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Category: Writing and Poetry
Adult Content Warning
The following work of fiction may contain language, violence or themes considered unsuitable for young readers. Parental discretion is advised. (If this story was a film, it would likely pull a PG-13 rating.)
The Witch in Scarlet
A Trick Molloy Mystery
©2009 Michael A. Stackpole
Part Fourteen
Just for a second I wondered if Patterson chose his words to point me in the right direction. Given the way things unfolded, I’m pretty sure he didn't. He probably didn't even anticipate where I'd go. I sure as hell wasn't going to tell him, however. He'd been a fat lot of good so far, and since he seemed to get his rocks off watching the rest of us like rats in a maze, I figured on giving him a show.
***
Harry smiled as he opened the door for Sahara. "Well, well, tired of the boy scout?"
I blew past her and grabbed to handfuls of Harry's shirt. Shock on his face. Then fear. That fear melted into pain as I turned and slammed him against the wall.
"What the hell are you doing, Patrick?" My mother rose from the couch, dramatically casting aside a cup of tea. "Have you gone mad?"
I pulled Harry away from the wall, then slammed him into it again. The pictures on either side of him slid askew. "You get one chance to answer my question, Harry. Lie to me and you'll hurt for the rest of your life. Which won't be long."
"Patrick, you can't do that to your brother!"
"Sahara, she says another word, turn her into a toad."
My mother gasped and shrank back.
Harry collected himself. "What's your question?"
"Where's your copy of Scarlet?"
"What are you talking about?"
The third time he hit the wall plaster cracked. "Where is it?"
"I don't…"
"The elevator shaft is on the other side of this wall. Long drop. Where?"
Harry lifted his chin. "Over there. The corner. You almost sat on it earlier."
My mother blinked. "What is he talking about?"
I walked over to the carton. The front was screwed tight. "You'll be proud of Harry, Ma. He was determined to win no matter what. If someone else walked off with the painting, he'd just produce his fake, say he made an after-market deal for the original. His curator would authenticate the piece, and he's home free. That about the size of it, Harry?"
He tried to smooth wrinkles from his shirt. "You make it sound so tawdry."
I straightened up. "How good's the fake?"
"Brush-stroke for brush-stroke, it's perfect. Had the pigments formulated specially to account for shortages in Germany. And I had it done years ago, as a surprise for father."
Mother sighed. "You were always the best son, Courtland."
Harry smiled, but it was because of more than our Mother's praise. Something else. Something sneaky.
I ran a hand over my forehead. "No, wait, that's too easy. You were never going to pass this off as the original. You were going to have Sahara steal the original from the new owner, and they'd take this one home."
I glanced at her, and she just shrugged. "A girl has to eat, Trick."
"Can't fault you there." I sighed. "Okay, we're taking this."
"You can't!"
"I can, Harry." I couple things began to click in my brain. I didn't have time to sort them all out, but they demanded I act. "Let me make sure you understand one thing really clearly, Harry. Freilich has a girl he will exchange for Scarlet. We're giving him your Scarlet. If he finds out there's a switch, I'll know where he got the information from. It'll be you. And I don't care if I end up in prison for the rest of my life, but I will kill you."
Harry arched an eyebrow. "And if Freilich kills you?"
"Figure the odds, Harry. If you think he's that lucky, you go for it. But you know he isn't. Don't make things worse for yourself."
"Ten points."
"Ten points off my split? You'd sacrifice a girl for that?" I shook my head. "Why am I even asking? Sahara, we're out of here."
***
We entered the elevator and started down, then I hit the stop button. "We need to talk."
She looked surprised. "Something wrong?"
"Tiny thing. I'm going to guess that you were originally hired to steal Scarlet. That's when you got caught. Your client was Freilich?"
"There was an intermediary."
"Did Freilich know you were the thief?"
She leaned back against the elevator's wall. "I don't know. It was six months ago. He sent at least one more thief after it since then. And that crew."
"Okay, so far I have you working for Patterson, Freilich and my brother. Judith thought you were working for her. Anyone else?"
Sahara shook her head. "I really like Judith. I want to help her."
"So do I. I need to know that you have my back."
"If you have mine."
I nodded. "They're going to call in about an hour. I'll set things up for this evening. It will give us time to get triggered and learn a bit about the meeting site."
"You know it's not going to go down straight, right?"
"Yeah. That's why you're there to get the girl out. Whatever it takes." I hit the button with my elbow and the elevator resumed its descent. "Get her clear and don't bother to look back. It won't be pretty."
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