Read Online Faustus Resurrectus by Thomas Morrissey - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Thomas Morrissey
Ads: Link
don’t?”
“You went to a crime scene high . It suggests a certain lack of perspective.”
He conceded her point. “I’ll try to limit doing that to my off hours.”
“This man,” she persisted, “whoever he is, has murdered people with scorpions, arrows and a noose made of goat hair, in addition to whatever else he came up with for other zodiac signs. That’s pretty sick. He also has a giant assistant who tried to kill you once already. You might be working with the police, but they have training and weapons. You don’t. I don’t want you to get hurt, Donovan.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“In a bar fight, yes. But this is barely the same reality as a bar fight.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’ve studied alternate realities.”
“Clever.” She squeezed his hand. “Don’t make me a widow before we’re married.”
“I promise I won’t.” He held her eyes and felt the bond between them. She did, too, and they said nothing for a moment.
The waiter brought another round of drinks, breaking the spell. “Anyway,” she went on when he’d gone, “whatever the big thing coming on my case, it can’t be that. I’ve been getting signals something’s coming for a few days now.” She sipped fresh vodka. “Which is why I don’t want to think about it tonight. Telling Dad about us is as dramatic as I want to get.”
Since Conrad was the most accessible of their parents they’d decided to break the engagement to him in person. Daniel was not cheap; Joann knew her father appreciated the luxury of the restaurant, and since it was a little out of Donovan’s price range she’d already made arrangements with the maitre d’ to pay the check. The gesture touched Donovan even though it made him feel a little odd. He glanced about the lounge, at the people and wealth he knew primarily from the outside looking in.
“Joann, sweetie! Sorry I’m late.” Conrad’s voice returned him to the present. He rose to meet his father-in-law to be.
“Hi, Dad.” Joann also got to her feet. “Don’t worry, we just got here ourselves.”
“Ah.” He embraced her warmly while Donovan stood by. Donovan had learned to extend a hand only at the exact moment Conrad would have no choice but to follow social niceties and shake it. He waited until Joann broke from her father. “Well, it’s wonderful to see you. And hello, Donovan.” He shook Donovan’s hand briefly. His face grew serious as he turned back to her. “I’m glad you asked me to dinner. I’ve heard one or two things lately, and maybe I can give you a head’s-up.”
“About Dinkins?” Joann asked as they sat.
“As a matter of fact—” Conrad raised his arm for the waiter. “I have a friend at the Times . He was told the mayor is going to offer his perspective on the issue. He told me the mayor’s perspective will be that the Brooklyn DA ought to press forward with the prosecutions of the homeless people you’ve got now. He feels time is being wasted by searching for this ‘Charming Man,’ if he even exists.”
Donovan felt Joann tense at his side. “How does Raphael feel about that?” she asked.
Raphael, Donovan knew, was Raphael Suarez, the Brooklyn District Attorney, Joann’s boss.
“He won’t have a choice—this is the mayor of New York City making the call.”
“This is what happens when rich people get into political office,” Donovan said. “They think they can play king and rule by decree.”
Conrad gave him a sideways glance. “As I understand it, he’s planning to mention it in his press conference about the new crime bill, next Thursday or Friday.”
“How am I supposed to find Charming Man before then?”
“I’m sorry, sweetie, I don’t know.” Conrad looked past them and nodded. A waiter approached, carrying a silver ice bucket with a bottle of Veuve Cliquot Grand Dame inside. “But let’s set all that aside for tonight. I think a little celebration is in order, no?”
Donovan’s eyebrows rose.
“You went to a crime scene high . It suggests a certain lack of perspective.”
He conceded her point. “I’ll try to limit doing that to my off hours.”
“This man,” she persisted, “whoever he is, has murdered people with scorpions, arrows and a noose made of goat hair, in addition to whatever else he came up with for other zodiac signs. That’s pretty sick. He also has a giant assistant who tried to kill you once already. You might be working with the police, but they have training and weapons. You don’t. I don’t want you to get hurt, Donovan.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“In a bar fight, yes. But this is barely the same reality as a bar fight.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’ve studied alternate realities.”
“Clever.” She squeezed his hand. “Don’t make me a widow before we’re married.”
“I promise I won’t.” He held her eyes and felt the bond between them. She did, too, and they said nothing for a moment.
The waiter brought another round of drinks, breaking the spell. “Anyway,” she went on when he’d gone, “whatever the big thing coming on my case, it can’t be that. I’ve been getting signals something’s coming for a few days now.” She sipped fresh vodka. “Which is why I don’t want to think about it tonight. Telling Dad about us is as dramatic as I want to get.”
Since Conrad was the most accessible of their parents they’d decided to break the engagement to him in person. Daniel was not cheap; Joann knew her father appreciated the luxury of the restaurant, and since it was a little out of Donovan’s price range she’d already made arrangements with the maitre d’ to pay the check. The gesture touched Donovan even though it made him feel a little odd. He glanced about the lounge, at the people and wealth he knew primarily from the outside looking in.
“Joann, sweetie! Sorry I’m late.” Conrad’s voice returned him to the present. He rose to meet his father-in-law to be.
“Hi, Dad.” Joann also got to her feet. “Don’t worry, we just got here ourselves.”
“Ah.” He embraced her warmly while Donovan stood by. Donovan had learned to extend a hand only at the exact moment Conrad would have no choice but to follow social niceties and shake it. He waited until Joann broke from her father. “Well, it’s wonderful to see you. And hello, Donovan.” He shook Donovan’s hand briefly. His face grew serious as he turned back to her. “I’m glad you asked me to dinner. I’ve heard one or two things lately, and maybe I can give you a head’s-up.”
“About Dinkins?” Joann asked as they sat.
“As a matter of fact—” Conrad raised his arm for the waiter. “I have a friend at the Times . He was told the mayor is going to offer his perspective on the issue. He told me the mayor’s perspective will be that the Brooklyn DA ought to press forward with the prosecutions of the homeless people you’ve got now. He feels time is being wasted by searching for this ‘Charming Man,’ if he even exists.”
Donovan felt Joann tense at his side. “How does Raphael feel about that?” she asked.
Raphael, Donovan knew, was Raphael Suarez, the Brooklyn District Attorney, Joann’s boss.
“He won’t have a choice—this is the mayor of New York City making the call.”
“This is what happens when rich people get into political office,” Donovan said. “They think they can play king and rule by decree.”
Conrad gave him a sideways glance. “As I understand it, he’s planning to mention it in his press conference about the new crime bill, next Thursday or Friday.”
“How am I supposed to find Charming Man before then?”
“I’m sorry, sweetie, I don’t know.” Conrad looked past them and nodded. A waiter approached, carrying a silver ice bucket with a bottle of Veuve Cliquot Grand Dame inside. “But let’s set all that aside for tonight. I think a little celebration is in order, no?”
Donovan’s eyebrows rose.
Similar Books
