“No sir, I ain’t.” Leroy climbed up and took a seat next to him on the loading dock.
The old man straightened up and brushed off his jacket with an air of dignity. “Sorry,” he said grudgingly. “You shouldn’t wake somebody up like that. You startled me.”
Leroy decided to ignore the comment. “You live around here?” he asked casually.
“This is my turf.” The bum swept his arm around grandly. “Far as the eye can see. Everybody knows that.” He looked down at the empty bottle still cradled in one arm then turned it over and shook it with a disappointed “Damn!”
Leroy reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a small flask. Handing it to the old man, he offered, “Here. Have some of mine.”
The bum eagerly grasped the bottle and sucked down half its contents in one long gulp. “That’s good stuff!” he exclaimed enthusiastically, handing the flask back to Leroy.
“Why don’t you hold onto that,” Hunt suggested, not relishing the idea of taking a swig after the derelict. “How long has this alley been your stompin’ grounds, old timer?”
The bum scratched his head. “Long as I can remember. Years. I see everything that goes on in this neighborhood.”
“That’s good to know.” Leroy nodded approvingly. “Maybe you can help me out. Do you recollect seein’ a moving truck parked here a couple months back?”
“Oh, that!” The old man shifted around, trying to find a comfortable position on the cold concrete. “Yeah, I seen ‘em. Heard ‘em too. The movers made so much racket I couldn’t get any sleep.”
“You got a notion where they was bound for?”
“No, I don’t. Why don’t you ask ‘em yourself?” the bum said cryptically taking another draught from the flask.
“Now how can I do that? They been gone a couple months.” Leroy wondered if the derelict was suffering from the DTs.
“They’re still around,” the old man said.
Hunt stared at him suspiciously. “You seein’ ‘em now?”
“The moving truck.” The wino snorted irritably. “I recognized the name. “Continental Movers. They got an office a couple blocks from here. On Franklin Street. I know everything that goes on this neighborhood.” He thumped his chest for emphasis. “It’s my turf. I oughta know.”
“Franklin Street, you say?” Hunt stood up and tipped his hat to the bum. “Thank you kindly.”
“My neighborhood,” the old man muttered. He tucked back into the corner and pulled his jacket more tightly around him. “I know everything that goes on around here.” Pocketing Leroy’s flask, he shut his eyes to resume his nap.
***
It took Hunt a few passes up and down Franklin Street to find the place—a dingy storefront under the elevated tracks with nothing but a small placard in the window announcing its name. Leroy concluded that their low profile meant they weren’t interested in attracting new customers. Once the cowboy entered the place, he also concluded that they must be having trouble hanging onto whatever down-at-the-heels customers they already had. The business consisted of a few rickety chairs and a reception desk staffed by a middle-aged woman with aggressively-teased red hair. She sat typing at a computer keyboard. Glancing up briefly from her work, she asked, “May I help you?”
The cowboy removed his hat as he advanced to her desk. “I surely hope so, ma’am. I’m tryin’ to locate a party that moved out of the neighborhood a couple months back. Lady by the name of Rhonda? She owned an antique shop a few blocks down from here.”
“Oh yes, I remember her,” the receptionist said readily. “She and her daughter were moving out of state.”
“Her daughter?” Leroy repeated blankly.
The woman treated him to a doubtful stare. “Well, if you’re a friend of Rhonda’s you must have met her daughter Hannah.”
Hunt swallowed hard. He couldn’t believe it was going to be this easy. The two birds he was after had flown the coop together. One well-aimed rock could take care of them both. “Oh, yes ma’am. I met her a couple times. Pretty blond gal, around fifteen or so?”
The woman’s suspicious expression evaporated. “Yes, that’s her. Rhonda told me they were moving out west to be closer to her family.”
“Pinin’ for the kinfolks, eh? Well, there’s no place like home,” Leroy agreed sententiously. “You wouldn’t happen to have their new address, would you? It so happens I’ll be travelin’ out that way. Might as well look ‘em up while I’m there.”
The receptionist paused to take in his cowboy hat, string tie, and snakeskin boots. “You must be from out west yourself. The way you’re dressed.”
Leroy didn’t feel inclined to correct her. “Yes, ma’am,” he agreed simply.
She refocused her attention on her computer. “I should have their new address on file. Just a minute.” The woman typed a few keystrokes and scowled at her monitor until it displayed the information. “Here we are,” she said at last. Taking a slip of notepaper, she scribbled out the location and handed it to Hunt.
He stole a look at the address. So, they’d holed up somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona. It might be halfway across the country, but that wasn’t going to be far enough to keep them out of his sights. “Much obliged, ma’am.” Hunt turned to go.
“Give my regards to Rhonda and her daughter when you see them,” the receptionist called after him as he reached the door.
Hunt paused on the threshold to put on his hat, a grim smile forming on his lips. “I’ll be sure to do that.”
Chapter 12—Club Rules
Faye stood in her backyard looking upward. Shading her eyes, she contemplated an apple tree with a ripe crop of fruit hanging low on the branches.
“Hey, Gamma, how’s it going?” Zachary loped up beside her without warning.
“Gracious, where did you come from?” She turned to regard her descendent in surprise.
“You must really be out of it if you didn’t hear my bad muffler when I drove up.”
“Sound doesn’t carry all the way to the backyard so, fortunately, I didn’t hear it. I’m sure the neighbors did though. They’ve started to complain to me. Zachary, you really must get that thing fixed.”
“As soon as I can scrape together a few bucks, I will.” He turned to scan the back of the house. “Is Hannah around?” he asked hopefully.
“I remember when you used to visit because you enjoyed the pleasure of my company,” Faye observed wryly.
The boy stammered with embarrassment. “I... uh... uh... I still do, Gamma. It’s just that...” he trailed off.
“Don’t worry about sparing my feelings. I can still recall what it was like being your age—back when dinosaurs roamed the earth.” She chuckled. “I’m afraid you just missed my young protégé. She was invited to the mall with some of her classmates.”
A look of alarm crossed Zach’s face. “Classmates? Were they of the guy variety?”
“Calm yourself, my dear. They were all female. You might be able to catch up with them if you hurry.”
“Naw, that’s OK. I wouldn’t want to crash their chick party. I’ll hang here with you.” He brightened. “Maybe it’s a good thing she’s not here. There was something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
Faye rested her hands on her hips and turned once more to contemplate the apple tree. “Your arrival is fortuitous. I was trying to figure out how to harvest these apples myself but—”
“I’ll do it,” Zach volunteered readily.
Before Faye could reply, he trotted off to the garden shed to fetch a ladder and a bushel basket. “Will this work?” he asked.
“Yes, that should do nicely.” Faye placed the basket on the ground near the trunk of the tree while Zach set the ladder in place.
“Do you think I did a good job tutoring Hannah?” the boy asked unexpectedly. “I mean, she’s doing OK at school, isn’t she?”
“Yes,” Faye agreed guardedly.
“So maybe I’m entitled
to a little reward for all those hours I spent helping her out.”
The old woman cocked an amused eyebrow. “I should think that Hannah’s undivided attention was all the reward you would need.”
Her descendent blushed. “Yeah, well, you’re right about that. Still, all those months working with her and not letting anybody know she was hiding here. That must prove I’m trustworthy.”
“Of course, you are,” Faye agreed. “That isn’t even a question.”
Zach climbed the first three rungs of the ladder until he gained a foothold between the lower limbs. His head disappeared among the leaves. “Stand back, Gamma!” he called. Then he grabbed two of the thicker branches and shook the tree vigorously. Apples rained down on the lawn.
Zach descended from his perch and helped Faye deposit the windfall into the bushel basket. Pursuing the topic under discussion, he said, “So maybe I can be trusted with more important things.”
“Such as?” Faye paused with an apron full of fruit.
“Such as letting me inside your hush-hush Fortress of Solitude.”
She peered at him. “What are you talking about?”
He relieved her of the apples and dropped them in the basket. “Your Bat Cave, Gamma. I want the lowdown on the Arkana.”
“Ah,” she nodded. “Well, I suppose this day was bound to come sooner or later.”
“I remember right here in this very garden you promised I could be a... What did you call it, a gyro?”
“A tyro,” Faye corrected. “For heaven’s sake, it’s not a Greek sandwich. A tyro is an apprentice in our organization.”
“Yeah, a tyro. Don’t you think I’ve earned that?”
She studied him for several moments. “I suppose you have at that.”
He climbed the ladder a second time to shake down more fruit.
Faye stepped out of harm’s way to consider his request as apples bounced across the lawn.
When he emerged from his leafy perch, she said, “We’ll have to tailor your training schedule around school. Most of our tyros don’t need to conceal their activities from their families. They can devote entire weeks to the orientation process.”
He gathered another armful of fruit and added it to the pile in the basket which was half full by now. “No worries. We can work it out. I’ll tell my folks I’m involved in a Science Club project. They think I’m such a slacker that they’d let me do anything so long as it was an extracurricular activity.”
Faye folded her arms across her chest. “Of course, I’ll have to break the news to Maddie first.”
Zach straightened up and stared at her. “You mean your friend Maisie? What’s she got to do with it?”
“Her name is Maddie, as you know very well. She runs global operations for the Arkana and is chiefly responsible for tyro orientation.”
“Oh boy, that’s gonna be fun.” Zach looked slightly daunted at the prospect.
“I’ll speak to her this week about how to fit you into the schedule.” Faye scowled as another thought crossed her mind. “I would caution you to tread lightly in her presence though.”
Zach snorted in disbelief. “You make her sound like she’s ready to go postal if anybody crosses her.”
“You’re more right than you know,” the old woman agreed ominously. “We had an unfortunate incident quite recently. I don’t think any of the tyros have recovered yet.”
“Oh, come on, Gamma. How bad can she be?”
Faye gave a grim smile. “There’s a war club standing in the corner of her office. It was once used by the Haudenosaunee tribe to dispatch their enemies. Maddie occasionally employs it for the same purpose. Should you ever notice her making a move to pick it up, I’d advise you to run.”
“Jeez!”
Chapter 13—Daddy Day Care
Daniel tentatively opened the door to Annabeth’s chamber. “May I come in?”
His principal wife had been bending over the baby’s crib. She whirled around with a start. “Oh, Daniel, I didn’t hear you knock.” She smoothed her hair and the imaginary wrinkles in her apron. “I just finished feeding the baby and put him down for a nap. Please, come in and sit for a while.” She gestured toward a pair of chairs on the side of the room opposite the crib.
Daniel took a moment to survey Annabeth’s new quarters. Even though the Nephilim rejected ostentatious material displays, they weren’t above making subtle distinctions of rank. The fact that Annabeth had produced an heir for the scion entitled her to more spacious accommodations. This new chamber was twice as large as her old room. The pair of hard-bottomed wooden chairs and matching table had been exchanged for two leather wing chairs and ottomans. The baby’s oversized crib was topped by a crocheted canopy which must have taken one of the consecrated brides several weeks to create. Annabeth’s bed was also larger and topped with a hand-embroidered counterpane over a down comforter. A private bath adjoined the living area. That was a rare luxury since most of the residents of the compound were forced to share lavatories.
Instead of seating himself, the scion walked over to the crib to glance at the sleeping infant. His tiny face bore a slight smile suggesting that he was immersed in a peaceful dream.
Annabeth hovered at her husband’s elbow. “He’s been so fussy lately. Thank the Lord I finally got him to sleep.”
Daniel turned to focus on his wife. He was struck by the dark circles under her eyes. “You must be getting very little sleep yourself. I’m sorry the baby is keeping you awake.”
Annabeth’s hands flew to her cheeks in an involuntary gesture of embarrassment. “I... uh... hadn’t noticed.” She nervously smoothed her hair again and gave him a tight little smile. “The wakefulness is to be expected with newborns. I’m sure I’ll look more pleasing to you in a few weeks. Why don’t you sit down,” she suggested, taking him by the hand and leading him to the armchairs. “You see how much nicer this new room is. I’m sure it’s the sort of place where you’ll want to spend more time in the future.”
When he was settled, she sat on the ottoman across from him, an expectant look on her face. “I hope you’ll be visiting me again soon...” She hesitated. “The way you did before the baby arrived.” She blushed.
He was taken aback by the suggestion. “Annabeth, you’ve just given birth. Surely, you’re in no condition to resume... “He faltered. “Um... conjugal relations.”
A fleeting expression of panic crossed her face. “Of course, I am, Daniel. God has ordained it as my purpose in life. How else can you build your celestial kingdom?”
He shifted around uncomfortably in his chair. “Can we please discuss this another time? I have something important to say to you.”
“Oh?” She appeared genuinely puzzled.
He averted his eyes, bracing himself for yet another tense confrontation. “I understand that our daughter isn’t residing with you in these chambers.”
Annabeth stared at him blankly. “Why should she be?”
“Because she’s your daughter!” His words came out more sharply than he intended. In a quieter tone, he added, “Your sister-wives tell me you haven’t gone to see her at all since the baby arrived. It’s been weeks, Annabeth.”
His wife bristled with indignation. “So, they’ve been tattling about me again. It’s jealousy plain and simple! That’s all it is. I have a son, and they don’t. That’s why they want to spoil things between you and me.”
Daniel guided the conversation back. “This isn’t about you and me. It’s about our other child. Your sister-wives say she wakes up crying in the middle of the night, calling for you.”
“I have my hands full with a newborn,” Annabeth hurled back. “Our daughter is better off with the other girls!” She gave the final word a dismissive emphasis.
“She needs her mother too, Annabeth.”
Contrary to his expectations, his principal wife didn’t flinch in the face of his rebuke. She met his reproach with a look of cold fury. “The gi
rl has two half-sisters and my sister-wives to look after her. She’s growing selfish. If anyone needs to be scolded, it’s her. Why don’t you go and tell the child to behave properly?”
Annabeth stood up and marched over to the crib. She stared down pointedly at the sleeping baby. In her own indirect way, she was showing Daniel that their conversation was over.
He slumped forward in his chair, silently upbraiding himself for bungling things. He had just made the situation worse for his daughter rather than better. Annabeth now had reason to do more than neglect her eldest child. She would actively resent the girl’s existence. If Daniel persisted in forcing the two of them together, he knew that Annabeth would make the child pay. His principal wife’s nature was cowardly. Like all cowards, she would vent her rage on a victim who was too weak to fight back. Since Annabeth couldn’t punish Daniel, she would certainly punish their daughter in sly ways. He shuddered at the damage that his well-intentioned interference was likely to cause.
He walked across the room and came to stand behind his wife who pointedly kept her back to him. Resting a hand on her shoulder, he sighed. “Never mind, Annabeth. I’ll handle the situation with our daughter. Don’t trouble yourself about it.”
Now she turned to face him, wreathed in smiles. “I knew you’d understand. You’re so wise, Daniel. Talk to the girl. Tell her to behave properly. She respects her father, and she’ll listen to you.”
“Yes, I’ll do that,” he replied half-heartedly.
“And...” she hesitated. “You will come to visit me again soon. Won’t you, Daniel?”
He forced a smile. “Certainly. As soon as I can get away from my work. Father is keeping me quite busy just now.” He loathed himself for misleading her, but it was in a good cause. If he could preserve her good will, she might forget to be spiteful to their little girl. He wondered if the sinners who were cast into hell began this way. One small well-intentioned lie at a time.
Chapter 14—Urban Decay
Cassie strolled out the door of the Archaeology Rest-house, idling away the time until her teammates finished their breakfast and joined her. She shielded her eyes and surveyed the jumble of brick structures which lay ahead. Today they would tackle the ruins of Mohenjo-Daro. The name meant “mound of the dead,” and it was one of the largest cities of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization—IVC for short. As Griffin himself admitted, it was a bit of a stretch to imagine they would find any trace of the Minoans here. The latitude was several degrees north of where the riddle told them to look. The scrivener had tried to argue that the site possessed a tower and was once surrounded by rivers, which technically made it an island, but neither of his colleagues gave that theory much credence. Still, the pythia was curious about the place and was glad to get the chance to see it for herself.
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