A Breath of Life (Shadowy Solutions Book 4), page 24
Regardless, near or far, I didn’t see anything suspicious. Considering it was noon on a weekday in one of the more populated areas of the city, I wasn’t surprised. Too many people. Too much traffic. It was impossible to note everyone. The longer I waited, the more in tune I became with the buildings along the street and their dated architecture. This was Old Toronto, the birthplace of the city. The more I sat with it, the more certain I was that I would find the place where I’d been held somewhere in the area.
I closed my eyes, envisioning the room and details, turning my focus to the walls, ceiling, and floor. I noted the nuances that might give me a clue about where I’d been. It was as futile an exercise as the first time I’d tried. Apart from the carved wooden door and a musty-smelling hallway, I had nothing concrete.
Without warning, the vague impression of something else crossed my mind. A tiny worm of a thought slipped through the cracks of my broken memory into the light. I bolted upright, opening my eyes. “Beige brickwork. The wooden door was surrounded by beige bricks. The intricate kind with beveled edges.”
I couldn’t see them clearly since I had been more focused on the contrail cutting a line across the sky, but my brain had snapped a picture. The picture included the building in my periphery vision.
“Beige bricks.”
I scanned the street and put the Jeep in gear, trusting that Tallus would text when he was finished. I drove, studying the neighboring architecture and slowing at every building that matched the half-remembered impression of bricks. At a stoplight, I stared at a Presbyterian church across the way, drawn by its masonry and ancient door. Not the same, but…
“St. Michael’s,” I muttered under my breath. I inhaled sharply as another forgotten memory hit me in the face. “A sweet smell. Something burning. Incense? The Bishop. A church?” I pictured the basement, my heart rate increasing tenfold.
Someone behind me honked, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. The light was green.
I drove but remained stuck on the idea of a church. Was that it? Could I have been held in a historic church building somewhere in Old Toronto? It made sense. The atmosphere was correct. The feeling under my skin, in my mind. It fit.
A church.
I pulled over and revisited the Google search I’d done on St. Michael’s, paying strict attention to locations. “Fuck me.” Old Toronto was home to a St. Michael’s school, the freaking St. Michael’s Basilica—which was a hugely prominent building—a hospital, several smaller parishes, and the St. Michael’s foundation building.
I clicked each, studying images of their exteriors, dismissing the ones that didn’t share a likeness with the one inside my head. The basilica stood out, but it was the foundation building that raised goose bumps along my spine and triggered something within me. I zoomed in on the door, but it wasn’t what I remembered. Was I off base? Could this be it? Without visiting the building directly and walking its perimeter to examine all points of entry, I wouldn’t be able to eliminate it.
But I couldn’t do that. If I went anywhere near these buildings and my theory was right, Ace and his people would know. I didn’t want to imagine what they might do if they thought I’d discovered their nest.
I pondered my predicament for a long time, toying with several ideas, when my phone buzzed with an incoming text from Tallus, letting me know he was ready. I scanned the busy street as a loose plan formed.
Could I risk it? The likelihood of locating Clarence on time grew slimmer by the hour. If he ran, he could be anywhere, and I might never find him. Or I could try to nail Ace, take down his entire operation, and free myself, Tallus, and Nana from his clutches.
I didn’t like it, but I had to do something.
First, I texted Tallus. Stay inside the building. I’m coming to you.
I expected a snarky objection but didn’t get one. Maybe he finally understood.
Something in Tallus’s earlier rant stood out. Ace’s spies weren’t meant to interfere. He’d planted them to confirm I didn’t do anything stupid. They reported my movements. They ensured I followed the rules. I was meant to continue life as usual while using the resources available to me as a PI to find Clarence. I knew all about fear tactics. The point was to make your victim believe something valuable was at risk. Ace would follow through. I had no doubt. But he was counting on the fact that I was adequately shaken enough to walk a tight line of compliance.
Since he tracked me with the card, his street spies wouldn’t be as apt to ride my ass from fear of losing sight of me. If they thought they might be discovered or I took off at random, they would pull back, let me go, get a ping on my location, and resume tracking me. It also meant they could be easily shaken.
Tallus had also made a good point about the courthouse building. It was too secure. Too public. If I went inside, Ace’s guy would likely wait outside until the tracker told them I left. He would locate me and tail behind.
But if the tracker never left the building…
The theory wasn’t foolproof. Tallus had been followed the entire night I was missing, but he hadn’t diligently watched for a tail, nor had he been carrying a tracking device. That night, Tallus had been Ace’s pawn.
Two could play this game.
I parked the Jeep several blocks from the courthouse, unstrapped the knife from my ankle, and tucked it beneath the seat. The last thing I needed was to be apprehended for carrying a weapon into a federal building. From the backseat, I tugged the grab-and-go gym bag I kept handy and located a pair of tearaway sports pants, tattered runners, an old tee, and a beat-up ballcap.
How to get the items inside without raising suspicion took another minute of pondering. A paper takeout bag on the floor in the back seat solved the problem. I emptied it of trash and stuffed the clothing and shoes inside before rolling the top so it looked like I carried a delivery of food. Even if the guards checked the contents and found clothing, they would likely think me odd, but I wouldn’t be stopped.
Immediately recognizing a flaw in my plan, I paused. At no time did my potential tail witness me picking up takeout. Did it matter? Was it a deal breaker? I decided Ace’s guy might not notice.
On final contemplation, I recovered the knife under the seat, deciding to tuck it somewhere outside the building so I could retrieve it on my way back out. The last thing I wanted was to be unarmed, and I didn’t want to go near the vehicle again once in disguise.
I exited the Jeep, takeout bag cradled to my chest, and jogged toward the courthouse. At a garbage bin along the sidewalk, I purposefully dropped my keys and slipped the knife underneath and out of sight.
At the main entrance, I went through the mandatory security check and found Tallus waiting on a bench in the lobby, attention seemingly on his phone. It was a ruse. He surreptitiously scanned the vast foyer in a way that made me proud.
I sat beside him, keeping my voice low. “Anyone around?”
“Not that I can see. I’ve been keeping an eye since I got here.”
“Good.”
Silence swelled between us.
“Are you still mad?”
“Yes.” Tallus eyed the bag. “Did you buy lunch?”
“No. It’s a diversion. Follow me.” I aimed for an out-of-the-way bathroom, knowing Tallus’s ire was about to increase tenfold. At this rate, I would be single by the weekend.
24
Tallus
Vibrating with fury, I contemplated all the ways I would punish Diem for this most recent injustice. He was going to be sorry. His overprotective nature might have been cute at first, but I was over it, and in a show of frustration, I kicked the stall door, making it shiver on its hinges.
“Asshole.” He was long gone and didn’t hear me, but I’d spat enough venom before he walked out the door that he would hopefully think twice about returning unless he was on his knees.
The men’s room at the courthouse was not my preferred choice of hangout, but Diem had insisted it was where I needed to remain until he got back. Was it up for debate? No. Was I entitled to an opinion? No. Did he listen when I objected to this stupid plan because the risks involved were too great? Also no. Diem’s safety was of no concern. He was allowed to gallivant around the city, doing anything he pleased, while I hid in a fucking bathroom.
I could have left. I could have ignored Diem’s threats and walked out the door with my head high, but I didn’t because, despite being ragingly angry, I knew, deep down, he acted with my best interests at heart.
With nothing to do but wait, I called Kitty. Diem had asked me to inquire about Clarence’s wife’s murder investigation. He’d also warned me that under no circumstances should I reveal anything about our situation. Kitty was my best and most trusted contact. She was sly and sneaky and frighteningly witchy at times. She wouldn’t betray us.
If Diem could make his own rules, so could I.
After her bubbly greeting, I sighed, injecting purposeful dramatics down the phone line. “Hey, Kitty Kat. Tell me your day isn’t as dreadful as mine.”
“Oh, it’s been lovely so far, dear.”
“That’s great. Aren’t you special. Wanna know about my day? I’m currently sitting on a closed toilet seat lid at the courthouse. That’s right, I’m a prisoner in a public bathroom stall. How many levels of gross is this?”
“Oh lord, do you have diarrhea, love?”
I snorted. “No, Kitty. I have an overprotective boyfriend who is stealing all the fun. I love the guy. I really, really do, but god help me. Some days, I want to beat him over the head with a pillow until he realizes that my cute face is an asset, not a hindrance. There was a time when playing the part of a princess was my life’s goal. I dreamed of being catered to and pampered. Not anymore, Kitty. Princesses are not all they’re cracked up to be.”
“I think he’s settling in nicely. You know, this is the first time in Diem’s life he’s had a stable relationship. Go easy on him while he learns to navigate the intricacies of being in love for the first time. He has your best interests at heart.”
I sighed. “Don’t I know it.”
“To be fair. You’re a lot to handle, Tallus.”
“What? I object. I’m delightful.”
“And strong-willed to a fault.”
“Alas, I am. About the other day…” I let the sentence hang unfinished, knowing Kitty would follow up precisely how I wanted. She did not disappoint.
“Oh yes. You never told me what happened.”
I laughed again with a purpose that was true to my character—rather, the one I wanted anyone listening to believe. “Well, get cozy and pay attention because it’s a doozy of a story. It turned out Diem was kidnapped by pirates. I’m kidding. He was kidnapped by the goblin king. David Bowie in spandex. I was jealous.”
Kitty tsked. “Now, Tallus.”
“You’re right. It wasn’t David Bowie. The truth is, Diem was kidnapped by a secret organization of wannabe hoodlums who threatened his life, his family, and probably my virginity because they wanted him to find a man who slipped from their grasp after their hit man failed to hit, if you know what I mean. It turns out, we accidentally saved the guy’s life without knowing he was supposed to bite the big one, so now they’re making Diem fix the mistake, but not without forcing him to jump through hoops along the way. Honestly, they have stacked the deck in their favor. While they hold the coveted ace of spades, we’re fumbling with the lowest-numbered pair imaginable and a nine high. Do you hear me, Kitty? But don’t worry, these people aren’t all bad. They care about charity and make ridiculous donations to places like St. Michael’s or whatever.” I inserted another hard-done-by sigh. “Alas, it’s just another day in the life of a PI.”
I smirked. See, D? I told her everything and nothing.
Kitty tittered. “Sounds marvelous. Adventures galore. You did say working in the records department bored you.”
“Yes, Kitty, truer words have never been spoken.” I coughed, emphasizing the importance of my final statement.
She fell silent, and I thanked god for her wise old brain. I’d presented as much about the case as I could while making it sound like an over-the-top joke, a chuckle, nothing serious. I was simply Tallus being his typical dramatic self.
The landline at the police department was monitored at all times for security purposes since a lot of nuts called the station, particularly in search of information on cases. I doubted anyone listened to recorded transcripts, but on the off chance I was wrong, I wanted the conversation to appear like regular banter among co-workers. The last thing I needed was to set off alarm bells and have the authorities knocking down my door asking questions.
Was it overkill? Maybe. Chances were, I could have spoken plain, and it wouldn’t have mattered, but Diem was worried, and the risks were too high.
Kitty might like to wear the mask of a senile geriatric, but under the surface, she was one of the most cunning people I knew. How she did it was anyone’s guess, but Kitty had ways of finding impossible information, and right now, that was exactly what we needed. Another set of eyes looking for Clarence wouldn’t hurt. An insider with the ability to help us track Ace.
Fuck Diem and his lone-wolf adventures. If he didn’t want me to play by my own rules, he shouldn’t have left me in a courthouse bathroom stall.
“Anyhoo,” I said, brushing off the story like it was nothing. “Never mind me. I’m actually calling because I forgot to leave you a note. That guy’s case file you were looking for. Clarence Audraine.” I emphasized the name. “It’s in your outgoing file. I called upstairs, and the people in charge said they needed the information compiled by the end of the day on Sunday. That’s the deadline. A weekend, I know, but we do as we’re told, am I right?”
“Ah, yes. We certainly do. No problem. I’ll work on that right away.”
“Thanks, Kitty. You’re the best. Since I’m up to my eyeballs in a pile of bear shit today, I might not get to my phone when you call. If that happens, call Costa. He’s taking my messages.”
“Will do.”
We hung up, and I pondered all I’d said, hoping Kitty caught the subtle clues. She was sharp as a tack, so I put faith in her and hoped she would find something useful.
Once off the phone, I cursed Diem for making me sit in a dirty bathroom while he escaped the eyes of his captors to hunt for their lair. He’d made me responsible for the card while he was gone so Ace and his cronies would believe him to be inside the courthouse. Now he trusted me with it. Now, when I didn’t want the fucking thing because it made my skin crawl. Oh, how the tides had turned.
I removed the encumbering object from its leather pouch to admire it with fresh eyes. It seemed less shiny and mesmerizing than the day we’d taken it off Clarence. The enthusiasm I’d carried out of the jewelry shop when Joshua had quoted us an astronomical price no longer existed. It was tainted, and all I wanted to do was dump it in the garbage and walk away like we were meant to.
I considered doing exactly that. How long until Ace’s guys found it? How long until they retaliated?
The minute these people discovered we were without the card, things could get dicey. Diem believed their threats, and I wasn’t about to put his nana’s life on the line. As it stood, the longer Diem was gone, the more suspicious they might be.
I hoped they didn’t send someone inside the building to hunt us down. It was why I was tucked away in a bathroom stall. Better to have them believe that I—Diem—was taking the world’s longest shit.
“Stupid card,” I mumbled, packing it inside its pouch.
I checked my phone. It was too soon for Kitty to have discovered anything, and Diem hadn’t texted. He’d been gone thirty minutes. On foot, it would take a while to scope the areas he planned to visit.
Sighing, growing more bored by the second, I pulled up a search engine, wanting to feel productive. But I didn’t know what to search for. Diem had studied the history of playing cards, specifically the ace of spades. What else could I do?
“Wait. Ace. Ace of spades.” I frowned. “A little on the nose.”
Shooting blind, I searched for local casinos. A handful appeared across the map, but they were all legal establishments. How did a person find illegal gambling organizations? It wasn’t exactly something a person could Google, but I had a feeling Diem’s buddy Ace was attached to something similar.
I clucked my tongue and froze when the bathroom door opened. Someone entered. Holding my breath, I waited and listened as they used the urinal and washed their hands. Before long, they exited, and I relaxed.
The card.
Illegal casinos.
How did I find illegal casinos?
Easy. I did what any smart PI did when locked in a courthouse bathroom under strict orders to stay put. I called my best friend.
“Bitch, save me. This day won’t fucking end. I’ve had a total of three customers since I opened the door at nine. Three people in five hours. Girl, I have resorted to playing solitaire.”
“Fitting. I have a gambling question.”
“Ugh. Go fish.”
“Does that mean you won’t help me?”
“It means taaalk,” he whined. “I can’t with this day. Watching paint dry would be more exciting. I’m going to start work-drinking soon. These energy drinks aren’t cutting it.”
“Drinking on the job sounds like a good way to get your ass fired. Unless you’re your own boss like Diem, in which case, have at ’er. Can we focus on me now?”
“Yes, you needy bitch. A gambling question. Go. I’m listening.”
“How might one go about finding a… less than legal establishment?”
“What do you mean?”
“Come on, Memph. Don’t play dumb. You know what I mean. The ones that fly under the cops’ radar and are run by, like, the mafia or something.”
Memphis snorted. “You’re so vanilla.”
“Shut up. I’m serious.”
“The mafia? You watch too much TV.”
