A few minutes after Mac had shown me Chester's time of death on his computer screen, I left his office. Mac said to go back to my office and have a good 'lie' down. I knew he thought I was making the whole thing up.
I got into my speeder, and set the auto pilot to the Ritz. As the speeder directed me back to my cheap accommodation, I went through my thoughts. If the person who had hired me was really dead, then who is this guy who needs my services?
My thoughts were interrupted by speeder's voice "Destination Arrived". I clapped my hands once, and the door opened, and I hopped out.
Clap Clap... and the door once again shut. I looked over to the Brew and Stew. Ahhh I can smell Louie's fresh special off the day brewing over there. I decided I need another meal, and headed for the Brew and Stew.
I walked in the door, and immediately I saw a guy sitting in the booth, that was very recognizable!
Crazy Gary Lee! What on Earth is he doing here? He hates meat... doesn't he? I walked over to him, when I noticed he was looking at something. Concentrating extremely hard. On a photograph. He was examining it so hard, he did not even notice I was standing right next to him. I looked at the photograph and to my shock, horror and surprise, it was a photograph of my client!
"Gary?"
"Yes?" he turned his head, "Tex! Long time no see!"
"Yeah, still hanging out behind the hotel?"
"On occasion. Today, I'm here to enjoy Louie's award winning roasted ham."
"Ham? Aren't you..."
"Vegetarian? I was until one day, I came by here and smelled all the wonderful food. I just couldn't resist!"
"Mind if I asked what you're doing there?"
"Oh, I'm using my new found psychic abilities to determine how this man died. I think I've determined how. He was killed you know. By my own hands."
"What?!"
"Yes, Murphy, Pagunda will wreak vengeance on us all!"
"Are you Pagunda?"
"Don't be foolish, I am simply an aide to Pagunda. Here to do his dirty work, now its time for you to 'mysteriously disappear' much like your friend Chester. Don't worry, little old Chelsee won't miss you. Pagunda will send one of his replacements. No one will even know that you're gone."
"Louie! Do something!"
"Sorry, Murph! Can't help ya! You see, Pagunda's already gotten to me too. Don't worry, its not as bad as you might think. Pagunda takes good care of everyone he and his aides kill."
Gary began to approach me.
"Stay away from me!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I awoke, I was breathing harder than I ever had in my life. I was in my bed at the Ritz. I glanced down at my watch. It was July 18, at around 4:00AM. I got out of bed, my heart still pounding. I reached into my coat pockets and found the picture of Chester and Jules. There was also the newspaper clipping about his death. So that part of it wasn't a dream. The last thing I can seem to remember was talking to Malden, he told me Chester had died at 4:30PM, hours before he ran into the Pawnshop. What bugged me more than that, was my dream, and the fact that I can't even remember leaving the police station, at least in the waking world. Something was wrong, it almost made me afraid to go back to sleep. Thankfully, that was still hours off. Right now, I need to start tracking down Jules Franklin and that lost statuette. |
