Chapter 21
"I don't like this, Clary," Magnus said, looking out of the window of his office. His office overlooked Pandemonium's main room and stage. Magnus designed it that way so he could always see what was going on in his club. He had cameras in the back rooms where private lap dances were given. He knew everyone and everything: he was the overlord, the master of Pandemonium.
Which explains why he was so upset about me taking control.
I joined him at the window, surveying my work. Members from the Shadowhunter's private security firm milled about the floor, taking advantage of the generous gift from Hodge Starkweather. When I found the card on Hodge's desk, I knew it was the same security firm he hired to undermine the investigation and potentially hide evidence from Luke. I called Luke immediately after I found the card.
"Well I could give them call, although I'm not sure that will do any good," Luke had told me. "They won't tell me anything to protect their client. And since a judge won't approve a warrant, there's no way I can apprehend whatever it is they may have found."
I mentioned to Luke my growing distrust of Hodge, while avoiding the details about Raphael. I wondered if Jace's secret was pertinent to our case. But I decided against it. I didn't feel like it was my secret to tell. Plus, Jace was just coming to terms with what happened. It wouldn't be right to force him into the spotlight.
Luke told me that I shouldn't worry myself about the case, but that he'd look into Hodge. While I believed he'd do everything in his power to investigate Hodge, I also knew the limitations of the law. But something Luke had said struck a chord.
"These kinds of men aren't likely to talk to the police."
Sure scrupulous men didn't talk to the police, but they sure as hell couldn't shut up when they were talking to strippers.
And thus, my plan was born.
I sent a 'thank you' note to the Shadowhunter's agency from Hodge offering Raziel and his team a discount at Pandemonium for tonight. I had one of my drivers take me to the agency so I could make sure they got the message. And to no one's surprise, the security team was currently taking advantage of discount drinks and lap dances. I convinced Magnus it would help out my case. I was surprised that he caved. I think he was harbouring some unresolved guilt from putting me in danger. I should have assured him that he wasn't to blame, but instead I took advantage of the situation.
I tried not to think that doing so made me a bad person. I wasn't like Valentine. I didn't use people—take advantage of their vulnerability. I would eventually tell Magnus he shouldn't feel responsible. Everything would be fine then.
I glanced around the club for Maia. I didn't trust anyone else to complete the next stage of this mission except her. Her job was to get one of the men alone and get him to spill about what they were doing at the Institute. I would've done it myself, but I was afraid of getting made. Surely these men knew who I was and would probably report back to Hodge that I was asking questions.
"How do you suppose Maia is going to get the information from a professional?" Magnus asked.
"You and I both know the fragility of men's egos. Guys who came here will practically admit anything if they think it'll get them a minute longer with us," I said.
It was true. Men were clumsy with their secrets. I once had a guy admit to me that he was a senator right before he offered me a bump. Another man let it slip that he was a high-ranking member of an elite security detail and that he could get me a meeting with his client. Powerful men wanted to brag about their accomplishments, and since our business traded in secrets, they let their guard down around us.
"I just hope she knows what she's doing," Magnus said. As much as he'd deny it if asked, he was worried. Magnus cared about his girls. He felt responsible for our wellbeing. Guilt blossomed inside of me. This was my chance to alleviate his guilt. Instead, I focused on finding Maia.
When I asked Maia to help me, she seemed thrilled to be playing spy. She'd take any opportunity to take advantage of a man. She never talked about her past, but I had a feeling that, like me, she had a deep distrust of men. Although unlike me, she constantly put herself in situations where she could rectify her past. I avoided men. She sought them out, luring them in with false smiles and batted lashes. She always found a way to make them feel small and insignificant—how men used to make her feel.
It wasn't until she met Bat that her tyrannical reign as a black widow ended. He was the first man that she could trust, that made her feel sane. No matter how much she pushed him or let her trust issues take over, he was always patient.
"She's got one," I said, watching as Maia towards the back room, and a man followed like a moth to a flame. I resisted the urge to follow as well. I wanted to be in this investigation. It killed me standing on the sidelines.
"So what's your man doing tonight?" Magnus asked. I glanced over at him. He was standing by the bar globe pouring amber liquid into a crystal glass. I hadn't told Magnus about my relationship with Jace.
"What are you talking about," I asked, crossing my arms. I reluctantly pulled myself from the window and joined Magnus for a drink.
"Please, child. I saw how you acted the last time you brought that golden dollop here. Plus, you keep checking your phone," he said, bringing the drink to his lips. He cocked an eyebrow, daring me to argue.
"What of him?" I sighed in resignation. With Magnus it was always better just to answer his questions. He would either catch you in a lie or wear you down until you tell him.
"So are you two are a bit of a thing?" Magnus asked, his face breaking into his famous Cheshire grin.
"We're...I'm not sure what we are," I admitted.
"Have you talked to him about it?"
I didn't have much chance to talk to Jace about my revelation in the coffee shop this morning. After leaving Hodge's office with my newfound plan to get information from the private security firm, I got a phone call from Jace. I hadn't planned on telling him what I was doing at first.
"Hey, remember how you thought it was odd that Hodge didn't tell me that Raphael was recovering? Well I didn't think too much of it. But just before I went to class, I asked Hodge about Raphael's condition, and he straight up lied to me saying the doctors' weren't optimistic. I didn't tell him what I knew, but I went back to the hospital to confirm what we found out last night. And they told me the same thing we learned—that Raphael was doing better and expected to wake up permanently soon." Jace's words rushed out of him. I wondered if it had anything to do with the adrenaline pumping through his veins from visiting the hospital again.
"Why wouldn't Hodge want you to know about this?" I asked. My unease regarding Hodge was exasperated.
"I'm not sure..." he trailed off. I'm sure it wasn't easy for him to suspect a man he knew most of his life.
"I found a file in Hodge's office with your name on it the other day, and when I went today to check out what it was gone. Do you think it could have anything to do with the case?" I asked.
"I mean, I guess. He's my lawyer—he probably has multiple confidential documents regarding me. He's being paid to look out for my best interests." Jace responded.
Luke had echoed that same sentiment earlier. Even if that file I found had nothing to do with the case, I was still suspicious of Hodge. He could very well be undermining the case to make Jace appear innocent. But why? It's not as if Jace had orchestrated the attempted assassination. He was a victim in this just as much as I was. I had to find out what Hodge was hiding.
"Hodge hired a private security team to sweep the Institute," I said.
"What? Did he find anything?"
"I'm not sure. Luke—Detective Garroway—wasn't privy to the results."
"I thought he'd be working with the NYPD to help solve this."
"Maybe those aren't his intentions," I said softly.
"I could ask him if the security team found anything," Jace suggested.
"Do you think he'd tell you the truth?"
Jace was quiet. He was probably thinking what I was thinking. If Hodge lied about Raphael what else would he lie about?
"So we have no way of knowing if my place was bugged?" Jace asked. My heart trilled at the use of 'we.' I loved to think we were in this together—even though 'this' was an attempted murder investigation.
"Well...I sort of have a plan."
After I told him about it, I couldn't tell if he thought I was crazy or a genius—maybe a combination of both. But he supported it nonetheless, saying that we should open up a detective agency afterwards. We decided to push our plans to the next night, considering I wanted to stay at Pandemonium to get the info from Maia, and I wasn't sure how long that'd take. Jace wanted to come and meet me at Pandemonium, but we ended up agreeing it was too risky to involve him. If Hodge, or worse, Maryse got wind of his whereabouts, the whole operation could go under.
It sucked because I was looking forward to seeing Jace tonight—and not just because his lips were so damn kissable. I wanted to broach the subject of us: find out where he was and if our relationship could be anything more than a product bonding over shared trauma.
But the case came first. It seemed that all my life, love was just out of reach. There was always something more important, more pressing that needed my attention. Or love was snatched out from under me like a trap door at a cheap magic show.
I swirled the amber liquid in my glass. The movement of color reminded me of my mother—her dancing in the apartment, tawny hair chasing her shoulders. I set the drink down. I didn't want to think of the love I once had.
"No, I haven't," I said, answering Magnus's question.
But I didn't need to respond. Magnus already knew my answer. I could tell he wanted to say something, but I didn't give him the chance. I walked out of his office, not entirely sure where I was headed. I couldn't walk the floor in case I got recognized. Maia wasn't finished getting information. I found myself standing in the alley next to Pandemonium breathing in the night air. I leaned against the brick wall and closed my eyes, desperate to push down the hopeless feelings that swelled with the reminder of my mother. I wished more than anything I could talk to her about my feelings for Jace. What would she say if she were here? Would she echo Simon's earlier statements that Jace wasn't good for me or would she emulate a Disney princess matriarch and tell me to follow my heart?
The sound of clanging metal startled me out of my reverie. I glanced around. The lip of the alley seemed so far away. Was it darker than normal too? I glanced at the light above the side door to Pandemonium. It flickered, weakly giving out life until it fizzled into darkness. A chill ran through me. I felt an overwhelming compulsion to head back inside. When I tried the door, I found it was locked. I banged against the metal, knowing it was futile. There was a hallway that separated the girls' dressing room from this exit. And on top of that, the girls' usually blasted music while getting ready. I'd have to go around through the front door. Hopefully I could sneak in without being noticed by anyone.
Suddenly, a hand clamped around my mouth stopping my scream from reaching fruition. I forced my elbow backwards, catching my attacker in the abdomen. I heard a grunt and felt the arm around me slacken. I used this opportunity to turn around. It was just in time to see the flash of the knife coming towards me. I blocked the jab with my arm. I saw the blood before I felt the pain.
Block. Shove away. Use elbow. Thrust upward. Run away.
My self-defence instructor's words rang through my mind matching the pounding of heart. I managed to drive the palm of my hand into my attacker's face. He dropped the knife as his hands covered his nose. I used this opportunity to run. My legs pounded against the concrete, until I felt arms wrap around my waist. I was lifted in the air. I thrashed, flailing my extremities, all rational thoughts and techniques were forgotten. I let out a scream, only to again be muffled by the man's hands. I bit down. Hard.
He partially let go of me, and I tried to make another run for it. But his grip on me caused both of us to topple over. He landed on top of me. I used my fists like hammers, striking out blindly and erratically. His hands closed around my throat, unrelenting and demanding. Desperation began to overtake me, as the edges of my vision blackened. I clawed at his hands, peeling the skin around his knuckles. The animalistic part of me wanted to fight back, to overcome the pain, to survive. The rational part of me knew it was futile.
I was dying.
And the last thing I would ever see is the dirty, angry face of a man who enjoyed taking my life into his hands. But even that image began to fade as I slowly slipped away. And I forced myself to think of something beautiful. Golden light replaced the dark. I might've smiled at that moment. I couldn't be sure.
The pressure stopped at the same time a smattering of warmth hit my face. The golden light faded, and I felt a deep sense of loss. It was replaced instantly by a combination of relief and pain. Air scraped against my larynx. I opened my eyes to see my attacker slumped over, a bullet between his eyes.
I quickly pushed the assailant off of me and scrambled away from him. It was with a shocking clarity that I recognized the man. It was the same guy who attacked Jace and me in the hotel room. Before I could register what I was seeing, a voice sounded from the distance.
"Clary? Oh my god. Clary!" The pounding in my head subdued everything around me as if I was underwater. One of the girls came running over, cigarette dangling from her fingers. She screamed when she saw the dead man.
"Call Luke," I choked out.
Her flight or fight response took over her compassion. She tossed me her phone and ran back inside screaming. I wasn't surprised. I've been in this business long enough to know that girls that toe the line of legality don't like to stick around crime scenes. I grabbed her phone and swiped to open, smearing blood across the screen. I typed in Luke's number, and I hoped he would answer an unknown number.
"Hello?"
I breathed a ragged sigh of relief, wincing in pain.
"It's Clary." I tried to clear my throat. I flinched again. "Someone attacked me outside of Pandemonium."
"Are you hurt?" He asked, straight to business.
My whole body hurt, but the searing pain in my arm dominated making me think that my knife wound was worse than I thought.
"Yeah," I said.
"I'm already on my way. I'll call the paramedics to meet us. Stay on the line with me until I get there. Can you get inside Pandemonium—somewhere safe?"
"That's the thing—I think I am safe." I quickly explained what happened. "Who do you think shot him?"
"I don't know, Clary. I—"
"Jesus, Clary! What happened?" Magnus ran to me. "Are you hurt? Look at all this blood! That is not coming out of that dress. You're just going to have to throw it out..."
"Hold on, Luke," I said into my phone, as Magnus continued to talk.
"I suppose that doesn't really matter at this juncture. Who did this—oh my god! Is he dead? Shit, this is not good. My clients...They're not going to come back. A police investigation is going to destroy the anonymity this place requires to thrive."
"Magnus," I rasped, waving away his reservations. "Don't worry. Luke is on his way. He'll handle this discreetly." I gave him a pointed look. "Like he did before."
"Right, yes. That delicious hunk of law knows how to work magic. Back to you, mon cheri. What happened?"
My nose wrinkled at the description of Luke. I explained what happened in as few words as possible. My throat ached with every word.
It didn't take long for Luke to show up. He was in an umarked sedan, lights flashing to allow him to speed. He ran from the car, forgetting to close the door. I stood up when I saw him coming and slumped into his embrace. He held me tightly, clutching the back of my head to his chest. The sense of relief and safety overwhelmed me.
Luke only let go when the paramedics arrived. At first I didn't want to go with them. I was five again—my first day of kindergarten. I clutched my mother's bohemian skirt, as she spoke softly how much I'd love going to school. My father sat in the car, honking impatiently. She told me not to be afraid and that she'd never let any harm come to me. And I believed her.
As the paramedics bandaged my arm—they assured me it didn't need stiches but still suggested that I go to the hospital, which I declined—Luke had me run through the events of the night again.
Did he say anything? Did I see who shot him? Did I notice anything out of the ordinary? Was Jace anywhere in the vicinity?
I told him again what I remembered, but I knew it wasn't helpful. I sighed in frustration, absentmindedly rubbing my bruised neck.
"What does this all mean, Luke?" I asked.
"I don't know..."
But I knew he did. Or at least he had his theories. And since he didn't want to share them with me, I could infer they weren't positive. The appearance of the second shooter rocked the boat. Did I have a warped guardian angel looking out for me? Or was that bullet meant for me?
"If you're okay, I'll take you back to the Lightwood Manor," Luke said, finally, looking down at his watch. I was sure he wanted to get back to the station and work on the new developments of this case.
I glanced back at Pandemonium with regret. I wanted to hear what Maia found out about Hodge, but I couldn't risk exposing my plan to Luke. He was overprotective to a fault. I appreciated his concern for me. But if he found out I orchestrated a heist to obtain information from dangerous individuals, he'd be furious. I texted Maia.
something came up. call you later about deets.
The ride home was filled with silence. Luke didn't say much. I could tell he was frustrated. All he wanted to do was protect me, and I kept finding myself inches from death. I caught my reflection in the rear view mirror. A fierce red ring circled my neck. I zipped the NYPD windbreaker Luke lent me. But as soon as I zipped the collar, the fabric tightened around my neck. I gasped and unzipped the jacket. Even the collar around my shirt felt suffocating. Luke glanced over at me. I tried to smile, but it probably came off as a grimace.
We drove to the gates of the Institute. It towered over us, just as unwelcoming as when I first arrived.
"Do you know the code?" Luke asked.
Unfortunately, I didn't. Any time I went past these gates, I was chauffeured. Fortunately, there was an intercom to page the house for when guests showed up. Luke paged the house, stating our names and we were buzzed through. When we got to the front door, I was surprised to see Hodge waiting.
"This can't be good," Luke said, under his breath. I glanced back at Hodge. He certainly didn't look happy. And why was he awake at this hour?
"Have there been any developments in the case, detective?" Hodge asked, as Luke got out of the car. I followed suit. "Clary?" Hodge glanced at me, surprised. "What happened?"
Luke sighed.
"Clary was in an altercation earlier," Luke said. "We're not sure yet if it has anything to do with the case."
"Not sure? Forgive me detective, but the whole premise Jace's involvement in this case is that he was with Clarissa when they got attacked. Now there seems to be overwhelming evidence that Clary is the sole victim of these crimes. I don't see how Jace or his family should be subjected to this investigation any further."
"What are you saying?" I asked before Luke had a chance to respond.
"I wish you all the luck, Clarissa, but I'm afraid we're going to have to distance ourselves from you until this matter gets settled. You're going to need to find a new place to live."
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