“That’s a good idea, Gus,” Nick agreed. “Maybe we should enjoy Cheers a while longer until they sort out what’s wrong over there.”
“I get the feeling we could find out without ever leaving the bar,” Rachel said. “Our limo driver has to meet us on Beacon Street out front. We could go out the side and then walk along in the common area until we come out a block down the way.”
“Also an excellent idea,” Nick again agreed. “I’m sure we don’t want to be mixed in the looky loo crowd around a police crime scene.”
Gus chuckled, getting the drift of the conversation’s undercurrent as did John. “Would you like a double, Nick?”
“That would be very nice. I still have half a beer to escort a lovely double down.”
Rachel leaned over to grab Nick’s thigh and whisper closer to his ear. “I thought you were going to go on a fact finding mission.”
“I did but the facts were confusing.”
“Meaning you don’t know or care how innocent or guilty the stalker was?”
Nick cupped Rachel’s chin, kissing her lightly. “No one’s innocent.”
*
Nick typed furiously, immersed in a scene where once again Fatima manages to betray Diego, only to find Diego two steps ahead of her plot. Fatima shakes a fist at Diego where he has stood so she could see him, the five bodies of her comrades lying around at her feet. Fatima-”
A light knock tapped at the hotel door. The computer time read 5:34 am. Nick gripped his .45 Colt in hand, mind still trapped within Diego’s world for a few more seconds. At the door, he peeked quickly through the wide angle observation eye in the door. Gus’s smiling face with John standing behind him knocked Nick off stride for a moment, wondering if he had mentioned an early morning meeting. He opened the door.
“To what do I owe this questionable pleasure? You two do know I’m trying like hell to finish ‘Dark Interlude’. It’s highly unusual to see you two this early unless something very strange has happened.”
“If you would be considerate enough to invite us in for a cup of enhanced coffee for us to enjoy by the darkened harbor view, I’ll share what John found this morning. It’s a good thing you remembered to bring your own coffee maker. It’s nuts this high class place doesn’t have a damn coffee maker.”
Nick moved aside. “Sorry. I wasn’t thinking about anything but the novel plot. Yeah, they want you to order room service. I can’t be bothered with that. C’mon in. I just made a pot. I’ll have an Irish with you by the window.”
Nick served at the bar area where he established his own coffee station, complete with cups, booze, and additives. After they were comfortable on the couches, the three sipped their elixir for a moment’s pleasure while watching the darkened harbor beyond the window.
“So… what has you two on the go this morning. I figured no one would be awake before 8 am. The Salem Ferry doesn’t leave until 9:30.”
“You didn’t say anything about the Lokus guy. John and I naturally assumed you relieved the world of an annoying but probably innocent man on a Muerto whim,” Gus said.
“Did you know about the guy’s past before you killed him, Muerto,” John asked.
Nick shrugged. “Nope. I confess I didn’t have a clue nor did I care. Was he a priest or something? He had a gun, not that I knew that when I slit his throat. Tell me about my poor dead victim, Lokus. I doubt I’ll care after you finish, but you can try and make me feel bad for him. Lay it on me.”
Before Nick made it through half of his retort Gus and John were snorting amusement, nodding at each other.
“We knew you did him,” Gus said. “John said he’d find out what the guy’s story was, but nothing was covered about the death until early this morning, and only on a couple Internet news outlets. John was already awake doing God knows what at 4 am, so he remembered to check on poor Lokus.”
“I thought for certain you knew something about the man after I read the news story. That you didn’t is kind of funny and disturbing at the same time. His real name was Lupe Kintor. They matched the ballistics from the Glock in his hand to a dozen murders from New Jersey, New York, Maine, and Vermont. He only arrived here in Boston a week ago. Gus and I thought you did some kind of Muerto mind meld.”
“Sorry to disappoint you guys. I didn’t do a mind meld. Hell, I didn’t know he had a gun until I frisked him. I might have questioned him if he had followed me somewhere by myself. When he decided to follow all of us, Lokus or Lupe stepped in it for the last time.”
“You put the gun in his hand?”
“Yes, Payaso. I wanted the cops to think it may have been a drug deal gone bad. Frankly, I think he planned on emptying the thing on us when we walked out of Cheers. He would have gotten away with it too. Lupe could have run through the dark park to the other side. No one would have even known where the shots were fired from. So this Kintor guy was a serial killer. Oh my… I’m so relieved.”