AMERICAN DETECTIVE JAKE LONG

The Paradise Snare

III

My Dinner Date

I glanced at my watch as I hurried down the busy street, by some twist of faith it seemed the rain god had decided to let up on giving us torrents for an hour. It gave me enough time to pass in my small apartment and change into dry clothes. I had for four o'clock and I definitely didn't want to be late.

It was only 3:54 and I smiled to myself as I pushed open the door to the small Italian restaurant, Familio Festevedro's, the one owned by one of my best friends: Arthur Spudinski, better known as Spud.

I smiled as I saw my friend standing a few feet away, attending to a young giant sitting at a window stall. He was grinning from ear to ear, this seemed to be the place where he was most at home; much better at this occupation than the large business place that his father, a powerful wizard, had been running for fifteen years.

Spud was happier entertaining people, than being a stiff office worker trying to climb his way to the top of the food chain.

My friend caught sight of me and raised his hand in greating.

"Hey Jake!" he shouted, characteristically calling unnecessary attention to us.

I ignored it, when I was around Spud I was simply used to it. He gripped me in an almost bearlike hug, thumping his hands on my back vigorously.

"It's good to see you too Spud," I said, knowing that his strong grip was due to the fact that he hadn't seen me in the last three months. Ever since my breakup with Rose I slowly withdrew from everyone around me. Being around Spud and Trixie, my other best friend, certainly didn't help my feelings at all.

Being around them reminded me of her.

"When I saw your name on the reservations list, I knew that I had to see to you myself," he said proudly, motioning to a small table near the back. It was dimly lit, with two single candles and a red rose within a vase, a small band of pixies dressed in tuxedoes played soft soothing love songs. I pulled my coat of my back and draped it over my chair back.

"I'm waiting for my date now," I said nonchalantly, making my friend grin suspiciously.

"Is it Ellie?" he said happily, he grinned again, "please, please, please say it's Ellie!"

My date opened the door, and waved at me.

Spud's face sunk, it definitely wasn't who he expected, "Haley?" he feigned disbelief, "I seriously don't understand you man, you're totally, like, moving away from me,"

I patted his shoulder reassuringly as I took my seat, "No worries man, it's all good,"

My younger sister gave Spud a kiss on the cheek and took her seat opposite me, she glanced at the lit candles, the rose and the small tuxedoed pixies and winked, "He thought you were on a date date, didn't he?"

Spud cleared his throat, "A drink for you and the lady?"

"Straight Vodka," I said.

"Pixie Colada," said Haley, with another wink at Spud, "with extra pixie,"

Spud nodded curtly and left, like a dog with his tails between his legs. I felt sorry for the guy, his high school sweetheart left him, and even a short tryst with Trixie didn't help at all; especially when that tryst ended with their three year old son Jaden.

"How are you sis?" I said, attempting to distract her from saying what I knew she wanted to say.

She wore a long blue dress, the same one she wore for her high school graduation. It seemed as if my perfect little sister hadn't changed a bit in the past few years, except her pig-tails had disappeared to remain as only a single braid that reached her waist. When she entered her dragon form; the braids transformed into a vine-like appendage with a sharp blade on the end. Something that her mentor had taught her to utilize-even though she was sort of a pacifist.

"I'm okay Jake," she replied, shooing the pixies, she raised her eyebrows, "you do know that you can't distract me from saying what I need to say right?"

I sighed; Haley was a Junior Dragon Detective, and one of the few that had enough intelligence and skill to be a Senior Detective, even at her age. It would have simply been stupid for me to try to avoid her interrogation or integration.

"What do you need to say Hale?"

She touched the tips of her fingers together, "The Commissioner wants you back,"

I blinked, "Haley, it was never about what Gramps wanted," I paused, "I wasn't forced to leave, I chose to leave,"

Haley's face soured, "You know that you're unbearable right?"

I managed a grin, "You've always known that, and I figured that out around the same time that Rose left,"

Haley's face fell at the mention of my ex-girlfriend, it was almost understood that we didn't talk about her. When I needed Rose the most she just left. Some shit about me being broken or what not. I couldn't really careless; all that mattered was that I needed her.

I made for my pack of cigarettes when Haley pointed at the sign above us, a large cigarette within a circle blocked out was evident. Great, Spud was actually being health-conscious.

A dwarf came walking out of the kitchen with our drinks on a tray, he placed them down politely, smiled falsely and walked away.

I drank my vodka down in one quick gulp; Haley shook her head in disapproval as she sipped her Pixie Colada.

"Don't be hating," I muttered beneath my breath, signaling to the dwarf who was attending to another patron of my need for more vodka.

"Jake what's going on with you?" said Haley.

I shook my head, "Nothing Hale, I just don't want you, or Fu, or Brad, or any retard telling me what the hell to do with my life, I'm totally fed up of it,"

Haley was obviously hurt by my words, but I ignored it.

I stood up to leave, throwing the cash for my drink on the table and donning my overcoat, "I'm sorry Haley, but we won't be able to see eye to eye on this, not now, not ever,"

"Jake wait," she said quickly, jumping out of her chair, grabbing onto my jacket's sleeve.

"No," I muttered beneath my breath, a few patrons were staring at us, I ignored them as well as I began walking away, "Tell mom and dad I said hi, and tell Gramps it wasn't his fault, but I won't be back anytime soon," I paused a few feet away, "I'm sorry Haley, but this is where I'm needed,"

I didn't turn back to see her face, but if I did, I would see the slow tears than ran.

Why was I pushing everyone, and everything away? It seemed that no matter what, all I wanted was loneliness.

I pulled out my cell phone and typed a quick text, Meet Me by the Haun Building in 30 minutes to a number I knew by heart.

Goblins were a violent bunch, one of the few that believed that even dragon were subject to them. I had had enough brawls with the violent group to know better than to handle them on my own.

The rains started again, and I sighed as I climbed into my car. It was going to be a rainy night, and Mr. Godfree was smart to have said that my next lead would be with the Goblins. Simply the fact that it was them should have dissuaded me.

Between you and me, I couldn't give a shit.