Hey! So I finally followed up on something! Here's PART ONE in case you missed it - otherwise hit the jump to read part two!
People think being a Dick is a walk in the park, get a job, get some clues, solve the case and get paid. Most of the time that's pretty much it - if your case is "Find the lost cat that's probably in the tree out back". This wasn't one of those cases. Whoever wanted the kid gone made sure he was gone for good, and no amount of sleuthing was going to bring him back. What I could do though was get answers - why was he there that night? Why'd he take the dive? Did he have any debts?
There was only one person who knew these things, had a finger in all of the city's blackened pies - Big Lou. He had whatever you needed if you had the change, and if he was feeling up to it. Information is a precious commodity in this town, greater than gold. Lou had enough information to break even the toughest of crimelords to do his dirty work, if he wanted you dead all he'd have to do is call in a favour and some mobsters sordid relationship with their milkman would disappear. Luckily I knew him well enough to stay out of his crosshairs, and I always had something he needed.
Day broke and I took to the streets.
The hours the sun are out are not my favourite hours. Most people are innocent and can't accept things for what they are. Men and women old enough to know what's good for them tend to ignore what they don't understand or perceive as a threat - that's why robberies happen in broad daylight most of the time. They let the scum through with his prize because they don't want to get involved. Kids on the other hand - they don't know any better but to ask questions and stare, and there are plenty of kids that do exactly that whenever I'm out at the same time as the sun. I pass them in my coat, a cigarette on my lips and a harsh word on my tongue. I hate the light, but it's the only way to meet Big Lou. He likes getting a good night's rest and when you know everyone's secrets, you can do anything. Big Lou liked the park, and that's where I found him.
"Ah, Detective" he said cheerfully when I sidled up next to him, loud enough to let people know who I was. I didn't like introductions and he knew it - This was a game and he made the first move.
"I need information" I said, brushing off his attempt to rouse me.
He shot me a look and scoffed "That's the only time you ever want to see me - all I am is some meaningless piece of info-meat to you".
I lit up a cigarette.
"A kid took a dive, tried to fly out of here and couldn't move his arms fast enough - know anything about it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about - kids can't fly" he giggled to himself.
"Look Lou, I-"
"That's BIG Lou to you" he snapped back as his laughter came to an abrupt halt.
"I'm just here to ask a few questions and then I'll be on my way" I sucked in the taste of burnt tobacco and years I'll never see.
"You know these things come at a price, detective". He said the last word a little louder than the rest. "I want a name".
"Whose name?" I asked, before realising my mistake.
"If I knew that I wouldn't be asking for their name in the first place - I'm looking for a girl. She's got legs for days and a stare that would drive you to kill your own mother to swim in them."
I hesitated a moment, luckily not long enough for him to catch it. "There's hundreds of dames like that in this city, why's this one special?"
He turned to look me straight in the eyes and lied through his teeth. I already knew his canned response - she owes him money.
"She owes me a little money is all, just want to make sure she doesn't try to leave town with it".
"I'll look into it" I said, not lying. If Big Lou is after the woman in my office there had to be a better reason than money, Big Lou could already buy the city twice over and still have enough left for an uptown coffee joint. I had to know why she was so interesting.
Big Lou smiled at me and took out his notebook. Scrawling furiously into the page he produced a few lines of ink. He tore the page from the book and folded it neatly.
"Read this back in your own hole, gumshoe - it's not good information to be sharing out loud" he said as he slipped me the note.
I got up and walked away - I had some homework to do, and I wanted that A.
CONTINUED IN PART 3 (Soon...ish).
People think being a Dick is a walk in the park, get a job, get some clues, solve the case and get paid. Most of the time that's pretty much it - if your case is "Find the lost cat that's probably in the tree out back". This wasn't one of those cases. Whoever wanted the kid gone made sure he was gone for good, and no amount of sleuthing was going to bring him back. What I could do though was get answers - why was he there that night? Why'd he take the dive? Did he have any debts?
There was only one person who knew these things, had a finger in all of the city's blackened pies - Big Lou. He had whatever you needed if you had the change, and if he was feeling up to it. Information is a precious commodity in this town, greater than gold. Lou had enough information to break even the toughest of crimelords to do his dirty work, if he wanted you dead all he'd have to do is call in a favour and some mobsters sordid relationship with their milkman would disappear. Luckily I knew him well enough to stay out of his crosshairs, and I always had something he needed.
Day broke and I took to the streets.
The hours the sun are out are not my favourite hours. Most people are innocent and can't accept things for what they are. Men and women old enough to know what's good for them tend to ignore what they don't understand or perceive as a threat - that's why robberies happen in broad daylight most of the time. They let the scum through with his prize because they don't want to get involved. Kids on the other hand - they don't know any better but to ask questions and stare, and there are plenty of kids that do exactly that whenever I'm out at the same time as the sun. I pass them in my coat, a cigarette on my lips and a harsh word on my tongue. I hate the light, but it's the only way to meet Big Lou. He likes getting a good night's rest and when you know everyone's secrets, you can do anything. Big Lou liked the park, and that's where I found him.
"Ah, Detective" he said cheerfully when I sidled up next to him, loud enough to let people know who I was. I didn't like introductions and he knew it - This was a game and he made the first move.
"I need information" I said, brushing off his attempt to rouse me.
He shot me a look and scoffed "That's the only time you ever want to see me - all I am is some meaningless piece of info-meat to you".
I lit up a cigarette.
"A kid took a dive, tried to fly out of here and couldn't move his arms fast enough - know anything about it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about - kids can't fly" he giggled to himself.
"Look Lou, I-"
"That's BIG Lou to you" he snapped back as his laughter came to an abrupt halt.
"I'm just here to ask a few questions and then I'll be on my way" I sucked in the taste of burnt tobacco and years I'll never see.
"You know these things come at a price, detective". He said the last word a little louder than the rest. "I want a name".
"Whose name?" I asked, before realising my mistake.
"If I knew that I wouldn't be asking for their name in the first place - I'm looking for a girl. She's got legs for days and a stare that would drive you to kill your own mother to swim in them."
I hesitated a moment, luckily not long enough for him to catch it. "There's hundreds of dames like that in this city, why's this one special?"
He turned to look me straight in the eyes and lied through his teeth. I already knew his canned response - she owes him money.
"She owes me a little money is all, just want to make sure she doesn't try to leave town with it".
"I'll look into it" I said, not lying. If Big Lou is after the woman in my office there had to be a better reason than money, Big Lou could already buy the city twice over and still have enough left for an uptown coffee joint. I had to know why she was so interesting.
Big Lou smiled at me and took out his notebook. Scrawling furiously into the page he produced a few lines of ink. He tore the page from the book and folded it neatly.
"Read this back in your own hole, gumshoe - it's not good information to be sharing out loud" he said as he slipped me the note.
I got up and walked away - I had some homework to do, and I wanted that A.
CONTINUED IN PART 3 (Soon...ish).
IM HOOKED. You better not make me wait a year =.=
ReplyDeleteYou won't have to! I've been contacted to finish this short for publication!
Delete