Chapter Twelve
Manhattan, New York 2006
Peter looked at the figure while the figure folded his arms over his chest and Peter balled his hands into fists. Dressed in leather pants and boots and wearing a leather coat, the figure smiled at Peter and Pete growled, walking closer. Though an inch shorter than he was, the figure grinned up at him when Peter pulled the wig off the figure's head and tosses the wig to the floor.
"It's bad enough that you're stealing my act. You're not stealing my look!" Peter growled softly through grit teeth and the figure smiled at him.
"Who's to say that you're not stealing my look?" the figure growled softly and Peter balled his hands into fists.
"Right," Peter said when he saw Zoltar, Anthony, Frank and Wiktor watching them then Peter looked up at the screen, smiled and snapped his fingers. The figure's eyes widened after the lights went down and his face appeared on the screens. "Didn't know you were being recorder last night, did ya?"
"Where did you get that?" the figure growled through his teeth and Pete smiled, placing his hands behind his back.
"Simple. I'm friends with the bar tender at the Hard Rock and she agreed to video you the next time you came into the bar. Little did I know just how much you'd spill while looking at her tits," Peter said then snapped his fingers and the video started playing.
"Hello, Handsome. What can I get you?" the young woman with long blonde hair asked as she leaned on the bar and the figure smiled at her.
"I'll have a Midori," he said as the bar tender widened her eyes and he smiled at her. "Don't you know what that is?"
"Yeah, but there's only one person around here that drinks it," she said then turned around and lifted up the glass bottle with a green liquid inside. Pouring the Midori into the glass, she slid the glass toward the figure and he smiled, sipping on the green liquid.
"This other person wouldn't happen to be Peter Vincent, would it?" he asked and she leaned on the bar, giving him a blank look.
"It might. Do you know him?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.
"Yeah," he said then looked around like he was looking at someone then leaned closer, nearly going face to face with her. "But, to be honest, he's a rookie compared to me. I mean, shit, if he was so great, how was I able to copy all his tricks? I mean a baby could do half the shit he does!"
"So you're saying that you've been stealing his tricks?" she asked and the figure sipped on the Midori then lifted the glass, saluting her.
"Just like I said, it was stealing candy from a baby!" the figure said when Peter snapped his finger, stopping the video and the lights came up. The figure looked at him then at the others and sweat rolled down his face. The figure backed away when he backed into Zoltar, who had climbed onto the stage behind the figure, and the figure turned around, looking at him.
"Going somewhere?" Zoltar asked as he placed his hands on the figure's shoulders when Gordon Lester appeared in front of the stage and looked up at them.
"Is what we just saw the truth? Did you steal Mister Vincent's tricks?" Gordon Lester asked and the figure glared at them.
"I demand a lawyer!" the figure growled as he tried to get loose then stood straighter and a smile cut his face nearly in half. "No, I demand a showdown! Let him prove that he isn't the one stealing MY tricks!"
Peter felt his heart slamming in his chest as the others looking at him when Gordon Lester titled his head to one side and blinked his eyes a few times.
"Well, Mister Vincent, do you acknowledge the showdown?" he asked and Peter sighed, rolling his eyes.
"Yeah," Peter said while slapping his hands against his thighs and Gordon Lester turned to the others and held up a hand.
"Tonight, you and the audience will witness the showdown between Peter Vincent and…."
"Peter," Cassandra said while gently shaking Peter awake and he fluttered his eyes opened. The dream faded as he looked at her and she held his cell phone in her hand. "It's Detective Kincaide."
Peter sat up as he placed the pillows behind his back then took the cell phone from her and Cassandra snuggled against him.
"What do you want?" Peter asked as he slid his arm around her waist and Cassandra stroked the soft hair on his chest.
"We need you to come down to the precinct," Seamus said.
"Did you get the client lists of the doctor and the lawyer?"
"Yes, and we checked the list from the Garden. But that's not why we need to talk to you."
"Did Jessie find something?" Peter asked while Cassandra felt his skin grow tight and she did little kisses on his chest.
"Yeah, she did. Look, just come to the precinct."
"Sure, and tell your partner that my lawyer will be there as well," Peter said then ended the call and placed the cell phone on the night table.
"Why do you need your lawyer?" Cassandra asked as he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands and sighed.
"Not sure, but I have a feeling that I'm about to get arrested," Peter said then gently pushed her off of him, got up and walked to the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
The doors to the squad room opened while Peter, dressed in his leather pants, leather boots and leather coat and wearing his makeup, wig, side burns, moustache, goatee and eyebrow ring, Cassandra and Duncan Faller walked into the room and Mark and Seamus looked at them. Duncan placed his briefcase on the desk when he looked at Mark and Seamus and Cassandra held onto Peter's arm.
"Good morning," Duncan said.
"Good morning," Mark said.
"Mister Vincent, come here," Seamus said as Peter and Cassandra walked to the dry board and stood next to him. Peter looked at the flyer, the piece of fabric, the wig, the photos of Doctor Andrew Bennett, Henry Altman, Gordon Lester and Zoltar Casmiri and a plastic bag and Peter blinked his eyes a few times.
"What's in there?" Peter asked as he pointed to the plastic bag.
"According to the report, it's a pair of sideburns, a goatee, a mustache and an eyebrow ring," Seamus said and Peter arched an eyebrow.
"Where did it come from?"
"Jessie found the plastic bag shoved into the chest cavity of Zoltar Casmiri's body," Seamus said as Peter looked over at Mark, sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Ah, well," Peter said while escorting Cassandra toward Duncan and gave Mark a blank look. "Did you get the security video from the Garden?"
"Yes," Seamus said with a nod of his head and Peter walked to the desk while Seamus typed on the keyboard. The screen went blank when the video appeared and Peter leaned on the back of the chair, looking at the screen. Zoltar walked down the hallway when he stopped and Peter hit the pause key.
"See that?" Peter asked as he pointed to the large shadow coming out of the floor and Seamus nodded his head. Peter hit the pause button and the video restarted. Zoltar turned to run as D'yar'nath charged at him then jumped into the air, tackling Zoltar to the floor. Peter had wondered why no one heard screaming when he saw D'yar'nath covering Zoltar's mouth and nose with its large, lower right hand and Seamus closed his eyes while D'yar'nath tore into Zoltar. Peter sighed when he watched D'yar'nath stood up then walked to the wall and wrote something on the wall. He watched when D'yar'nath vanished as he hit the pause button and tapped Seamus' on the top of his head. "You can look now,"
"What is that?" Mark asked while pointing to the screen and Peter sighed, rolling his eyes.
"It wrote something on the wall using Zoltar's blood. Didn't you get the photos I took? I told one of those evidence gathering guys to send them to you," Peter said as Mark walked to the desk and typed on the keyboard.
"Found them," Mark said as Peter walked closer and looked at the screen. Mark clicked on the first picture as Peter looked at the writing then snapped his fingers and pointed at the pen on the desk. Mark handed him the pen then some paper and Peter wrote down what was on the screen. Mark clicked on the second photo as Peter wrote down what was on the screen and tapped the pen on the screen. Mark clicked on the last photo as Peter wrote down what was on the screen then stood back, placing his hands on his hips.
"Is that Latin?" Cassandra asked.
"Yeah, Peter said while scratching the bridge of his nose.
"What does it say?" Mark asked.
"It says "Remember Dante's Inferno"," Peter sighed and Mark gave him a confused look.
"And what is Dante's Inferno?"
"Isn't that a poem?" Seamus asked.
"Yeah, but that's not it," Peter said and Duncan walked closer, looking at Mark.
"Look, are you charging my client with something or not? Because all you have is a bunch of circumstantial evidence and none of it will stand up in court."
"He has a point. What judge would in their right mind would believe any of this?" Seamus asked as Mark sighed and Cassandra noticed the look in Peter's eyes.
"Are you ok?" she whispered as Peter sighed and nodded his head.
"Well, if you're not charging him with anything, we're leaving," Duncan said as he picked up the briefcase and headed for the door. Peter took Cassandra's hand when they left the room and Mark growled, looking at the screen.
Madison Square Garden
Anthony, Frank, Stephanie and Wiktor watched while Peter and Cassandra walked closer and Cassandra held Peter to her side.
"Where've you been?" Anthony asked when Peter noticed that most of the other stages were empty and pouted, scratching the back of his head.
"The cops wanted to talk to me about what happened," Peter said.
"Shit, why, do they think you've got something to do with it?" Frank asked.
"Well, they have one of my flyers, a piece of my banner and some other stuff. So, yeah, they think I had something to do with it," Peter said and Wiktor growled, pounding his right fist into his left hand.
"Who is saying such things about you? I will make them sorry," Wiktor said as Peter sighed and shook his head.
"No, enough people are getting hurt because of me," Peter sighed as Cassandra held him and slid her hand around to his bottom, gently stroking his bottom through his leather pants.
"That's bullshit. You haven't done anything," Anthony said and Peter sighed, looking up at the screen.
"But I am connected to all this."
"What are you talking about?" Frank asked.
"Zoltar and Gordon Lester weren't the only guys that was killed," Peter said then told them about Doctor Andrew Bennett and Henry Altman and Cassandra placed her head against his shoulder.
"Shit," Frank sighed, balling his hands on his lap.
"But what is your connection to all this?" Anthony asked.
"Tell me something. Do you guys remember Dante's Inferno?" Peter asked as they widened their eyes and Peter folded his arms over his chest, waiting for his answer.