Read Online The Hunting Wind: An Alex McKnight Mystery by Steve Hamilton - Free Book Online
Authors: Steve Hamilton
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traveled to get here?”
She smiled again. “What can I—”
“What are they doing to this city, anyway?” Randy said. “Every road is closed! Construction everywhere!”
“Tell me about it,” she said. “It takes me over an hour to get to work in the morning now.” This woman was much too friendly to be working as a public servant. How she ever got through the screening process was a complete mystery.
“Last time I was here in town was 1971,” he said. “I was a pitcher with the Tigers.”
“Really?” she said. Her eyes lit up.
“I didn’t last very long in the majors,” he said. “But at least I got the shot, right?”
“Are you serious? Did you really pitch for the Tigers?”
“Long time ago,” he said. “So much has changed here. They got casinos coming in, too, isn’t that right?”
“Ah,” she said with a wave of her hand. “Don’t get me started on the casinos. That’s all we need.”
“Not a gambler, I take it,” he said. “Oh, I’m sorry. This is my friend Alex.”
I woke up out of my trance. Watching the man do his routine was downright hypnotizing. “Good afternoon,” I said.
“Alex was a Detroit police officer for—what did you say, eight years?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Back in the eighties,” he said. “Even Alex doesn’t recognize the place anymore. Ain’t that right, Alex?”
“Like a whole new city,” I said.
“I’ll tell you why we’re here,” Randy said. He moved closer to her desk and lowered his voice. “Alex is a private investigator now. Let me have one of your cards, Alex.”
I took a card out and gave it to him. He put it down on her desk while he gave the room a quick onceover. “We’re trying to locate someone,” he said. “We’re trying to help her, you understand. This could be a matter of life or death.”
“Okay . . .”
“Her name is Maria Valeska,” he said, letting it hang in the air, as if she were an international agent.
“That’s a nice name,” she said.
“Indeed,” he said. “The problem is, the only information we have, besides her name, is an old address. And we think we she was born here in Detroit in 1952.”
“I don’t understand,” she said. “What kind of records are you looking for, then? We have only four kinds here. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce.”
“The birth certificate would be extremely helpful,” he said. “If we could possibly—”
“You can’t see birth certificates,” she said. “Not unless you’re a parent or—”
“Or an officer of the court,” Randy said. “I know that. I’m certainly not asking you to break the rules. But seeing as how this is such an
important
matter, I was hoping that maybe
you
could just take a look at her birth certificate, and tell us her date of birth.”
“I don’t know about that,” she said.
“And her parents’ names.”
“Oh, no, I really don’t think—”
“Teresa, I’m not asking you to get us a copy of her birth certificate. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
Teresa? How did he know her name?
“I’m just asking you,” he said, “no, I’m begging you to just take a look at the record yourself, withneither of us around. We’ll go stand out in the hallway while you look at it.”
There, on her desk. A coffee mug with her name on it. Some detective I am.
“I’m kind of new here,” she said. “I’m not sure if I’m allowed to do that.”
“Maria Valeska,” he said. “Probably born in 1952. In Detroit.” And then he just looked at her. I couldn’t see his face from where I was standing, so I’m not sure what he was doing, but somehow it made her stand up.
“I’ll be right back,” she said.
“We’ll wait here,” he said.
“You wait here,” she said.
“Right here,” he said.
And then she disappeared into the back room.
He turned around and winked at me. “What can I say, Alex?”
“You’re the master,” I said.
Randy’s reign as the master lasted another ninety seconds. Then
She smiled again. “What can I—”
“What are they doing to this city, anyway?” Randy said. “Every road is closed! Construction everywhere!”
“Tell me about it,” she said. “It takes me over an hour to get to work in the morning now.” This woman was much too friendly to be working as a public servant. How she ever got through the screening process was a complete mystery.
“Last time I was here in town was 1971,” he said. “I was a pitcher with the Tigers.”
“Really?” she said. Her eyes lit up.
“I didn’t last very long in the majors,” he said. “But at least I got the shot, right?”
“Are you serious? Did you really pitch for the Tigers?”
“Long time ago,” he said. “So much has changed here. They got casinos coming in, too, isn’t that right?”
“Ah,” she said with a wave of her hand. “Don’t get me started on the casinos. That’s all we need.”
“Not a gambler, I take it,” he said. “Oh, I’m sorry. This is my friend Alex.”
I woke up out of my trance. Watching the man do his routine was downright hypnotizing. “Good afternoon,” I said.
“Alex was a Detroit police officer for—what did you say, eight years?”
“Yes,” I said.
“Back in the eighties,” he said. “Even Alex doesn’t recognize the place anymore. Ain’t that right, Alex?”
“Like a whole new city,” I said.
“I’ll tell you why we’re here,” Randy said. He moved closer to her desk and lowered his voice. “Alex is a private investigator now. Let me have one of your cards, Alex.”
I took a card out and gave it to him. He put it down on her desk while he gave the room a quick onceover. “We’re trying to locate someone,” he said. “We’re trying to help her, you understand. This could be a matter of life or death.”
“Okay . . .”
“Her name is Maria Valeska,” he said, letting it hang in the air, as if she were an international agent.
“That’s a nice name,” she said.
“Indeed,” he said. “The problem is, the only information we have, besides her name, is an old address. And we think we she was born here in Detroit in 1952.”
“I don’t understand,” she said. “What kind of records are you looking for, then? We have only four kinds here. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce.”
“The birth certificate would be extremely helpful,” he said. “If we could possibly—”
“You can’t see birth certificates,” she said. “Not unless you’re a parent or—”
“Or an officer of the court,” Randy said. “I know that. I’m certainly not asking you to break the rules. But seeing as how this is such an
important
matter, I was hoping that maybe
you
could just take a look at her birth certificate, and tell us her date of birth.”
“I don’t know about that,” she said.
“And her parents’ names.”
“Oh, no, I really don’t think—”
“Teresa, I’m not asking you to get us a copy of her birth certificate. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
Teresa? How did he know her name?
“I’m just asking you,” he said, “no, I’m begging you to just take a look at the record yourself, withneither of us around. We’ll go stand out in the hallway while you look at it.”
There, on her desk. A coffee mug with her name on it. Some detective I am.
“I’m kind of new here,” she said. “I’m not sure if I’m allowed to do that.”
“Maria Valeska,” he said. “Probably born in 1952. In Detroit.” And then he just looked at her. I couldn’t see his face from where I was standing, so I’m not sure what he was doing, but somehow it made her stand up.
“I’ll be right back,” she said.
“We’ll wait here,” he said.
“You wait here,” she said.
“Right here,” he said.
And then she disappeared into the back room.
He turned around and winked at me. “What can I say, Alex?”
“You’re the master,” I said.
Randy’s reign as the master lasted another ninety seconds. Then
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