Read Online Phantasos by Robert Barnard - Free Book Online

machines which were malfunctioning. He would have to unplug and reboot each machine as they failed and hope that they would restart without a problem. There were many refunds given, and Danny started to wonder if maybe there was a problem with the electrical wiring in the building. At the very least he’d have to call out some servicemen the next day; there were too many problems for Danny and Todd to fix on their own. Assuming Todd ever left his office.
    Danny locked up the arcade, then knocked on the door of the arcade’s office.
    “Come on in,” a voice wheezed from behind the door.
    Danny opened the door slowly; Todd didn’t sound at all like himself. When the door was opened fully, he found Todd reclined in his chair, shirt un-tucked, reading a Playboy.
    “What can I you do for…what can I…what can I do you for?” Todd slurred.
    Danny wrinkled his nose. The office smelled disgusting. “Have you been drinking?”
    “Hey,” Todd said, setting down the magazine. “Have you read this?”
    “Read what?”
    “This guy, Clinton. Some governor from Arkansas. They say he’s gonna run for president in ’92, and that he’s got a good shot at winning.” Todd slapped the table. “A real good shot!”
    “Is that so?” Danny said, leaning in the doorway.
    “Could you imagine, Dan? A democrat! After all these years of Reagan and Bush and their little cronies…and that Bush, if he don’t win re-election, he’s got a bunch’a kids. A bunch’a ‘em!” Todd sounded angry; he was drunk. “Mark my words, if that bastard loses to this Clinton guy, he’ll have one of his kids up on the throne one day. Mark my words.”
    “I never knew you were so interested in government. You glean a lot of political insight from this month’s Playboy, Todd?”
    “Sure did, buddy,” Todd said. “Suuuuure did. Also, you’ll be happy to know, Miss July has fantastic tits.”
    “Okay,” Danny said, placing a hand firmly on the doorframe. “How much have you had to drink tonight?”
    Todd pulled out an empty bottle of Jim Beam from beneath his desk and set it on a filing cabinet beside him. A big empty bottle. He hiccupped and in an angry tone said, “None of your damn business how much.” Then immediately after, this time sounding saddened, he said, “I’m sorry I didn’t save you any.”
    Danny sat down at the desk across from Todd. “I’ve manned this entire place tonight, on my own, while you’ve sat in here drowning in bourbon and examining the measurements of Miss July. What’s wrong with you? You’re a grown man. Why are you wallowing?”
    Todd furled his eyebrows and said, “I know where I’ve been tonight and I know where you’ve been, pal. I’ve already figured payroll for the week, and I dropped an extra fifty bucks in your check. We square?”
    “Todd!” Danny yelled. “I don’t want an extra fifty bucks. I don’t care about picking up slack in the arcade, I’m happy to run it! I just want to know what’s going on with you! What’s gotten into you today? You’ve been acting strange ever since last night. Is it debt collectors? Is the arcade in trouble? Why won’t you let me in?”
    “You’d never believe me if I told you—”
    The phone rang, cutting Todd off mid-sentence.
    “Do me a favor, buddy,” Todd said. “Go ahead and answer that for me.”
    Danny stood up from the desk and picked up the phone.
    “Hello?” he asked.
    Silence...then a hissing pop of static.
    “Hello?” Danny asked again.
    More silence, more static, and Danny couldn’t be certain, but he thought he heard breathing.
    “Who is this?” Danny asked, and he heard a click on the other end, followed by the rapid beep beep beep beep of a dial tone. “They hung up,” he said, and he shrugged and hung up the phone. “Prank caller again—?”
    The phone rang.
    Todd pointed at the ringing phone and frowned. “One more time, please,” Todd said. “Answer that for me.”
    Hesitantly, Danny picked up the phone.