Torn From On High: Free City Book 2 (The Free City Series) by S F Chapman

Author:S F Chapman [Chapman, S F]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Striped Cat Press
Published: 2014-03-30T22:00:00+00:00

23. The Hissing Serpent

“There's Mac!” Ryo pointed to the third booth to the left in the dim and musty back section of The Hissing Serpent nightclub.

Liaison Agent Hugo Mackillroy waved to the old Inspector. Ryo nudged the Lieutenant towards the table.

“Wait a minute,” Zmuda resisted. “Do you recognize the two bruisers with him?”

“No;” Ryo shook his head, “but if they are OK with Mac, they're OK with me.”

“I have a weird feeling about those two,” the Lieutenant muttered.

“Me too,” Ryo frowned. “Good, bad or ugly, we're here to collect some leads for our stalled investigations.”

Zmuda donned a wide smile, “I suppose you're right.”

“Mac! It's good to see you again,” Ryo reached across the table bestrewn with empty drink glasses to offer a hand to his old pal.

“It's been a long time,” the Liaison Agent pumped Ryo's arm with vigor. “This is Mr. Wolfe and his colleague, Mr. Rollo.”

“Gentleman;” the old Investigator bowed slightly, “this is...uh...”

“Uloff Lebrinski,” Zmuda grinned.

“Lebrinski, are you the Free City spy that Agent Macaroni promised us?”

“Mackillroy,” Ryo corrected Wolfe, “Agent Hugo Mackillroy.”

“You're Trop. We know all about you” Wolfe sneered a bit. “Ryo Trop, age 55, Inspector Second Class with the Free City Inquisitor's Office. ID number 783682. Divorced with one young kid. Your home is at Number 17, Na Daracha Ársa Street, Apartment 392, in the Ballaghaderreen District of Free City.”

“There's just one thing that you've gotten wrong, Mr. Wolfe.”

“What's that?” the big man smirked.

It was a rather rough and tumble effort at verbal intimidation, Ryo decided, a game that he could play quite well. He let the young punk hang for several seconds as he stroked his chin.

“I was recently upgraded to Inspector First Class.”

Wolfe burst into laughter, “Fair enough, old man!”

The rather inebriated Rollo cackled along with Wolfe.

Ryo could sense an odd underlying tow of duplicity in the young men.

“Yes;” Zmuda finally answered in an effort to ease some of the tension at the booth, “I have some connection to a spy organization in Free City.”

“Excellent! Have a seat,” Wolfe grinned. “Bevvies for the table on me!”

• • •

They were well into their fourth round of drinks with no end in sight when Ryo spotted a familiar face at the bar.

The old Investigator had steadfastly stuck to his habit of imbibing in only a single beverage during the course of a gathering. At this point he was certainly the only one at the booth still in full possession of his wits.

Mac, Zmuda and the two roughnecks merrily quaffed the latest offerings as the waitress deposited them on the table.

While the others roared at a rather crude joke involving a randy barmaid, Ryo studied the tall slim man in his mid-twenties who stared at him from the bar.

The fellow unobtrusively beckoned to him.

Ryo discreetly nodded in reply.

“Gentleman,” the old Investigator started, “I'll check with the bartender to see if he's got a certain rare old Irish Whiskey that will knock you into the next county.”

“Here, here!” Mac offered a toast with his now empty tumbler.

Ryo slipped out of the booth and theatrically staggered off.

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