Fifty Feet of Trouble (City of Devils Book 2) by Justin Robinson

Author:Justin Robinson [Robinson, Justin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fiction, fantasy, science fiction, monsters, noir, detective, mystery, humor, LA, vampire, zombie, giant, werewolf, retro
Publisher: Candlemark & Gleam
Published: 2016-10-28T11:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FIVE

I’ll say this for the designers of the Isla Calavera Hotel and Casino: when they said “pit,” they meant it. Percy’s men dragged me off to another annex of the throne room, somewhere near the back of the hotel. The pit felt like it was in a far corner of the building, in a single room where a normal casino might have had a makeshift jail. I suppose that’s what this was, though I didn’t have much time to think about it when the two goons chucked me in like last week’s trash.

I fell the twelve feet to the sandy floor and winced when I landed. At least I didn’t have to worry about landing on any vials and breaking them, as Percy had already taken my jacket, all of my weapons, and—just to be a jerk, I guess—my hat. So I hit the ground on my side and lay there, sucking air.

“Wait here awhile, meatstick,” Percy said.

I tried to talk to him, mention Hexene again now that he was out of pummeling range, but all that came out was a croak. He was gone a moment later, the door closing out of my sight with a depressingly firm click.

I couldn’t see much. The pit was fifteen feet across, sand on the floor, or maybe as the floor. The walls were ringed with bamboo, which, after trying to work my fingers between the poles, turned out to be fake. At the top, they terminated in an irregular railing, the tops sharpened. If I squinted, I could see that some of them were decorated in more of the fake skulls, teeth, beads, and feathers. Good to know their commitment to the island gimmick extended to their pokey.

There was a light overhead, which they kept on. It didn’t do much. The bulb was either tired or they had never once replaced it, and it was in the midst of a death spiral. It illuminated the paneled ceiling, where water stains crept outward like a lost blob.

I tried to climb the bamboo a few times without any luck. After a bit, I slumped down and waited. Pilar knew where I was. She’d get me out. Not her specifically. She’d send someone, probably Keyes, once they found each other.

So it was time to hurry up and wait.

And wait.

It was slow going in the pit. My watch hadn’t told time in years. I only wore it out of misguided sentiment. So I was left measure time by the steadily growing rumbling in my stomach. I hadn’t eaten since sunrise at Pilar’s, and it had to be at least noon by now. It was probably too much to hope that they’d throw something down here.

As it happened, they did throw something down a couple hours later. After a fashion. I heard the door open and I scrambled to my feet, sending sand spraying out in every direction. Percy peered over the side, his green eyes blazing. He broke into a humorless smile. “Enjoying your time at Isla Calavera, meatstick?”

“I’d love it if you’d send a zombie by to take my drink order.

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