Free Faustus Resurrectus by Thomas Morrissey Page B

floor.
    “The octopus tanks are over here,” Fullam said, leading them past glass tanks filled with colorful sea horses. Donovan paused to look at them and felt an odd sensation. He shook it off and followed the others to stand in front of two windows that revealed a large rock wall. Plaques in front of the tanks identified the species of octopi, but the one that interested them was hapalochlaena maculosa , the lesser blue-ringed octopus.
    “This may be our murder weapon,” the sergeant said.
    The creature was small, its body about three inches long with an arm span twice that. Donovan skimmed the information and learned that the blue-ringed octopus is reported to be the most poisonous of the cephalopods. Normally grayish-beige, the octopus has light brown patches that darken and show bright blue rings when it’s irritated or threatened. It secretes two poisons, the more dangerous being a neuromuscular venom that paralyzes all the muscles of the body, including the lungs and heart.
    “Maurice, why don’t you stay here?” Fullam asked. “If our man is going to use this thing, he’ll have to get inside the staff area, which is only accessible over there.” He nodded at a door marked “Authorized Personnel Only.” “Are you okay with that?”
    “Of course.” A seal torpedoed at one of the glass walls, only to turn away at the last instant with a blink of his huge black eyes and a flick of his flippers. “At least I have interesting company.”
    “Can I make a suggestion?” The sergeant indicated at a recessed corner. “Pick a spot where no one can see you on first entrance. We have no real certainty how, when or if this will happen, so…”
    “Best to be cautious. I understand. God watch over you, gentlemen.”
    “You, too.”
    Donovan followed Fullam out.

    ***

    “You ever been on stakeout before?”
    Donovan shook his head.
    “You want Alien Stingers or the Shark Tank?”
    “Makes no difference to me. Wherever I’ll do the most good.”
    “Take Alien Stingers ,” Fullam suggested. “It might keep you awake. Could be a long night.”
    “You don’t think anything is going to happen?”
    “It could happen here, it could happen tonight, it could happen tomorrow or somewhere else. This is a pretty good guess for my case. Your fiancée probably has the right expression for hers: ‘grasping at straws.’”
    “She told you we’re engaged?”
    “I’m a detective. I figured it out when I saw the ring.” Fullam looked at him, cop eyes tempered with amusement. “Congratulations.”
    “Thanks. You don’t think Mister X and Charming Man are the same person?”
    “I don’t know enough to make a guess, so I won’t.” Fullam scratched his neck. “It seems like a long shot to me.”
    Donovan gestured around them. “What do you think the odds are of something happening tonight?”
    “No idea. Frankly—and no offense to your fiancée, I understand she’s got a lot riding on the Dinkins Shelter case—I hope nothing does happen tonight. Tomorrow I’ll have Josh and maybe one or two other detectives to help. I’ll feel a lot better with them having my back rather than two civilians and an ADA. Again, no offense.”
    “If it’s any consolation, I’m not high tonight.”
    Fullam grunted.
    “Seriously,” Donovan went on, “I had no idea I was going to go to a crime scene that night. Believe me, I never would have smoked or had anything to drink if I’d known.”
    “Well, that’s why you have to be ready all the time in this work: you never know when you’re in for a surprise.”
    Before Donovan could answer him, Fullam’s radio beeped.
    “ Frank, I’ve got Mister Katz on the line ,” Joann said. “ Apparently one of the cleaning crew left some keys here. Mister Alcantarilla was able to get Katz before he got too far and asked if they could come back. ”
    “Case in point.” Fullam shook his head and lifted the radio to his mouth. “All right, I’ll go let him in. Tell him to meet