Queen of the Underworld by Lee Savino & Stasia Black

Author:Lee Savino & Stasia Black [Black, Stasia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-07-18T05:00:00+00:00

Nineteen

In the Mayor’s mansion, Zeke Sturm strode back from his study, tossing his cell phone to an aide. With his usual exuberance, he threw open the doors to the dining room and looked down the long table at the assembled guests.

Every night the same, like a boring joke, Zeke thought as he viewed their expectant faces. A visiting dignitary, a decorated war hero, and a kiss-ass aide walk into a bar… Out loud he said, “Apologies for my tardiness. I hope the first course was to your liking.”

Polite murmurs came from up and down the table. Zeke made sure to share his smile all around. People could be so petty if they felt not enough attention had been directed their way.

“I’m told the chef received a gift from one of the ships docking in our ports,” Zeke said as he sat down. “So tonight we dine on fresh sea bass. It was imported specifically for a particular shipping tycoon’s meals, now graciously gifted to us.”

The guests all expressed their appreciation.

“Please, enjoy.” Zeke smiled and gestured, and took his first bite as everyone would wait on him. “Mmm,” he said. “Much better than the way my ex-wife used to char it.”

The guests around the table laughed, right on cue.

“What we call a sea bass is actually two species of toothfish, renamed to sound more palatable,” said a man from midway down the table in a heavily accented voice. He had a neatly trimmed salt and pepper beard, and piercing blue eyes. He was a professor, if Zeke recalled correctly. Professor Wagner or Ziegler? Something like that.

“A fish by any other name…is still delicious.” Zeke savored a forkful and motioned to the servers, calling for more wine around the table.

A round, bald headed man bustled up to the table. “My apologies for being so late.”

“Commissioner,” Zeke greeted the newcomer, and only the very astute would pick up the slight twitch of his lips, a micro-expression of annoyance. Zeke thought the bearded professor had noticed, though. Observant, that one.

“Sorry, boss,” the heavy man breathed, tucking his napkin into his collar and grabbing a dinner roll. The man was the opposite of refinement and it was his position alone that afforded him a seat at the table. “This new drug has got us all scrambling.”

Zeke wished he was sitting closer so he could kick the man under the table.

“New drug?” The dignitary from Metropolis, Claudius, perked up before Zeke could change the subject.

“Just hit the streets,” the commissioner said, oblivious to Zeke’s glare. But Bill wasn’t the cleverest man and had always been slow at picking up on social cues.

“Limited quantity, but we think that will change. Couple of rich kids got picked up for indecent exposure, said they had taken something. Their parents went to swinger parties and came home with a couple pills. The kids know their stash; they try everything their parents do. We questioned them in the hospital and it all came out.”

The commissioner finally paused in buttering his roll and realized that every eye around the table was trained on him in fascination.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.