Monster - A. Lee Martinez [60]
“And what’s your relationship with Miss Hines, again?” asked the detective.
“Friends,” said Monster.
“And why were you visiting at her sister’s house?”
“Because of the gaborchends,” said Monster.
“Yes, the gaborchends,” said the cop. “The gaborchends Judy Hines was somehow responsible for.”
“Somehow,” agreed Monster. “I know that it doesn’t make sense, but I’ve got a bag full of transmogrified goat cryptos to prove that I’m not making that up.”
“Mmm-hmm,” said York.
“I’ve got witnesses. Those two people at the Oak Pines apartments. One’s an angel, so she should be trustworthy. And my assistant, Chester.”
“Yes, we’ll look into that,” said the detective noncommitally. “By the way, the clerks in Otherworld Immigration tell me they’re having trouble locating the gnome’s nonresident work permit.”
“I have a copy at home. In my sock drawer.”
“Not my department,” said York. “You’ll have to take it up with them. Have you ever seen the persons who abducted Judy Hines before?”
“No.”
“And they said their names were Ed and Ferdinand.”
“Yes.”
“Did Miss Hines seem to know them?”
“No.”
Detective York clicked his tongue against his teeth as he read the report again.
“Okay, Mr. Dionysus. I’m going to need you to look at some mug shots, maybe get with a sketch artist.”
“Whatever. Can we just hurry this up? I’d really like to get home.”
York fixed him with a quiet stare. “I take it you aren’t worried about Miss Hines then.”
Monster said, “It’s not like we were close friends. More like casual acquaintances. Honestly, I didn’t even like her.”
York took out his pen and wrote something on the report.
“What are you writing?” said Monster.
“Oh, nothing important.”
York clicked his pen several times, then scribbled something else. He pushed his chair away from the table and exited.
When he was halfway out the door, Monster blurted, “I never said I wanted her hurt. She’s not a bad person. We just don’t get along.”
“It won’t be much longer, Mr. Dionysus.” York closed the door, and Monster heard his clicking pen all the way down the hall.
Monster glanced around the small room. The cheap table and uncomfortable chairs, the bars on the tiny windows, the large mirror along one wall. This was an interrogation room.
“Oh, hell.”
He closed his eyes and wished he could just stay invisible permanently.
The door opened. It wasn’t Detective York coming to arrest him, much to Monster’s surprise. It was another cop with a couple of thick mug shot books. She dropped them on the table and they landed with a thud.
“All these?” he asked.
“That’s what the detective said.”
“Can I at least get some coffee or something?” he asked. “I’m not used to being awake right now. I work nights.”
She passed an indifferent glance over him, not bothering to look him in the eye. “I’ll check back in about an hour.”
As she was leaving, Chester stepped inside the room. “They wanted me to take a look at some mug shots.”
She jerked her thumb toward the table and exited. There was an extra click when she shut the door, as if maybe she’d locked it. He slid one of the books across the table as Chester took a seat.
“How’s it going, boss?” he asked.
“Not too good,” said Monster. “I think I just incriminated myself.” He imagined Detective York sitting behind the glass. Monster tried not to look at the mirror. “Even though I’m completely innocent. It’s not against the law to not get along with someone, is it?”
They passed the next twenty minutes flipping through the books. Monster closed his with a slam.
“Well, that was a waste of time. Did you spot them in your book?”
“Sorry.”
Monster slumped forward, putting his head on the table. “Now they’ll definitely think I had something to do with it.”
“You can’t blame them for being suspicious,” said Chester.
“Sure, I can.” Monster stood and put his hands up to the glass. “Are we done here? Can I go home yet?”
“It might not be a great idea to antagonize the cops,” said Chester.
Monster was too tired to care.
“Why do you think those women abducted her?” asked