“Start with the obvious, what is on the desk?” Tony asked.<\/p>\n
I stared at the neat stacks standing perimeter around the blotter. “You know, this would be a whole lot easier if I was able to use both hands.”<\/p>\n
“True, but then I would miss out on your running commentary.\u00a0 So… please be descriptive.”<\/p>\n
“Fine, fine.” I sighed.\u00a0 I started reading off what I was seeing. “There are three folders in a pile to the right, there are two more to the left. There are a couple of stacks of miscellaneous papers around the blotter.”<\/p>\n
“Go left first, those are cases that are closed.” Tony said.<\/p>\n
“Top one, some numbers at the top, Ramsey vs Authority underneath.”<\/p>\n
“Skip it.”<\/p>\n
“Bottom one, random numbers, Viridian vs OKI.”<\/p>\n
“Skip that one too.\u00a0 Both of those were low stakes, minor cases.\u00a0 What about the upcoming pile?”<\/p>\n
“Read the tabs?\u00a0 Top to bottom?” I asked.<\/p>\n
“Go ahead.”<\/p>\n
“PrimEstates vs Authority; V. Hale; and Miles vs Takai.”<\/p>\n
“The last one I know about, seemed to be minor, I am surprised it is still open. The top ones must have usurped their order. Put those on the blotter…\u00a0 What about the stacks of paper above the blotter?”<\/p>\n
“Hmmm.\u00a0 Two stacks.\u00a0 The first stack looks like bills.\u00a0 Seriously?”<\/p>\n
“Yes, still accounts payable and receivable off prime.”<\/p>\n
“Now that is just plain retarded.”\u00a0 I shook my head. “Everything is different, but it all stays the same.”<\/p>\n
“Hey kid, I am a thousand or so subjective years older than you, and I still think the same thing.\u00a0 So no surprise there.”<\/p>\n
“The other pile is two notes.\u00a0 The first is…” I picked it up and read it aloud. “Contact Charles Markoff, need signature for PrimEstates.\u00a0 The other is symbol of a angel?\u00a0 A black angel shape, kind of like six arm cross surrounded by a large circle.\u00a0 Looks like a simplified Da Vinci; Study of Man sketch-thingy.”<\/p>\n
“That odd.\u00a0 That is the Angelus mark.\u00a0 Is it printed on the paper?”<\/p>\n
“No.\u00a0 Looks drawn in, with a pen or something.”<\/p>\n
“Really?”\u00a0 Tony said with some surprise.<\/p>\n
“Really.\u00a0 It is definitely drawn by hand, I can see the pen strokes.\u00a0 The circle looks uneven too.”<\/p>\n
“Huh.\u00a0 Anything else?”<\/p>\n
“No, that is it.”<\/p>\n
“No it isn’t.”\u00a0 Tony said smugly. “Lift the blotter.”<\/p>\n
I pulled the edge of the blotter up and saw the edge of a scrap of torn paper.\u00a0 “There is a torn paper here, like the corner of a bigger page.\u00a0 How did you know?”<\/p>\n
Tony’s voice ignored me. “Any writing on it?””<\/p>\n
“Yes, scribbles almost.\u00a0 Like a shaky hand was writing it.” I said.<\/p>\n
“Or a drunk hand.\u00a0 You said I was acting like I was drunk right?”<\/p>\n
“Yeah, sloshed. Out of a little flask thing.”<\/p>\n
“The flask still there?” Tony asked oddly.<\/p>\n
I pulled the chair out, and saw the flask laying on the ground under the shadow of the drawer.\u00a0 “Yep.\u00a0 I am not picking it up.\u00a0 This is all freaking me out a little.”<\/p>\n
“Back to the scrap. The writing?\u00a0 Can you make it out?”<\/p>\n
“Chil…Chill?\u00a0 Child?\u00a0 Child.\u00a0 Of?\u00a0 The.\u00a0 I can’t make the last word out.\u00a0 Almost looks like Los Angeles?\u00a0 LA?”<\/p>\n
“Child of the Los Angeles?”<\/p>\n
I flipped the paper over. “Hold on, more writing on the other side.\u00a0 Block writing… not the same. R-E-0-5-0-4. All caps.”<\/p>\n
“Wish I could see what you are seeing.” Tony said. “For now, just hold on to the scrap.”<\/p>\n
“How did you know about the paper under the blotter, Tony?” I asked a bit more assertively.<\/p>\n
“That is where I stick things I am worried about.\u00a0 Out of sight, but not out of mind.\u00a0 It is a sorting method I use… I used.”<\/p>\n
“What now?”<\/p>\n
“We start working the cases.\u00a0 Time to get your feet wet, son.\u00a0 Have a seat and start reading the two you laid on the blotter.”<\/p>\n
I started reading the cases as best I could, but the gun kept looking at me.\u00a0 The flickering of the bullets was distracting, and it kept drawing my eye.\u00a0 I pulled my sleeve up to cover my hand and slid it gently into the center pen drawer.\u00a0 Out of site, and hopefully out of mind.\u00a0 Then I picked up the briefs and tried my hand at objective reading.\u00a0 While some of it made absolutely no sense, that content seemed small in comparison to what I thought I grasped.\u00a0 The briefs read like technical documentation describing people and events in relatively concise terms… they were not overly laden with confusing legalese.<\/p>\n
When I was done, I dropped them both with a heavy sigh.\u00a0 I ‘understood’ the two cases from a topical point of view, but I didn’t see how they mattered to anything regarding the death of my little companion’s owner sitting in the map, waiting for me to come back.\u00a0 I was about to pick up the map when there was knock at my door.\u00a0 I stood warily and walked as quietly as I could over to the door.\u00a0 I took a deep breath and pulled it open.<\/p>\n
Framed by the doorway was one of the most beautiful men I have ever seen in my life.\u00a0\u00a0 I thought I could kiss the guy, and I was straight in my past life.\u00a0 He was that handsome.\u00a0 Alluring.\u00a0 Downright exuding sexual tension.<\/p>\n
“Who are you?” He asked.\u00a0 His voice was velvety smooth scotch caressing my consciousness.<\/p>\n
“Doug.” I said stiffly. The guy just smirked.<\/p>\n
“Nice to meet you Doug.\u00a0 About time Anthony got himself an assistant.\u00a0 When will he be back?”<\/p>\n
“Oh… not for a while.\u00a0 Something I can help you with… Mr…” I led.<\/p>\n
“No need for Mr or Mrs here, Doug.\u00a0 My name is Oman.\u00a0 Pleasure to make your acquaintance.\u00a0 Can you do me a favor and have him contact me when he gets back?\u00a0 He owes me a call.”<\/p>\n
“Yes, of course, O… Oman.”<\/p>\n
“Tell him that I most interested in his thoughts on my problem.”<\/p>\n
“What case is this related to?” I asked curiously.<\/p>\n
“No case.\u00a0 Just a separate inquiry. A private matter.” He smiled, like a patient father.\u00a0 It did something odd to his face though, he lost some of the pure lust inducing power he was radiating before.\u00a0 He looked more paternal.\u00a0 I could feel the pressure of his presence change.\u00a0 It wasn’t lost on me… so I reacted.<\/p>\n
“Stop it.”\u00a0 I said.<\/p>\n
“Stop what?” He said penitently.<\/p>\n
“Stop that.\u00a0 First the sex symbol thing, and now the father thing.”<\/p>\n
“Ah ha.” He smiled widely. “You are an Adjudicator.\u00a0 That means… Anthony is no longer with us, is he?”<\/p>\n
“I don’t know what you mean.”\u00a0 I lied.<\/p>\n
“And you can lie without fear to me.\u00a0 Definitely an Adjudicator.\u00a0 In that case, a reintroduction is in order.” He flourished a deep bow, and I immediately felt all the waves of influence fall away.\u00a0 “I am Oman, Order of the Angelus, Freed and Unbound.”<\/p>\n
He stood back up and while he was still handsome, and some ways, a traditional cut of a mature father figure, he was far more ordinary.\u00a0 Regal, and striking, yes, but not the impossible thing he was before.<\/p>\n
“My name is Doug Gates.”<\/p>\n
“I know, Doug.\u00a0 Your name is on the door.\u00a0 I just wanted to make sure.”<\/p>\n
“Ah. The door.” I slapped my forehead. “It has my name all over it.”<\/p>\n
Oman let a sly grin slip, a bit of teeth revealed. “Yes. Yes, it does.\u00a0 And now you have to assist me.\u00a0 Since that is your job now, Mr. Gates.”<\/p>\n
“Help with what exactly?” I asked.<\/p>\n
“Perhaps I can show you?”<\/p>\n
“Right now?”<\/p>\n
“Right now.”\u00a0 He grabbed my shoulder with barely a hint of movement, and he stepped away before I could even protest or try to grab my map.<\/p>\n
A single word came to mind.<\/p>\n
Shit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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