BACKTRACKER by Milo Fowler (e book reader txt) 📕

"A little late in the day for proselytizing."

Muldoon nodded. "When are they supposed to arrive?"

The mayor shrugged. He glanced toward the stairs. "They shouldbe here already. I don't know what's keeping them."

Too busy kidnapping, maybe?

"I've got a favor to ask." Muldoon moved to rise.

The mayor's frown deepened. "Yes?"

"Don't tell them I'm here." He turned his gaze to thefar corner where a vacant table sat in shadows.

"Are you back in business, Mr. Muldoon?" Reeveschuckled, but it sounded shallow, maybe a little uneasy. "On a new case,is that it?"

Muldoon almost smiled. Those were the days.

"Thanks again." He tucked in his chair and stepped away,righting the furniture he'd been hurled against only minutes ago. He lefteverything he touched as it had been prior to his arrival.

Mayor Joseph Reeves watched Muldoon go until the shadows in thecorner nearly swallowed him whole. Muldoon took a seat at an empty table withhis back facing the mayor. And there he sat, this unusual individual from thepast, a man whose name alone would have been enough to grant him an escort toany section of any nightclub, VIP or otherwise, at one point in time. But thathad been years ago. Before Armstrong's disappearance, before his ownretirement. Back when he was the best private eye in NewCity.

"May I freshen your drink, sir?"

Startled from his reverie, the mayor looked up at the broad smileof the SYN standing before him. One of the handsome young waiters who alllooked the same. Alike in almost every way. "Yes, thank you," hereplied absently.

"Are you expecting company, Mr. Reeves?"

"Three more, yes. They should arrive soon."

The waiter exchanged his empty glass. "Would you like me toleave drinks for them also?"

Reeves attempted a smile and shrugged his bulky shoulders. "Idon't know what they're having."

Or why this retired detectivewould be interested in them.

The waiter bowed, smile intact, and left with, "If there'sanything else you require, don't hesitate to call me over. My name isGeorge." He strode away, past vacant tables to the far corner whereMuldoon sat alone in the shadows.

"Would you like to order anything, sir?"

Muldoon glanced up at the SYN. "No, thanks."

"Very well, sir. If there's anything else you require, don'thesitate to call me over. My name is George." He strode away at the samepace he'd arrived, at the same pace as every other waiter in The Pearl.Unhurried yet purposeful.

Muldoon watched him go, and in so doing saw the waiter pass twomen in long white robes on their way up the stairs. Their hands were tucked into drooping sleeves across theirmidsections, and slight smiles were plastered across their faces. The mandroid sentinel allowed them to pass without aword, and they glided across the carpet as if their bare feet made no contact,straight for the mayor's table.

Reeves stood and greeted them with the usual politician'spleasantries, and in this case, attempts at Eastern bows of respect. Hewelcomed them to his table, glad they'd found the place, and it was fantasticto see them. Would they like anything to drink? Were they hungry? They smiled,shook their heads politely, no. They apologized for being late—delayed, theyexplained, unaccustomed to the magnitude of foot traffic on NewCity sidewalks.

Where's the kid?

Muldoon clenched his jaw, restrainedhimself from getting up and crashing their little party, demanding to knowwhere they'd stashed the kid's body after their perverted fun.

Out in the alley? A popular spot tonight.

He waited. He listened. Now and then he glanced at them over hisshoulder. The monks asked Reeves if they would have the honor of meeting Gavin Lennoxat some point tonight, and a synthetic named Sally arrived to inform the mayorthat Lennox was on his way. He too had been delayed.

Busy tearing somebody else's father apart?

Eventually, the owner of The Pearl arrived on the scene, andMuldoon found himself sinking lower into his seat. The shadows concealed himfor the most part, and Lennox's attention would be divided among the mayor andtwo monks. But there was always a chance of being discovered. And that was thelast thing Muldoon wanted—for now.

A lengthy discussion ensued involving trivial matters such as themeaning of life and the definition of a human soul. Muldoon wished more thanonce that he'd taken up the waiter on his offer. Any drink would have beenwelcome.

But he sat tight. He waited. And his waiting paid off.

Lennox excused himself, and one of the monks followed: Kuan Ti.The mayor was left at the table with the other one, Yeng Zhu. George arrived on the scene, depositing a secondbottle of wine, which he proceeded to uncork and pour into the mayor's glass,much to the delight of its recipient.

"Ah yes, thank you, thank you," Reeves babbled, flushedin the face. He'd had more than a few drinks since his encounter with themandroid. "None for you, Mr. Zhu?" he turned to his companion, butinstead of listening for a response, he wheezed hysterically at his own littlerhyme. "None for you, Mr. Zhu!"

The monk smiled. "No, thank you."

"If there's anything else you require, don't hesitate to callme over." George strode away.

Muldoon got up and approached the mayor. "Enjoying yourevening, I trust?"

Recognition sparked in the monk's black eyes. His lips parted withthinly veiled surprise, but he said nothing.

"Mr. Muldoon!" Reeves grinned, eyes glassy, groping forone of the untouched goblets on the table. "Here's a man who'll share adrink with his mayor!"

Muldoon held the monk's gaze. "We meet again."

"Yes." He nodded once. "So it would appear."

"Mr. Muldoon, I'd like to introduce you to the holiestWay-Follower I know: Mr. Yeng Zhu!" Reeves chuckled, raising his glass ina toast.

The monk didn't bow at the waist. Neither did Muldoon. The mayor'sjoviality subsided as he noticed the silent standoff between them, interruptedonly by the effervescent music wafting upward from the stage below.

"What did you do with him?" Muldoon gripped the back ofan empty chair. In his mind, he'd already swung it into the unholy man's faceand broken every bone.

Yeng didn't blink. "He is safe."

Muldoon fought the sense of relief that threatened to relax hisframe. "Where?"

A flash of white broke Yeng's face, large teeth glistening. "Ifyou were to know, Mr. Muldoon, then he would no longer be safe."

"What