Chapter 11

"Now what?" Gloria asked. "Dix, you heard your friend Jack. Are we the only people who know that something horrible has been happening in this city?"

"And why us?" Reisner asked.

"What I don't understand is how they could be so convinced that nothing is wrong," said Beverly. "What's happening around us, is happening around them too…isn't it?"

"What the hell is happening though?" I shook my head and leaned tiredly against the grimy windowpane. I was starting to stiffen up, and quite frankly was beginning to wish they would all leave me alone to rest. The thing is, when I shut my eyes, I saw flames all around me...and a strange man trying to guide me to safety. What had happened to him? Had he burned up in the fire? Very real guilt began to creep up on me.

Minnie, Billy's quiet girlfriend got up from the couch and stretched, yawning. "What are you guys even talking about?" She walked over to the window I was standing near and looked out. "All I see is cars, people, dogs…just like normal. It's really crowded out there. Typical Saturday afternoon." Minnie reached up to touch my forehead. "How many times did you say you fell on your face last night, Dix? Maybe your friend is right, maybe you do need some sleep."

Cheryl was curled up on the couch, fast asleep, and unconcerned. The rest of us looked at each other with confusion. Maybe we are the only ones, I thought.

Gloria was talking to Billy. "Do you still think that fortune teller down in Chinatown…this Lady D of yours can help us try and figure this out?"

"It's worth a try, to go and see her," said Billy with a shrug. "Just don't question her abilities…she's very sensitive about her powers. And help me get by the bouncer because I've been sort of banned from her place for a while."

I shook my head. There was always a catch. Always.

I sighed, and rubbed my head, thinking about the warehouse again. "You all can go without me. I need to go back to the warehouse," I blurted out.

"What?" Doctor Howard was flabbergasted. "First of all, the place is burned down...second of all it's a crime scene-the police said as much."

"Yeah, Dix. The cops were acting squirrely, and you don't need no part of that," said Billy. "Use that brain of yours, man."


Having woken up from her nap, Cheryl marched over to Billy Reisner. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "Let me know when you're free again, Billy, but your friends are no fun." She waved to her friend. "Come on Minnie, let's make tracks."

Minnie turned and blew me a kiss. "Bye, Dix. See you around," she said with a wink before they slipped out into the hallway. "Give me a ring when you're feeling better and want to go dancing again."

Looking completely irritated, Ms. Howard swished past us. Gathering her belongings, she grabbed her black bag from behind my fridge. "I think I'll be on my way now," she said curtly.

"Where are you going?" I asked. "The fun's just started." Of course, she ignored me coldly, throwing her overcoat under her arm.

"Hey, Doctor, you don't have to leave. Listen, don't mind Dix," said Billy, following her to the door. "Yeah, he's hard to like at first, but he just wears you down, and wears you down…really bleeds your patience dry...until eventually you can't help but love him."

"Gee, thanks for the endorsement, Bill," I said from the couch. I told myself that if she wanted to leave, she could leave, for all I cared. But then I remembered what Redblock had said. She wasn't safe out there in the streets. But it wasn't my style to beg her to stay.

"Why should I stay?" she said, directing her question to Billy.

"Well…we were going to go and see Lady D. Don't you want to come with?" Just to add some flair, he gestured dramatically with the bandaged hand Felix Leech had stomped on a few days earlier.

"No offense, Billy, but I seriously doubt that a professed psychic is going to be able to give us any answers. Good luck though," she added to us over her shoulder.

"Wait! Don't leave until you hear me out," I called out to her, finally getting off my rear and jumping up from the couch. She stopped with her hand on the doorknob and turned slowly to stare at me expectantly.

"You said you wanted to know what happened to me," I reminded her. I could see the wheels turning in her head. "And I promised I would tell you."

"Fine. I suppose a few more minutes can't hurt," she said and reluctantly returned to sit down at the dining room table with Gloria who patted her on the hand.

"It was Redblock," I admitted. "Redblock and Leech brought me to that abandoned warehouse. Anyway, after spending some quality time with them, they realized I wouldn't give them any information and they set fire to the warehouse and left me there to roast. How I escaped…well that you wouldn't believe."

In truth, I wasn't quite sure if the man with the pale skin and gold and black pajamas who had helped me escape had been the result of a hallucination. So I wasn't ready to tell them—yet.

Billy swore under his breath. "Geez, Dix..."

"I'd guessed as much," Gloria murmured.

Beverly Howard was horrified. "And you wanted to go back there? Those animals could be waiting to attack you again...Dixon, you have to go to the police!"

It wasn't lost on me that she had finally used my first name. "Sorry, Doctor," I said. "But you saw the police in action and they already told me I'm a potential suspect in the warehouse fire. The only thing they'll want to hear from me is a confession. Besides, just about everyone in this town is in Cyrus Redblock's back pocket." Even good old Jack.

Reisner lit another cigarette. "Did Redblock say anything about me?" he mumbled nervously, the cigarette bobbing up and down.

"No, he didn't mention you or the money you owe him, so don't worry. And quit stealing my smokes," I added and snatched the rest of the pack away from him.

Ms. Howard adjusted her bag in her lap impatiently. "What did Redblock want?"

"Well for starters he wanted to know the same thing we do: why people have been disappearing around town."

"So Redblock isn't behind this? Usually, when someone goes missing he's suspect number one," Billy said.

"Maybe he has competition," I said. "Someone new in town. I read in the paper that one of his old associates, Mort Adelman went missing out of the blue. His sister Mrs. Feinberg wanted me to track him down, and she thought Redblock was responsible. In fact, I was supposed to meet with her yesterday before I was put in the army clink."

"The Mayor was just cleared of corruption charges," Beverly said. "And you said he came to visit you in detention. As you just said, the whole town is in Redblock's pocket, which means the Mayor too, correct?" She didn't mention what I'd told her back at the base about the Mayor and his magic trick with my fedora. But I knew we were thinking the same thing.

I shrugged. "I think the two are connected, but something about the way Redblock was acting-I think he suspects he might be disappearing next. If you ask me, I bet he thinks it's the South American Kid behind the disappearances."

"The Kid?" Gloria laughed.

"That is ridiculous," Beverly Howard agreed with her. I eyed her. She knew plenty that she was choosing not to say. What was she hiding?

I turned to Gloria. "Why? If you ask me, both of you know a lot more than you're willing to tell about this Kid fellow. He's obviously got Redblock worried, which is no small thing."

"Mr. Hill...you have no idea what you're talking about," said Beverly.

"Oh yeah, Doctor? Well, have you got the answers I need?" I locked eyes with her, but to my frustration, she turned and walked away on those high heels.

I glared up at the ceiling for a few moments, trying to cool my jets. Finally, a thought occurred to me. "Hey Gloria, can you get me a meeting with the Kid?"

Gloria frowned. "Oh I don't know Dix…he's a busy man. But I'll see if he's interested. Can I use your telephone?"

"Be my guest," I waved her toward the kitchen.

"May I use your bathroom, Mr. Hill?" Beverly Howard had wandered over again and had a distantly cool expression on her face. I tried to mirror it, but it didn't work. I wanted her to like me too much.

"Sure thing," I said. "I'll show you the way."

She almost left her black bag but turned back to pick it up before following me.

"Do you bring that thing everywhere you go?" I asked her, stopping at the bathroom. I opened the door and leaned on it with my forearm, awaiting her answer.

She walked by me ducking underneath my arm. "Are you going to lurk outside until I answer your question, Mr. Hill?"

"Do you really think I'm that much of a sleaze?" I asked, trying to sound hurt—but I wasn't. I'd been accused of worse.

She didn't answer, but her smile spoke volumes as she carefully shut the door in my face.


When she joined me and Gloria and Billy in the foyer again, she indicated again her desire to go her own way. Still, I didn't like the idea and wondered if I was going to have to tell her everything. I reached out, and she jerked as I put my hand on her forearm. "Please just stick with us for today at least," I said in a low voice.

"Why?" she demanded, studying my face.

"Redblock is after you," I said, turning my back to the others.

"What? You're just mentioning this now? I don't believe you," she declared. She tried to shove past me, but I put my arms up, hoping she would take pity on an injured man.

"He knows you're working with the Kid. He doesn't like people who help his competition."

She breezed past me successfully this time. "Don't think I don't know what your true intentions are, Mr. Hill. Not that you've ever tried to hide them. I think you're just trying to keep an eye on me."

"You're damn right I'm trying to keep an eye on you! I'm trying to keep you safe, Doctor."

"You can't even keep yourself safe, Mr. Hill! Goodbye." She stormed out of my place without another word.

Gloria and Billy stared at me in sympathetic silence. Eventually, Bill Reisner spoke up, lifting his trumpet case in the air for emphasis. "So, anyone for some music? I know a little place…."


After running down the stairs of my deserted apartment building I saw Ms. Howard storming down the sidewalk. She was headed in the same general direction Billy had planned to take us, so we followed her.

I rushed like an idiot to keep up with her quick steps. Even in heels, she outpaced me on the pavement. "Why didn't you say you were on the run from the feds? What kind of top secret game are you playing, Doctor Howard?" I demanded. I tried to grab her arm, but she twisted her body away from me.

"Don't touch me, Mr. Hill," she snapped.

"Don't touch you? You're the one who kissed me back there. What was that all about anyway?"

"It was your game, Mr. Hill, I was just playing along," she said, barely turning her head in my direction. "Besides you gave me a surprise kiss back at the base- that I certainly didn't ask for. Fair is fair, but don't expect a repeat performance." She put on an almost inhuman burst of speed, but I started after her.

"Dixon, Dixon…." Gloria was grabbing my arm, to slow me down. "Let her go. We don't have time for romance. We need to figure out what's happening and make it right."

"You call that romance?" I said waving after the departing Ms. Howard. "Not in this lifetime," I said. "Come on," I said turning to Billy. "Let's go see your fortuneteller."


We were halfway to Lady D's club when we heard running footsteps behind us. To everyone's surprise, it was Dr. Howard, and she was out of breath. Instinctively I put my hand behind my back and gripped the handle of my gun lightly with two fingers. I looked behind her but could see no one on her trail. Recalling how she had treated me recently, I kept my lip zipped, waiting for her to speak first. She leaned over and fought to catch her breath.

"A—a fat man in a black Packard just drove by me slowly. He pointed a gun in my direction and pretended to shoot at me. Then he just laughed and drove away." She shook her head and straightened her clothes, attempting to compose herself. I watched her closely but didn't say anything. She was visibly shaken, and it bothered me that I cared.

"That was Redblock alright," Gloria confirmed.

"Fat man in a Packard with a gun…yeah, safe bet," Billy said, exhaling a big puff of smoke.

Gloria put her arm around Beverly's waist. "Come on honey," she said protectively. "Stick with us." Beverly, still shaken, glanced over at me, and I looked at her, but we didn't speak. What was there to say?


Chinatown

"Lady D's" I said reading the blinking neon sign out loud. There was a line at the door, and I could hear a jazz band warming up inside. "Have I ever been in here?"

"Not while sober, Dix," Billy said, clapping me on the back and then shoved me toward the door. Above our heads swung a metal sign that said: "Under New Management".

"'Palm Reading 10¢… Mind Reading $10," Beverly Howard read from the frosted glass door in front of her. "'Accuracy 80% guaranteed. No money back. Two drink Minimum.'"

"Hmm…is that supposed to be a deal?" Gloria muttered.

"Okay," Billy said, who'd been ignoring everyone. He took one last drag before dropping his cigarette on the pavement. "That's our only problem, right there," he said pointing toward the door. "All 600 pounds of him."

Six hundred pounds was an exaggeration, but the bouncer was still good sized. And, I realized it was the same big guy from the docks—still wearing his winter hat. I laughed. "Are you kidding? That guy's a pussycat."

"Yeah, yeah, he's a wimp for sure," Billy said uneasily. "But I'm banned. I guess Lady D's tired of me coming around, trying to vie for her affections."

"Enough stalling," Gloria said. "I know this guy, he's one of the Kid's crew." She walked forward into line. Within a few minutes, we were at the door looking up at the angry looking bouncer.

"Well, if it isn't Gloria from Cleveland," he grumbled. "The Kid was expecting you last night."

"I had some business to take care of," she said. "Besides I just talked to Georgy over the phone. The Kid will understand." She nodded past him into the boisterous club. "We need to see the Lady."

The big guy nodded. "You are welcome of course…." He watched us all as we filed past him, but suddenly stiff-armed Billy right in the chest. "Not you!"

"Hey," I said, grabbing the bouncer's large forearm. He glared down at me wordlessly. "We've got business with Lady D. All of us."

He broke into a slow smile. "Fine. I will allow you in. Once she sees Reisner is here she will ask me to throw him out on the curb. Which I will enjoy."

I shrugged and waved at Billy to follow us in. Billy put his arm around my shoulders. "I owe you another one, Dix," he said.

"Anytime," I replied.


Thanks, everyone, for reading and following this story. -PP