Red Herrings Can't Swim: A Hard-Boiled Detective Mystery (Nod Blake Mysteries Book 2) by Doug Lamoreux

Author:Doug Lamoreux [Lamoreux, Doug]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gumshoe - A Next Chapter Imprint
Published: 2017-06-25T12:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

I raced through the drive-thru of the chain burger joint that promised I could have whatever I wanted, My way, Any time of day. What I wanted was a half-dozen plain hamburgers. “No. No fries. No. Nothing to drink. Right. Nothing on them. Plain.” The kid on the other end of the intercom sounded disappointed. He might as well get used to it. It was a long life. I collected my burgers and turned the Jag for the north shore.

I pulled onto Navy Pier, parked, grabbed my burgers, shanghaied Olive from his ticket booth with a plea for help (he found a replacement), and headed around the Big Top and into the performers' dormitory on the far east end of the Pier. Pinned waist-high (my waist) on Alfonso's dorm room door was a note reading: What the Hell? See Me! It wasn't signed. It seemed a likely bet the midget had missed the evening performance. That left little doubt who'd written the note.

Inside the room, Olive and I found Alfonso's personal effects untouched. There was no sign the little clown had come or gone. His depressed mutt was there, as I feared, no more or less active than before, giving a blink, a sad slow gaze, an occasional heartbreaking sigh to prove he was alive, laying on his rug between several pools and piles unavoidably left on the surrounding floor. I unwrapped the 'plain' burgers – then spent five minutes scraping the ketchup, mustard, and pickle from each. Damned drive-thru employees.

“What's his name?” I asked Olive.

“The dog?” The pimpled youth shrugged his shoulders. “Don't think he has one. I'd say, 'Mornin', Alfonso. How's the dog.' He'd say, 'Depressed.' That's all was ever said 'bout the dog.”

I broke the burgers into his empty bowl while the dog sighed. I filled his water bowl from the bathroom tap while he hungrily ate. I assured the pooch – though it did nothing to cheer him up – that Olive would keep an eye on him until Alfonso returned.

“Me?” Olive asked. “Why me?”

“Alfonso said you were a good kid. So be a good kid.” I offered Olive a five spot for a promise he'd walk the dog until the midget came back. He countered that feeding the dog wouldn't be free. I made it a sawbuck and he was on board.

I asked the kid where I might find either The Major or Alida Harrison. Both were main players – in their show and in mine – whose interviews had been too long-delayed. It was about time we talked officially. At mention of the boss, Olive lifted his brow sharply, asking (without asking) why anyone would want to meet that man willingly. “The Major is already stalking the Big Top,” he said. “Laying down the law, making the early risers sorry they bothered. The acrobat…” He blushed around an idiotic schoolboy grin. “Alida is prob-ly still in bed.”

“Where's her bed?”

“O-one flight up. Room 304.” Youthful lust shown in his eyes. “I'll show you!”

“I've got it, son, thanks,” I told him.

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