Death Duel by Milo James Fowler

Author:Milo James Fowler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: science fiction, detective, private eye, mystery, future noir
Publisher: Future City Press
Published: 2017-10-16T00:00:00+00:00

9

By the time I exited Seven Oaks and made it back to the street, the sun had already vanished behind a bank of expanding cold steel clouds. There would be more rain within the hour, and the sidewalks would clear. Not that I found myself overwhelmed by foot traffic at the moment. As it was, mine were the only pair of shoes hoofing it down that particular block.

I remained on my own until twenty minutes later, when I passed a narrow alley between two high-risers. That's when the short hairs on the back of my neck pricked upward, standing at attention. My own innate radar system: I'd picked up a tail.

And from the smell of things, I had a good hunch who it was.

"Thought you'd be over at Howard's, badgering the clientele." I turned on my heel to face detective Stankic.

The man looked even worse in dreary daylight than he had last night. Sallow and obese, he drew on a stump of cigar and squinted at me like his surroundings were too bright for him. His kind fared better in the shadows where stained, rumpled attire and corpse-like flesh were easier to hide.

"Where you headed, Madison?"

"No place special. Beautiful day—at least it was. Figured I'd take a walk."

"Guess I'll join you then." He shuffled alongside me like a hippo crammed into a cheap suit.

I thrust both hands into my coat pockets and remained where I stood. "Lose your wheels?"

"My partner." He shrugged, spewing smoke as his flat feet came to a halt.

"You two get into another fight?"

"Difference of opinion. She's at Howard's. I'm here."

"Stalking me."

"Had no idea you'd be out this way." He picked at his bulbous nose. Not a habit he would have mastered in finishing school. "Going to the Coliseum, I take it?"

"Nothing escapes you, Detective."

"The Arena, maybe catch a fight?" He chuckled quietly, and it sounded like he was gargling gravel. "They've got a good lunch special going today."

"You must be a regular."

"Not really. Day fighters are like daytime strippers. Not the choicest meat, but they can be mildly entertaining. C'mon." He shuffled ahead, beckoning me to follow with haggard effort. "We could both use a break."

Why this sudden congeniality? As a rule, Stinkin' was never anything more or less than belligerent, yet now he was inviting me to join him for lunch. It didn't take a crack private eye to tell when a picture was hanging askew. The man wanted something. Or he knew something.

Either way, I figured it was in my best interest to play along. I could be congenial enough when the situation called for it. And besides, Stinkin's change in behavior had my curiosity piqued.

Curiosity had killed all the cats, according to public opinion. More likely, it was the acid rain. Either way, a detective's curiosity can be just as dangerous. Sure, asking why can lead to solved cases more often than not. But it can also get you into a heap of trouble.

Maybe Stankic was in Ivan's pocket. Maybe he knew Enoch Wilson was hiding out in my office.

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