Free Symphony of Blood, A Hank Mondale Supernatural Case by Adam Pepper

starting to add up, so after thanking Warren for the info, I took the subway downtown. The bumping and rattling of the ride made it tough to think, and I needed time to process. Warren gave me a stern warning about the Blakes , and I trusted Warren’s opinion. He said to be careful with them and he had good reason, no doubt. I’d be on my guard, but I always was. And truth was, it didn’t matter anyway. The Blakes could be murderers, terrorists or child molesters. Charlie Fucking Manson could have walked into my office, and I’d take his case, and his cash, without the slightest compunction. Business was business, point blank.
    When I got to the office, Sandy was on the phone. I walked in and her back was turned to me. She was talking in a very serious tone. It’d been a while since I heard her talk like that.
    “Are you actually working?” I asked, but she didn’t answer, so I threw in, “You could almost pass for a college graduate when you take that businesslike tone.”
    She held up her hand and extended her middle finger, but still didn’t turn around, instead, without missing a beat or even slightly changing the polite inflection in her voice, she continued talking to someone on the other end about some money matter. I knew she must be dealing with a credit inquiry. We ran routine credit histories and background checks from time to time. It was easy money and great work when we could get it.
    “Huh, you are actually working,” I said.
    She spun around in her chair, tilted her head to one side to cradle the phone between her shoulder and neck, then shot me double middle fingers. It was impressive how she could look so mean and yet sound so nice to the caller on the other side of the phone. I blew her a kiss, then walked into my office and closed the door.
    I sat at my desk and waited for my phone to ring. I needed Victor’s help. I was eager to make some progress on the case. It wasn’t long before my patience started wearing thin. I picked up the phone to call him, but then dropped it back down. I couldn’t push Vic too hard. He was doing me a favor. I played solitaire on my computer until thankfully, around two-thirty, I got the call on my cell phone.

“Vic. Thanks for calling.”
    “Hey, Hank. Been busy. Doing the best I can.”
    “I know. I understand.”
    “Listen, I’ve got a car. I’m on my way over. Be there in about ten or fifteen minutes.”
    “Great. I’ll be ready.”
    I reached in my desk, found a fresh notebook but couldn’t find a pen. “Sandy!” I yelled, then stepped out of my office and into the main room.
    “What is it, Hank?”
    “My pens. I need one.”
    She reached into her pocketbook and took out a box of pens, handing me an unused one.
    “Thank you, Sandy.”
    She crinkled her nose at me, and I couldn’t help but lick my lips while thinking that she was the cutest little kleptomaniac I’d ever met.
    “I’m going out.”
    “Bye.”
    I stepped outside.
    “Hi, Mrs. Kim.” I said as I waved. She was in her usual spot behind the sewing machine. “Do you ever take a day off?” I cracked a smile.
    “Too much to do. Too much to do,” she replied.
    Mr. Kim stood behind the cash register and nodded and waved. I waved back just as I noticed a gray Dodge sedan approaching—standard unmarked police cruiser. It slowed and I could see Vic’s silhouette behind the tinted glass. Once it came to a stop, I walked around the back end and hopped in on the passenger side.
    “Hey, Hank.” Vic said once I was inside.
    “Nice suit.” Victor had on a striking burgundy suit with a matching tie on top of a dark shirt.
    “You wish you could pull off a suit like this.”
    “I’ll say.”
    “You should start by washing yours. Those nice Koreans next door would do wonders with that suit, if you’d only let them.”
    I sniffed the lapel of my jacket. “It’s clean.”
    “Yeah, whatever.”
    “Clean enough, anyway.”
    There were no legal parking spots in front of the yellow