Free 5th Pentagram: The sequel to the #1 Hard Boiled Mystery, 9th Circle (Book 3 of the Darc Murders Trilogy) (Book 3 of the Darc Murder Series) by Ben Hopkin Page A

Japanese food, and the teriyaki seemed nonthreatening for the most part.
    By the time he looked up, it appeared that Mala had already ordered her food. The waiter looked to him, and Darc communicated his choice.
    “Would you like to share some gyoza for an appetizer?” Mala asked.
    He glanced back at the menu and decided that gyoza did not seem to be too unusual. “That would be fine.”
    Lighten up, Darc. You sound like a math professor. “That would be fine.” Come on. Trey’s speech sounded slurred. Was there an issue with the connection?
    Ha! Teaching. Darc. That’s funny. It was Maggie, whose speech was also sounding distorted. Darc touched his finger to his ear, attempting to adjust the wireless piece without drawing attention to it.
    “Are you feeling okay? Is your ear troubling you?” Mala asked.
    “No. I am fine.”
    Whoa. You almost got busted, dude. Better watch that. Trey started giggling. There was something wrong, but there was no way for Darc to ask what it was without alerting Mala.
    Perhaps it was worth a trip to the restroom. He stood up and began walking off, only to have Mala call after him.
    “Where are you going?”
    “To the restroom.”
    You can’t just get up and go to the bathroom, Darc. Tell her where you’re going first . More advice from Trey that would make more sense to Darc if he could answer back. He moved off in the direction of the men’s room, stepping in front of a thin man in glasses who was about to enter.
    “What the hell!” the man protested. Darc looked at him, and the man backed down. “Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go.” He motioned for Darc to precede him. Darc moved into one of the stalls and locked the door.
    Are you trying to get into a fight at the restaurant? Trey demanded.
    “No, I am not,” Darc answered back. “I needed to talk to you.”
    Oh, hey, cool. I get what you’re doing now.
    “There is something wrong with our connection. Your consonants are slurred and your speech pattern sounds altered. Also, you are giggling.”
    Heh, heh. He said “giggling,” Trey said, giggling more.
    Darc, it’s okay, Maggie interjected. We’ve just had a little wine. Don’t worry about it. Go back and sit down. She was sounding altered as well, but was clearly less so than Trey.
    “If you are intoxicated, I am not certain that your advice will be appropriate,” Darc said. The strands of light swirled off the sound waves generated in the earpiece, confirming Darc’s words.
    Dude. I promise that my drunk dating advice is better than your normal stone-cold sober stuff. Trey’s volume had risen, as well as his pitch. That could be indicative of irritation or fear. It was likely the latter. Maggie was often terrifying.
    Darc, you’ll be fine, Maggie stepped back in, after giving Trey a shushing sound . You’re already doing better than you did on our first date, and I still married you. Just remember to think of what she needs instead of what you want. Got it?
    “Yes.”
    Good .
    Darc moved back into the main area of the restroom, where the thin man was looking at him with a certain intensity. Perhaps he was watching Darc to see if he would wash his hands? Trey had mentioned that social oddity which existed at restaurants. It was one of the few rules that made logical sense. The destruction of dangerous pathogens on the skin was rational. It was the social aspect that made no sense. Why would someone else care that Darc washed his hands?
    He moved to the sink, and the thin man followed, taking the sink to Darc’s right, apparently to do the same thing. Darc leaned over to turn on the faucet.
    Hey, Darc, Trey said. Just curious, but what’s the time frame on boob touching tonight? I gotta take a leak and I don’t want to miss it. Darc’s partner started laughing until there was a sharp noise that sounded like a slap. Ow!
    “You are acting in an inappropriate manner,” Darc replied. “Remember that I know multiple ways to kill you without being