before his career got cut short when he robbed the wrong mansion.
“That’s the one. Anyway, Mrs. Freeman says she held on to the pistol after he died for sentimental reasons, but somebody broke in and stole it. Or what remained of it.”
“Why would anyone want a broken Kapowitzer?” I shook my head. “Did you get her number?”
“It’s on your desk.”
I walked into my office, picked up the number, and dialed it.
Mrs. Freeman had a sweeter-than-apple-pie grandma’s voice. “Hello?”
“Hi Mrs. Freeman, this is Dane Curse. I’ve been told you need some help locating a missing item that belonged to your late husband.”
“Oh yes, but it’s not missing, it’s been stolen.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m working for another client right now. Can you come by-”
“Oh no, I tried that. I couldn’t find the place.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry. I know it’s uncommon, but there’s a holographic projector outside my door that keeps it hidden. I assure you, we’re at the end of the hall on the fourth floor of the Tanziger Building. Call when you arrive, and my girl can come down and escort you up.”
“I don’t know, is there any way you could drop by my home? Please?”
“I can Mrs. Freeman, but I’m afraid it won’t be for a few days. The market for defunct Kapowitzers is a limited one though, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
I got her details down on a scrap of paper and shoved it into my pocket before I said goodbye, then walked back to the waiting room and sat on the couch.
Widow looked at me. One pair of her hands kept typing while the other grabbed a file from her desk drawer. “How was she?”
“In need. I’d like to help.”
“Too busy with this secret case?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Wait a minute, you’re not sore, are you? I’d tell you about it if I could.”
Widow returned her attention, and all four hands, to her typing. “Of course not, it’s just you’ve never kept me out of agency business before. Makes me wonder what all the hush is about.”
“It’s important, that’s all I can say. But also damn near unsolvable. So take my mind off it for a moment. What about Mrs. Freeman? She couldn’t find us?”
“Said the office was too well hidden, adding that any PI in want of business shouldn’t be so hard to find.”
“Not my fault,” I said, “if I want to stay in business I have to be hidden.”
“Hey, I see your point, but I can see hers too. Thanks to that tech in the hall this place is impossible to locate unless you know exactly where it is,” Widow said. “Heck, I got lost the first time I came here.”
“I didn’t know that.” Maybe Mrs. Freeman was right, maybe I should take it down, and not hide behind a smoke… “God damn it!” I leapt up and grabbed my coat and hat like I was mad at them.
“What is it?” Widow leaned back to get out of my way, which she wasn’t even close to being in. “Something wrong?”
“Yeah, with my head.” I threw on my gear and bolted. And for the second time that day I high tailed it over to Ben Waller’s apartment, leaving twin strips of rubber in my wake. I pulled up to the place barely getting Jane into park before I jumped out and ran up the steps, cursing myself the entire time for losing nearly half a day to stupidity.
When I got to the door I picked the lock again, and walked in. The place was exactly like I left it: boring carpet, crappy TV, and too many smoke alarms. Or, if my hunch was right, just one too many.
Specifically the one on the wall right over the bookcase.
I jumped up, and ripped it down. The top row of books on the shelf disappeared, revealing a metal rod. Wrapping my hand around it I took a deep breath, and pushed. Nothing happened. Then I tried moving it side to side. Still nothing. But when I pulled it towards me the bookcase gave a small click, and swung outwards.
I couldn’t help but hold my breath as I stepped out of Ben Waller’s world, and into
“That’s the one. Anyway, Mrs. Freeman says she held on to the pistol after he died for sentimental reasons, but somebody broke in and stole it. Or what remained of it.”
“Why would anyone want a broken Kapowitzer?” I shook my head. “Did you get her number?”
“It’s on your desk.”
I walked into my office, picked up the number, and dialed it.
Mrs. Freeman had a sweeter-than-apple-pie grandma’s voice. “Hello?”
“Hi Mrs. Freeman, this is Dane Curse. I’ve been told you need some help locating a missing item that belonged to your late husband.”
“Oh yes, but it’s not missing, it’s been stolen.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m working for another client right now. Can you come by-”
“Oh no, I tried that. I couldn’t find the place.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry. I know it’s uncommon, but there’s a holographic projector outside my door that keeps it hidden. I assure you, we’re at the end of the hall on the fourth floor of the Tanziger Building. Call when you arrive, and my girl can come down and escort you up.”
“I don’t know, is there any way you could drop by my home? Please?”
“I can Mrs. Freeman, but I’m afraid it won’t be for a few days. The market for defunct Kapowitzers is a limited one though, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
I got her details down on a scrap of paper and shoved it into my pocket before I said goodbye, then walked back to the waiting room and sat on the couch.
Widow looked at me. One pair of her hands kept typing while the other grabbed a file from her desk drawer. “How was she?”
“In need. I’d like to help.”
“Too busy with this secret case?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Wait a minute, you’re not sore, are you? I’d tell you about it if I could.”
Widow returned her attention, and all four hands, to her typing. “Of course not, it’s just you’ve never kept me out of agency business before. Makes me wonder what all the hush is about.”
“It’s important, that’s all I can say. But also damn near unsolvable. So take my mind off it for a moment. What about Mrs. Freeman? She couldn’t find us?”
“Said the office was too well hidden, adding that any PI in want of business shouldn’t be so hard to find.”
“Not my fault,” I said, “if I want to stay in business I have to be hidden.”
“Hey, I see your point, but I can see hers too. Thanks to that tech in the hall this place is impossible to locate unless you know exactly where it is,” Widow said. “Heck, I got lost the first time I came here.”
“I didn’t know that.” Maybe Mrs. Freeman was right, maybe I should take it down, and not hide behind a smoke… “God damn it!” I leapt up and grabbed my coat and hat like I was mad at them.
“What is it?” Widow leaned back to get out of my way, which she wasn’t even close to being in. “Something wrong?”
“Yeah, with my head.” I threw on my gear and bolted. And for the second time that day I high tailed it over to Ben Waller’s apartment, leaving twin strips of rubber in my wake. I pulled up to the place barely getting Jane into park before I jumped out and ran up the steps, cursing myself the entire time for losing nearly half a day to stupidity.
When I got to the door I picked the lock again, and walked in. The place was exactly like I left it: boring carpet, crappy TV, and too many smoke alarms. Or, if my hunch was right, just one too many.
Specifically the one on the wall right over the bookcase.
I jumped up, and ripped it down. The top row of books on the shelf disappeared, revealing a metal rod. Wrapping my hand around it I took a deep breath, and pushed. Nothing happened. Then I tried moving it side to side. Still nothing. But when I pulled it towards me the bookcase gave a small click, and swung outwards.
I couldn’t help but hold my breath as I stepped out of Ben Waller’s world, and into
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