The Big Bad Wolf Murder, page 11
But it called to Hardulph.
He picked it up and turned it over, slowly inhaling its scent. He had been forced to move slowly and carefully since emerging from the river—this part of the city was busy and bright, and the police were everywhere. And his prey were cunning. The garbage stink of the boat still clung to them, but it smelled like every trash can and dumpster in the city, and he had almost lost their trail twice. But this? This was proof that he was on the right path.
He buried his snout in the hat’s fabric and took a deeper sniff. There were three scents on this! An old man smell, clean and dry and faded. One of his targets, the girl Ruby—the fabric was soaked with her sweat and panic. And the scent of another girl. Newer. More recent.
So they were swapping clothes now, were they? Very clever. He smiled to himself in the darkness. This was turning into a true challenge. He would have to work hard to find his prey’s scent again. But he knew he was close.
22
THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS
Ruby and Fillan followed the secret hallway to a spiral staircase, which wound down into the Flower Haus’s basement level. Music, laughter, and raucous conversation drifted up from below.
“Sounds like someone’s having a party,” said Ruby.
“Under a flower shop?” said Fillan.
Treading softly, they descended the stairs and found themselves in a small cloakroom. Three walls were taken up with hats and coats, while the fourth was covered by a heavy red velvet curtain. They eased it aside and peeped through.
A lavish hall lay before them, dripping with gold fittings and more red velvet. A jazz band played an up-tempo number from a stage at the far end, while the main floor was filled with men and women in evening wear. Pearls and sequins glittered. Silk shirts and cravats gleamed.
It certainly looked like a party, but the guests weren’t paying any attention to the music. Instead, they crowded around a series of tables. Some played cards, others tossed dice, and, at a long table in the center of the room, a group shouted and cheered as a man in a white uniform spun a horizontal wheel divided into red and black numbered slots.
“It’s a casino!” Ruby whispered.
“But gambling’s illegal in Netherburg,” said Fillan.
“That’s why it’s run by the Oma Gang.”
A waiter sailed past bearing a tray of cocktails, and they retreated behind the curtain.
“We can’t go in there,” said Fillan.
“We have to,” Ruby replied. “That man, Jarvin, knows something about Alarick, and so do Ros’s parents. If the Flower Haus is just a front for the Oma Gang, they must have had a hand in his murder.”
“I’m more worried about them having a hand in our murders,” said Fillan. “We can’t just walk in and start asking questions.”
“True.” She looked around the room. Her training had taught her that, when your back was against the wall and you were sure there was no escape, you had to make use of whatever resources came to hand. Sometimes you could surprise even yourself. “I think I’ve got an idea,” she said, a smile creeping across her face.
Fillan followed her gaze to the rows of coats. “Oh no,” he said. “Not this again.”
* * *
Few people paid attention to the gangling figure that lurched onto the casino floor from behind the curtain. He was a wolf in a trench coat and fedora, despite the heat. He was also unusually angular, as if the top half of his body was at odds with the lower half.
Ruby, who was the lower half in question, certainly felt at odds with Fillan, who was once again sitting on her shoulders. Trapped inside the coat, there was no escaping the rancid garbage smell that still clung to them both or the sharp pain of her wound as Fillan’s weight pushed down on it. She hoped they could get through all this quickly.
“A little to the left,” Fillan whispered. “You’re going to crash into the blackjack table.”
“I’m trying my best,” she hissed back.
She’d opened a slight gap between two of the coat’s buttons, giving her a sliver of visibility. She negotiated her way around the table toward the center of the room.
“Any sign of Jarvin?” she asked.
“Not yet,” Fillan replied.
A figure stepped into their path, forcing Ruby to stop so suddenly that she almost pitched Fillan off her shoulders. It was Kelina the wolf.
“You’re not one of our regulars,” Kelina said. “Who are you?”
“Um…,” said Fillan in a nervous squeak. “We’re here … I mean, I’m here to see, um…”
Kelina looked them up and down with obvious suspicion. “Everyone on tonight’s guest list has already signed in,” she said. “And you’re not on it.”
Fillan tensed, digging his heels into Ruby’s sides so sharply that she almost cried out. She began to panic. How had she ever imagined they would get away with this?
“Jarvin said I didn’t need to sign in,” said Fillan.
Ruby held her breath. Dropping Jarvin’s name felt like a big risk, but it was enough to make Kelina pause.
“How do you know Jarvin?”
“From Fangbrook Market,” said Fillan.
Kelina snorted. “That explains the smell, at least.” She looked them over again and wrinkled her nose. “Follow me. They’ve only just started.”
Ruby was amazed. “Quick thinking,” she whispered as she trotted in Kelina’s wake.
“You must be rubbing off on me,” Fillan replied.
Kelina led them to an offshoot of the hall, set apart from the casino floor by another red curtain. Stepping through it, they entered a dining room, filled with circular wooden tables set for dinner. The occupants weren’t eating though—they were on their feet, bellowing at Jarvin, who stood on one of the tables, shouting back.
“You people don’t scare me,” he said. “Remember who’s in charge here!”
With a nod, Kelina withdrew, leaving Fillan and Ruby at the back of the throng.
“What’s happening?” whispered Fillan.
“No idea,” Ruby replied.
A woman in a purple sequined dress waved her handbag at Jarvin. “Who do you think you’re kidding?” she yelled. “We’re all here for the same thing. We want our money back! All of it!”
The group roared with approval.
“And I’m here to tell you, tough luck,” Jarvin replied. “You all agreed to our terms when you placed your bets. If you win, we pay out. If you lose, we don’t.”
Roselyn’s father climbed up on his chair. “But we didn’t win or lose! Alarick died before the game finished, so the judges ruled the whole thing void.”
“That’s why you’re only getting half your money back,” said Jarvin. “Count yourselves lucky. If it were up to me, you’d get nothing at all.”
Ruby momentarily forgot the weight of Fillan on her shoulders, and the terrible smell inside the coat. Roselyn’s parents had placed an illegal bet on the Tooth and Claw final! Had Roselyn known? And had they bet for or against her?
“You’ve stolen six hundred of the florins I put on that game,” said the woman in purple.
“And a thousand from me,” shouted someone else.
“And five thousand from me!” cried Mr. Brandt.
As the room descended into jeers and heckling, Ruby tapped Fillan on the shin. “This might be what we’ve been looking for.”
“You think the Oma Gang killed Alarick so they could keep the betting money when the game was canceled?”
“It would be a good motive, don’t you think?”
Before he could answer, Jarvin silenced the crowd by drawing a compact crossbow from his jacket and firing three bolts into the ceiling in quick succession. People retook their seats as plaster rained down.
“Now you’re getting it,” said Jarvin. “If you don’t like our rules, you can shut up and get out. Or if you’re smart, you can stay and maybe win some of your money back at the tables. We’re open all night. So what’ll it be?”
With a lot of grumbling and bitter looks, the people turned and shuffled toward the casino. All except the Brandts, who made a beeline for Jarvin. Ruby followed them until she was close enough to eavesdrop.
“Please,” Mr. Brandt said. “You have to return my full bet. You don’t know how much depends on it.”
“And I don’t care,” said Jarvin, holstering his crossbow.
“It’s our daughter’s future,” said Mrs. Brandt. “We haven’t told her, but the family business is failing. The ten thousand I wagered was the last of our savings.”
Ruby’s skin prickled. Roselyn had always been the rich kid, with the best of everything. Ruby had had no idea that the family was in so much trouble.
“We can loan you some cash if it means that much to you,” said Jarvin. “But you’d better be able to pay it back, or there’ll be consequences.”
Mr. Brandt stiffened. “I will not stoop to being bullied by a loan shark.”
“Then this conversation is over,” said Jarvin. “Enjoy being broke.”
He left them standing pale and shaken, and shouldered past Ruby and Fillan on his way back to the casino floor. He had taken only a few steps past them when Kelina reappeared.
“Hey, Jarvin,” she said. “You’re supposed to tell me when you invite your friends in.”
Jarvin frowned. “What friends?”
Oh no, thought Ruby. With a sickening twist in her guts, she started looking for an escape route.
“This guy,” said Kelina. “Your buddy from the market who smells like a dumpster.”
Jarvin turned and narrowed his eyes at Fillan, who laughed nervously.
“I’m more of an acquaintance, really.”
Slowly and calmly, Jarvin reached into his jacket and produced the crossbow again. “Here’s what’s gonna happen,” he said, pressing the muzzle into what he assumed was Fillan’s chest, but was actually Ruby’s forehead. “You’re gonna tell me who you are and what you’re doin’ here, or I’m gonna turn your lungs into pincushions.”
Ruby backed away, blinking nervous sweat from her eyes, but Kelina circled around to block them.
“P-please don’t do anything you’ll regret,” stuttered Fillan.
“Oh, I’m not gonna regret this,” said Jarvin. He grabbed Fillan by the front of his coat, and Ruby made her move.
“Go!” She dropped out from beneath Fillan and rolled straight between Jarvin’s legs. Without her to support him, Fillan dropped down through the coat, hit the ground, and scampered away, leaving Jarvin holding the empty garment.
“What the…?” Jarvin looked between the two retreating figures. “Grab ’em!”
Ruby raced into the casino, weaving through the startled crowd. Kelina was close behind her, barging people aside until she was close enough to throw herself at Ruby in a clumsy tackle.
“Alarick would be embarrassed for you,” said Ruby, springing onto the long table with the spinning wheel. Patrons screamed and grabbed for their winnings as she dashed across it, sending betting chips flying. She vaulted over the wheel and off the other side. Kelina leaped after her, only to plant her foot on the wheel and pitch headfirst into the man running the game. Players fell on the scattered chips, fighting to stuff their pockets.
Fillan, meanwhile, dove under one of the card tables as Jarvin rushed after him.
“Outta my way!” Jarvin roared, shoving people aside. Drinks spilled, glasses smashed, and one man shoved back at him, hard. Jarvin felled him with a blow from the butt of his crossbow, only to have a champagne bottle smashed over his head by the man’s girlfriend. Within seconds, the crowd at the table had turned into a brawling mob, and Fillan crawled between their legs on his stomach.
By the time he reached Ruby at the exit, the whole casino had descended into a riot. An elderly lady in pearls swung her handbag like a mace, walloping several young men across the face. Two men in tuxedos tried to throttle each other with their bow ties. The waiters had taken shelter behind a bar at one end of the room and were lobbing bottles of seltzer at anyone who got too close. Even the jazz band had started battering one another with their instruments.
And plowing through it all toward them, like a shark toward its prey, came Jarvin. His face was puce with rage, and his hair was dripping with champagne.
“Time to go,” said Fillan.
They pulled aside the curtain to the cloakroom, only to find themselves face-to-face with Detective Breck.
“Finally,” he said, leveling his crossbow at them. “You’re under arrest.”
23
THE WRONG ARM OF THE LAW
Police officers piled out of the cloakroom from behind Breck, quickly surrounding Ruby and Fillan. Dozens more spread out across the casino, throwing themselves into the brawl and pulling the combatants apart. Ruby caught a glimpse of Jarvin turning on his heel and disappearing into the throng.
“Looks like your luck’s finally run out,” Breck said, swinging the muzzle of his crossbow between them. “You’d better come quietly.”
“Actually, you’re just in time,” said Ruby. “We think the Oma Gang killed Alarick.”
“Do we?” said Fillan.
“Sure they did,” Breck replied. “And you’re working for ’em.”
“What?” said Ruby. “That’s ridiculous.”
Breck smirked, savoring his victory. “I suppose you stumbled into their top-secret gambling den accidentally.”
“Of course not,” said Ruby. “We came looking for clues.”
“And just strolled in through the front door?” said Breck. “Gimme a break, kid. The NCPD has been staking out this joint for months. Two of our guys saw you arrive. Sloppy. Real sloppy.”
“But it’s the truth,” said Fillan.
Breck gave a short, barking laugh. “What did they offer you to kill Alarick? It must have been a pretty sweet deal.”
“Nobody offered us anything,” said Ruby.
“Sweet enough for you to put your own coach in a coma when she got in your way.”
His words goaded Ruby into sudden fury. “If you think I would ever do anything to hurt Marceline, then you’re an even lousier detective than I thought!” She glared at him, nostrils flaring, but his smirk didn’t waver.
“How about your friend here?” He prodded Fillan in the chest. “I hear you’ve been taking bites out of people.”
Fillan shrank back, ears flat and tail limp.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” said Breck. “D’you know what happens to bite risks like you? They’re not allowed out of their cells without a muzzle on.”
Fillan cowered, his eyes wide. “Please, no!”
“You know he didn’t attack Marceline,” said Ruby. “It was the white wolf you shot at from the airship.”
Breck’s smirk disappeared abruptly. “I’m listening.”
“His name’s Hardulph,” said Fillan. “He’s a bounty hunter.”
“Hunting who?”
“Us,” said Ruby. “The Oma Gang must have hired him to track us down before we could solve the case.”
“Before we could catch you and make you both blab, more like,” said Breck. “They used you to kill Alarick, and now they’re tidying up their loose ends.”
Around them, the uniformed officers were marching casino patrons to the stairs, many of them still struggling and complaining. Their once fine evening wear was torn and bloodied, and some of them still clutched handfuls of betting chips.
“This is so stupid!” cried Ruby. “What do we have to do to convince you we’re innocent?”
“I already told you, innocent people don’t run,” said Breck. “They don’t break into apartments or flee the scene of an attempted murder, and they don’t wind up in illegal gambling dens. So get moving.” He grabbed them both by the arm and shoved them toward the stairs.
Ruby’s stomach churned. This had been the most important hunt of her life, and she had lost. Now she was going to lose everything else along with it—her friends, her career, her reputation. All she had to look forward to was a jail cell.
But she had barely set foot on the bottom step when she heard screaming and running from above. Breck pulled her back as police officers and casino patrons came pouring down from the Flower Haus.
“What’s happening?” Breck demanded.
A guttural howl answered him from the top of the stairs, and Fillan slipped his paw into Ruby’s hand.
“Hardulph,” he said.
24
DOWN AND OUT
The casino was in the grip of chaos once again, as police officers and patrons flooded back down the spiral stairs. Ruby saw Roselyn’s parents among them, their faces pale and panic stricken.
“What’s going on?” demanded Breck.
“It’s Hardulph,” said Ruby, straining against his heavy grip on her arm.
Another furious howl made the air pulse. People screamed and whimpered. The officers all drew their crossbows and pointed them at the stairs.
“He only wants us,” said Fillan. “But he’ll hurt anyone who gets in his way.”
Breck snapped a fresh gas canister into his crossbow. “I’d like to see him try. Get behind me.”
“Breck’s going to get us all killed,” said Ruby as she and Fillan retreated to the center of the casino. “We have to do something.”
“I know, but what?”
She looked around. “There’s no sign of Jarvin. Perhaps he had another way out of here.”
Before they could act on the idea, however, heavy padding footsteps descended the stairs. Silence fell over the casino as, inch by sinewy inch, Hardulph stalked into view.
“NCPD!” shouted Breck. “Paws where we can see ’em!”
Hardulph regarded the row of police and bared his teeth in a horrible smile. The patrons crowded back as far as they could, and even some of the officers’ hands trembled.
