Free Alice Fantastic by Maggie Estep

and a few straggling tourists. The sky was turning to ink.
    A moment later, my phone rang in my pocket. I flipped it open without looking at the caller ID.
    â€œYou ready?” came a male voice.
    â€œReady?”
    â€œFor the Pick 6. It’s me. Arthur. Hello?”
    â€œArthur. Hi. I just saw an abused dog.”
    â€œOh.” He knew something of my background, how my mother rescues dogs, how we’re the sort of people with empathy for animals directly proportionate to our indifference to human beings. “Can you talk?” he added after an appropriate pause.
    â€œI guess. I feel a little sick. But go ahead. Talk.”
    Arthur rattled off a series of theses about the horses running at Aqueduct the next day. He asked if I had come up with any insights.
    â€œI did. But I’d have to look at my notes at home.”
    â€œAll right. I can tell your heart isn’t in it right now. Please sleep well and wake up clear headed.”
    I told Arthur I’d see him tomorrow, closed my phone, then picked Candy up and squeezed her to my chest. She looked at me evenly, puzzled by the sudden hug, but not opposed to it.
    I came home to an empty apartment. No sign of Clayton, no note. Maybe he’d gone out job hunting, though it was late in the day for that unless he was applying for some sort of graveyard shift. I pictured him working in a factory. Earning minimum wage. Coming home exhausted and defeated but still gentle and sweet because Clayton is always gentle and sweet, yet another thing that’s made it difficult to truly get rid of him.
    I took raw chicken necks out of the fridge, rinsed them, and fed them to Candy. In fact, raw chicken necks were the only things in the fridge. It was sad. It indicated that Clayton and I were living like dirty teenagers, incapable of taking care of ourselves, letting things slide.
    I glanced at the answering machine and noticed the message light blinking.
    Clayton was at the police station.
    â€œI’m being held for questioning, Alice,” the message said. His voice was small and scared. “Don’t come. I’ve called the lawyer. I’ll work it out.”
    â€œOh no. “ I said it aloud, but quietly, as if afraid the gods would hear and take the dread in my voice as affirmation of my paramour’s guilt. Because some days I believe there are divinities everywhere. Religion upsets me, but a sense of awe at what is greater than me does not.
    I called my lawyer friend Abe. He was on his way to the station.
    â€œIf there’s bail I can get money,” I told him.
    â€œUn huh,” he said. “They’re just questioning him right now. But I’ll let you know.”
    â€œThey came here this afternoon to question him. And then returned a few hours later and took him away. What could they have learned?”
    â€œAlice, I have no way of knowing that yet,” Abe said patiently.
    â€œRight. Should I come with you to the police station?”
    â€œNo,” said Abe. “How much do you like this guy, Alice?”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œWell, he could be in big trouble. You got that, right?”
    â€œHe didn’t do anything,” I said. “I told you, it was an accident.”
    â€œHe should have told the truth from day one. It looks bad now, Al. I’ll call you when there’s something to report.”
    I hung the phone up. I looked at Candy who was licking a trail of grease on the fridge door. I was a disgusting person with a trail of grease on her fridge.
    I lumbered through my evening. I didn’t know if Abe would spring Clayton. I kept toying with the idea of going to the station. Of being the supportive partner in spite of Clayton’s wish that I not do this. I knew he didn’t want me to see him like that. He hadn’t had any shame about my seeing him living in a parking lot earlier in our dalliance, but the parking lot was his choice. The cops are not. His is a strange