a yes,” Fairfax said, and we descended to the valley bottom.

  We came up to the grate and peered inside. Only a yawning darkness could be seen. Fairfax pointed at the padlock. “Do you think they will help this time?”

  I checked inside my satchel. The clasp was wooden. “No, not this time. Perhaps we should -” I said but stopped as Fairfax picked up a large rock.

  “What are you doing?” I said.

  “This,” Fairfax said and hit the padlock with the rock. The lock shattered.

  I sighed. “You realize that not only are we trespassing on private property but you just committed breaking and entering?” I don't know why I felt the need to tease him at that moment.

  Fairfax dropped the rock and clapped his hands clean. “I'll be sure to bring up those points with the Chief during my next review.” He grinned. “Now please tell me you brought rock lights.”

  For a moment I considering lying and turning us back, but Blythe was so close now. He had to be stopped if for no other reason than to keep him from turning another victim to stone.

  “Yes,” I said. “I came prepared.” I dug through my satchel and pulled out two small rock lights and gave one to Fairfax. They winked on at our touch.

  Fairfax pushed the grate open and produced his pistol. I did the same with mine.

  “Are you ready?”

  “Always,” I said. But I was not sure I meant it.

  We entered the sewers.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  The tunnel which led from the entrance was long and winding. If not for the rock lights in our hands we would have been in total darkness. Our footsteps and breathing echoed against the concrete.

  I was thankful there had been no rain that day or we would have been up to our knees in water and filth. Now the water was just a narrow trickle under our feet.

  “How far does this go?” I asked. My legs ached, and I cursed my old bones.

  Fairfax pointed, “There is a junction ahead.” He looked at me concerned. “Do you need help?” He offered an arm.

  I waved him away. “I'm fine. Just not keen on dark cramped places.”

  The tunnel ended in a t-junction with branches going left and right. And there before us was a huge engraving on the wall.

  “The Mark of Quantiqtl,” Fairfax said.

  It was greater in height than Fairfax and more detailed than the others we had seen. Its long tentacles outstretched with an opened beak-like mouth between them.

  “Well, Constable,” I said. “I believe we are on the right track.”

  “Yes, but which way?”

  I peered in both directions. A faint light could be seen further down the right one. “I see something, Fairfax. This way.”

  We walked toward the far light. As we got closer the light became bright enough we doused our own rock lights.

  The tunnel ended at a wide archway, and beyond it appeared to be a chamber. Fairfax motioned me to stop, and tip-toed ahead. Hugging the wall he peered through the archway.

  He turned to me and shrugged. “No one there,” he said in a hushed voice. Mindful of potential danger we stepped through.

  The chamber was huge with dozens of rock lights ensconced along the walls. The ceiling so high it could not be seen.

  Fairfax looked to our left and let out a surprised shout. I looked, too, and my breath caught in my throat.

  A large statue of a squid sat at one side of the chamber. It stood more than three times the height of a horse and was as wide as my house. Long stone tentacles reached outward in a frozen roiling mass as if searching for food. Two large sightless eyes seemed to glare at us, angry and wild. The bulk of its body extended behind it like a train car.

  “Quantiqtl,” I said.

  Fairfax and I stared in amazement. The bright rock lights enhancing its shadows making it appear almost alive.

  “Incredible work,” Fairfax said. “It must have taken years to carve.”

  A thought hit me which sent shivers down my spine. Wide-eyed I grabbed Fairfax's arm and pulled him backward, away from the statue.

  “That is not just any statue, Fairfax,” I said as the full horror of realization struck home.

  “That is the smartest thing you have ever said,” came a loud voice from behind us. We whirled around pistols at the ready.

  Sigwald Archambault and Davlon Blythe emerged from a side entrance. Both wore black robes with the Mark of Quantiqtl on their sleeves. Blythe pointed a pistol at us. Archambault held what looked to be a long narrow bone sharpened to a point. I realized it was the Talon.

  “Mr. Mayor,” I said with dripping sarcasm. “Why am I not surprised you are behind this?”

  “Retired Detective Beeweather,” Archambault said, returning the sarcasm. “Of course I am behind this. Who else can bring about the dawning of a new era?”

  I regarded Blythe who was sneering. To him I said, “So Davlon, the responsibility of wielding the Talon was too much for you? You shifted the binding over to Sigwald because you lacked the courage to keep using it?”

  Blythe's sneer turned to anger. “He is the chosen one! I am but a tool for him to wield on his journey to rebuild the world.”

  “You are most certainly a tool,” Fairfax said.

  “Shut up!” Barked Archambault. He waved the Talon around. “Blythe did as commanded. He follows the same calling as me in our service to the one great god. And soon, we will all serve him, or perish.”

  I glanced at the huge tentacled statue. “You mean -”, I said before Archambault cut me off.

  “Do not speak of the great one while in his presence! You are unworthy of such an honor.”

  Fairfax said, “What do you mean in his presence?”

  Keeping my pistol aimed at the mayor I said, “That statue is the Quantiqtl. The real one from long ago. Turned to stone by Gunther.”

  Fairfax blanched at the implications.

  Archambault grinned. “Yes, now you realize the true import of what I am trying to accomplish. This is the great and mighty Quantiqtl! Betrayed in battle by that ungrateful wretch, Gunther. But soon his crime will be corrected and the entire world will rejoice!”

  “This raving lunatic is boring me,” Fairfax said. “Can I shoot him now?”

  My
curiosity got the better of me and I asked, “What is it you think you can do?” Asking questions of the mayor fed his giant ego and might buy me time to devise a plan.

  Archambault's eyes widened, and he smiled. “Why, to resurrect the Great One and restore him to his rightful place as the ruler of the universe!”

  My eyes went to the Talon in his hand. Again, I was struck with a terrifying realization. “You've used the spell from the book to reverse the Stone casting ability of the Talon,” I said. It was a statement and one that chilled me.