Play of Shadows by Barbara Nickless

Author:Barbara Nickless [Nickless, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-11-13T16:00:00+00:00

She was halfway to Owen Teufel’s apartment when a detective from the Near North station called.

“Got a call about a case of vandalism,” the detective said. “Someone spray-painted a bunch of crap on a car sitting in a condo’s parking lot. We ran the car. It’s a rental, taken out by a New Yorker named Jamal James.”

“The actor playing Theseus in the new play,” Addie murmured. And Ursula’s former mock-trial fellow.

“If you say so. No one answers at the condo James is renting. Half an hour ago, someone from the company that leased the condo let patrol in to do a wellness check.”

“And?”

“And nothing. No one home. No sign of trouble. Looks like they had a party—beer bottles, dirty dishes.”

Pretty much like a lot of twentysomething men’s homes. Addie checked the time. “Maybe their car wouldn’t start and they took an Uber. Or went with a friend. Is the vandalism threatening? Hate-crime stuff?”

“Nah. But I saw the report on your case. Looks like a couple of the images on the car match what you found on your victim.”

Addie’s breath came faster. If the vandalism on Jamal and Bryant’s car was linked to the man calling himself Távros, then he’d had himself a busy night.

“I got more,” the detective said. “Might not be anything. But the neighbor who phoned in the vandalism, she was outside the condo in the middle of the night, standing next to some trees so her dog could water them. Says she saw a man coming up the sidewalk. He scared her because he was a big dude. Tall, built like a weight lifter. Wearing a Chicago Bulls hoodie.”

A description that would work for Távros. “Did she see his face?”

“Said from what she could see, he was an old white guy. But he didn’t walk or talk like an old man.”

Addie’s pulse leapt. It had to be him. “Cameras?”

“Nah. But he stopped next to the entrance to the property and pulled out his phone. He was walking up and down the sidewalk, going in and out of earshot. But she heard part of the conversation. He used the name Jamal, which also got her attention. Made her wonder if he was talking to her new neighbor. She likes Jamal, this lady. Wishes he’d move back to Chicago permanently. She says, and I quote, ‘He’s a dish.’ Anyway, the guy told Jamal they needed to meet. He said something about Jamal’s car. Something like, ‘They tagged your car.’ Then he said they were all in danger. Our witness says she gave a little gasp. The man turned around and went silent, and she thought she was a goner. Couldn’t tell if he saw her or not, her being in the shadows. But he started walking again, fast, and went out of hearing range.”

What had River said? That Távros told him, Ursula is where she deserves to be. Where they all deserve to be.

“The witness is here if you want to talk to her,” said the detective. “She also says Jamal isn’t answering his cell phone.

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