Out of the Black - Lee Doty [31]
"With all the gunplay, I didn't catch your name." He whispered.
"Ralonde Jackson, but everyone calls me Rae. I'd like to say 'nice to meetcha', but it ain't."
Ping nodded. "I know what you mean."
Ahmed's head bobbed with the music, eyes closed now, colors and shadows washed across him. Rae's eyes moved nervously from door to windows. Windows? They were on the fourteenth floor... what was she looking for out there? Some of the surrounding buildings were high enough to allow snipers to target the windows, but the apartment's privacy glass was on full opaque so they were invisible from outside.
"Just when you think things couldn't possibly get weirder..." Ping whispered, gesturing to Ahmed's microboogie. He got one soft "ha!" in response.
Still grooving with the music, Ahmed turned around. "Hey, aren't those your keys?" He pointed to the bowl of antique keys on the coffee table.
"Oh!" Ping said, moving to the coffee table. He picked up the set of keys on the top... sure enough! He didn't remember setting them down... or getting them out of his pocket for that matter. It was going to be a long day. He pocketed the old metal keys and rejoined the others at the computer desk.
"So where's this amazing evidence?"
Rae's face was unreadable. Ahmed looked nervous but determined. "We can't show you yet, detective Bannon. Time is too short and it isn't safe here... or really anywhere."
"So what was with the music then?"
"We'll have to show you later- and you've got that thing to do." He turned to Rae. "Grab some of my clothes... enough for both of us. We won't be able to stop at your place. I've got to download some stuff and get some spare equipment."
"I'll need to get out of the work clothes too." She moved back toward the bedroom.
"Yeah, but bring them, you never know when they'll come in handy."
"Hold on just a minute here..." Ping held out an uncertain hand. Somewhere here he'd lost control of the situation.
"Oh, that's right detective, don't forget Rae's gun."
"Right," Ping said, handing over the weapon. "But that's not what I meant..."
"You need to get moving, detective. Don't forget that thing, you know... it's pretty important. You're barking up the wrong tree here, the guy you're going to want to talk to is..." Ahmed put a conspiratorial hand on Ping's shoulder as Rae disappeared into the back of the apartment. "Sparky." He looked around to make sure they were alone before continuing. "He's going to be in the school library tonight at nine o'clock, fourth floor, in the psychology section. Keep that a secret." He clapped Ping on the shoulder and turned away.
"Don't leave town." Ping said with an authority he didn't feel. "We're not done here."
Ping walked to the door and fumbled for his keys. It was really detrimental to his tough cop exit that he couldn't get the door open right away.
"You only need those from the outside." Ahmed said.
Ping looked at the old metal keys he had been trying to fit into the smooth surface of the doorknob. "Yeah."
"...of your house." Ahmed finished with a solemn nod.
Living Dead
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death.
Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow;
a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
and then is heard no more:
-William Shakespeare, Macbeth
Before her, ashes.
Anne's eyes were locked on her plate, but all she could see was just how pointless her life would be. Chattering others surrounded her at the portable table. Though she loved them all to varying degrees, she couldn't raise her eyes to look at them. If she did, they might look back, might see her, might realize.
She wanted to cryto run away, but what she wanted most was to hide. Her fork and lips still moved in the elaborate dance of dinnertime camouflage. How much longer could this last?
"Hey Anne, why so glum?" Her cousin Jamie asked from across the table.
"Mm." She said, nodding. She hated the frilly dress she wore... he'd probably noticed that first and felt compelled to start a pity conversation-