Tourquai_ A Novel Part 3

Pedersen had won by a score of 61, 60. Falcon said he lost the grip on his racket in the middle of the second set, but anyone could have seen that he threw it in desperation.

"Take it from the top, Falcon," Anna asked. "Although I don't really need to ask you to be thorough."

Falcon cleared his throat. He had received suitable taunts and then changed and left his colleagues out on the court. Many of them had another match later that evening; he would not be playing anymore today.

"You've heard about Vulture?" Falcon began.

"I talked with Larry," Anna confirmed. "I have a handle on the first part. But then you and Pedersen stayed behind at Nova Park and questioned the personnel?"

The snack bar was just to the right of the stadium exit. Two large potted palms marked off the area; the palm leaves hung down over four round metal tables and the chairs around them, small and rickety. Only Anna Lynx and Falcon were sitting there. From the food sack she had brought with her, Anna took out a prepackaged ham sandwich that looked positively inedible.

"Yes, it's a real mystery," Falcon nodded. "You won't be disappointed."

"Okay. And what do you mean by that?"

"Oswald Vulture's head has disappeared," said Falcon. "Someone cut it off. Outside Vulture's room on the sixty-second floor at Bourg de la Villette sits his secretary, Emanuelle Cobra. To get in to Vulture, you have to go through Cobra's office. And Cobra hadn't left her office all morning."

"C'mon, you don't need to be a genius to realize that it has to be Cobra who did it," Lynx stated.

"That's a very hasty conclusion," Falcon said. "Cobra was seriously shocked when we found her boss. I'm pretty sure the superintendent and I both had the same feeling. She wasn't pretending. She didn't know what had happened."

"Good-looking?"

"What?"

"Is she good-looking?" Anna repeated. "Cobra."

Falcon blushed.

"C'mon," said Anna, "anyone could fool you testosterone-ruled males."

"Since you already know who's guilty, perhaps there's no point in me continuing," said Falcon, deeply offended.

"Go on," Anna smiled. "Tell me everything you know."

"Well, when we talked with Cobra, we got a pretty good idea of the victim's morning. He arrived at work at the usual time, right after the Morning Rain, and behaved exactly as usual. He began the day by going over his calendar with his secretary. He had meetings all morning, and in the afternoon he planned to go to an auction where his wife was interested in a vase."

"C'mon, he lied about the vase."

"Yes, probably. There was no vase. Whatever. The first meeting in the morning he had with Leonard Earthworm. Earthworm is one of the partners and sits in the office closest to the elevators. But they had their meeting in Vulture's office. Earthworm stayed an hour, perhaps a little less. I talked with Earthworm, he told me about their conversation, though I can't say I understood that much. They were working on some big business contract."

"What does Nova Park do?" asked Anna.

"It's a financial company. They buy into companies they believe in, and then sell when they can make a profit. There are twelve stuffed animals in the office. Six partners and six a.s.sistants. Vulture's second meeting was with Oleg Earwig. Earwig is an inventor that Nova Park invested in many years ago, but evidently he didn't measure up. That's how it goes. You make five investments, and if one of them works out, then you're successful."

"Okay odds," commented Anna. "Don't think we can work with the same-"

"Oleg Earwig was the last one who saw Vulture alive. At least we a.s.sume so. Earwig was in Vulture's office for half an hour, maybe forty minutes. Half an hour after that, the superintendent and I opened the door and found Vulture headless."

"Did your little cutie talk with Vulture after the meeting with the inventor?" Anna asked.

"Cobra is a little vague on that point ..." Falcon replied hesitantly, finishing the last of the sports drink. "Maybe, but she's not sure."

"Hm. Do you want the ham sandwich?"

Falcon looked with disgust at the prepackaged sandwich and shook his head. Anna picked it up and unwrapped the plastic. When she got in the car to drive up to the Tennis Stadium the breeze had not yet reached the city, but now twilight was falling quickly over Mollisan Town and she was hungry.

"Sorry," she said, "but I didn't have time to eat anything."

"We talked our way through the whole office," Falcon continued, "but I don't think anything leaped out that ... here comes Field Mouse."

Falcon pointed with the tip of his wing.

Field Mouse Pedersen had played another match but was now changed and on his way home. Anna Lynx called to him, and he joined the two partners.

"Do you agree, Field Mouse?" Anna asked after Falcon had summarized what he had told to that point. "Nothing interesting to report?"

"They work extremely independently and are isolated up there," said Field Mouse. "Everyone seems to sit in their offices, reading papers and making a call or two ... No one heard or saw anything."

"It could possibly be that electrician," said Falcon.

"What electrician?" asked Anna.

"It was the goat in reception who said there'd been an electrician who came and went several times during the morning," Falcon clarified. "But I don't know ... we have to question the goat again. He didn't seem exactly reliable."

"No, he didn't," agreed Field Mouse. "Someone has to talk with the goat in reception again."

"And the head?" asked Anna.

"Don't know," Field Mouse Pedersen replied. "But both Hare's and Tapir's teams were still there when Falcon and I came here. And one more thing. Everyone described Vulture the same way. As a hard and merciless business executive."

"That's right," Falcon sighed. "I don't recall who said it, but when I asked who would want to kill Oswald Vulture, someone answered, 'Who wouldn't want to kill Oswald Vulture?' There will be no lack of stuffed animals with a motive."

1.5.

The yellowish glow of the lanterns revealed salmon pink Avenue Mich.e.l.le Duboir. The street lay broad and shameless before Emanuelle Cobra. She got off the bus one stop early, simply to have the satisfaction of personally slithering the final blocks. She loved this part of Mich.e.l.le Duboir, between orange-colored rue Leblanc and yellow North Avenue. Along the sidewalks the city had planted small but proudly blossoming cherry trees. They cast long shadows across cars that had finally found their places for the night. The occasional stuffed animal was en route home after yet another day of seeming significance or obvious meaninglessness; for Emanuelle Cobra, Monday, the third of June, had been bewildering. And it was not over yet. But what remained was the high point of the month, and not even the decapitated Vulture or the embarra.s.sed police inspector who had questioned her that morning could cause Cobra to despair today.

For those who remain, life goes on, she thought. Life goes on, but in new clothes.

She had on a long coat from Carel and a high-heeled red shoe from Dot that was strapped over the tip of her tail. It was obvious that reptiles wore out clothes faster; with all that sc.r.a.ping against the stone and asphalt of the sidewalks it was unavoidable. She knew that the others also appreciated the first Monday of the month, but for Cobra this bonus was considerably more valuable than for stuffed animals who walked on two or four legs.

She reached the gateway on Avenue Mich.e.l.le Duboir just as she heard the Evening Storm's first ominous whispering. As usual the gate stood open, and she crawled in through the arch and across the cobblestones of the dark, gloomy inner courtyard. She knocked with her head, waiting for the electronic lock to open, and then pulled open the door. The stairs down to the bas.e.m.e.nt were like one long, winding promise.

She was the first.

"Terrible," said Jasmine Squirrel, who came to meet her at the door. "Simply terrible."

"What are you talking about?"

Cobra did not want to converse. She did not even look at Squirrel. The clothes were hanging in long rows on racks in the middle of the floor in the well-lit room. There were two makeshift dressing rooms, little more than curtains hanging over spanned steel wires, but usually no one tried on the clothes anyway.

"No, but ... Emanuelle, you have to pull yourself together now. I'm talking about your Oswald Vulture."

"Oh, yes. Sure."

"What did the police say?" asked Squirrel.

"The police? They ... asked their questions. Is that a Luigi Barcotta?"

Cobra nodded toward a white dress with ruffles and shoulder straps. It would absolutely not suit her. Jasmine nodded in boredom, and her long, luxuriant tail billowed expectantly behind her.

"Correct. Barcotta. I thought we should try him for a few months. I've never been truly converted, but-"

"Vulture was a swine," Cobra stated. She wanted only to wriggle over to the rack of Barcotta garments before anyone else arrived. "I didn't even miss him at lunch. There are lots of swine, so I don't intend to make a big deal out of Vulture, and it's clear that it was ... horrid. But life goes on. And if you're going to cut someone's head off, Oswald Vulture was not a bad choice."

"And you said that to the police?" Squirrel mumbled ironically.

"Now I must go over and look," said Cobra.

Jasmine Squirrel nodded, and Emanuelle was over by the clothes racks in a matter of seconds. Squirrel went back and sat down at a little table where she had her papers. She did not need to give any instructions. Cobra knew the rules. She could get clothes for ten thousand. Not a cent more. Every month they returned, the females who were part of the secretarial pool, and picked out new clothes. The company had tried other limitations: a certain number of garments, a certain number of a certain kind of garment, but all such variations led to arguments and jealousy. Easier to put price tags on everything, and let the females keep track of the amounts themselves. Besides, this had proved to elevate the experience.

Doesn't she even wonder what will happen now? thought Jasmine Squirrel as she looked over at Cobra, who was completely engrossed by the new Barcotta collection. In principle, thought Squirrel, Cobra has lost her job. Doesn't she understand that? But there was no worry in the black latex body squeezing into a red sleeveless top and hurrying over to the mirrors to see how she looked.

Carefree, thought Jasmine Squirrel. Or hopeless in the full sense of the word.

1.6.

Superintendent Larry Bloodhound took a short detour past his office. There he threw together a suitable number of papers to stuff into his briefcase, accidentally spilled a half-full can of cola over the keyboard that he never used anyway, and left for the day. Determinedly he made his way to the stairs. He kept his gaze straight in front of him. If he glanced to either side and let himself be drawn into a conversation, it would mean another hour or two at the station. He was well acquainted with all the ongoing investigations, likewise all the underlying conflicts that arose over time among the inspectors. Despite his reputation and his broadly applied harshness, he was an excellent head of WE. He solved problems wherever they arose and he was accessible even when he was busy. Larry had never thought it was hard being a boss; it was a lot harder to be a police superintendent. He dug in his jacket pocket and found a few raisins, which he ate up as he hurried down the stairs. He was on his way to Chez Jacques; he could already taste the cold beer.

The police department in Mollisan Town was set up according to a simple structure. The police authorities were cla.s.sified, for budgetary purposes, under the Ministry of Finance. Commander Gaardsmyg was not, however, subordinate to the head of the ministry but instead reported directly to the mayor. There was a certain amount of administrative coordination among the organizations, but for the most part the Ministry of Finance and the police existed side by side. In the free elections that took place in Mollisan Town every fourth year, the stuffed animals had the opportunity to elect a new commander. Partly due to the media's focus on the mayoral election, which for practical reasons took place the same day, the election of the commander often ended up in the backwater of the debates. Six years ago there had been a couple of strong candidates, but Gaardsmyg won at the finish line. On the other hand, the last election two years ago turned out to be a landslide. Gaardsmyg was not a media animal; he kept a low profile, which distinguished him from his predecessors. It was hard to find anyone who spoke badly of Gaardsmyg, and he was said to have an excellent relationship with Mayor Sara Lion. Mollisan Town was set up according to a simple structure. The police authorities were cla.s.sified, for budgetary purposes, under the Ministry of Finance. Commander Gaardsmyg was not, however, subordinate to the head of the ministry but instead reported directly to the mayor. There was a certain amount of administrative coordination among the organizations, but for the most part the Ministry of Finance and the police existed side by side. In the free elections that took place in Mollisan Town every fourth year, the stuffed animals had the opportunity to elect a new commander. Partly due to the media's focus on the mayoral election, which for practical reasons took place the same day, the election of the commander often ended up in the backwater of the debates. Six years ago there had been a couple of strong candidates, but Gaardsmyg won at the finish line. On the other hand, the last election two years ago turned out to be a landslide. Gaardsmyg was not a media animal; he kept a low profile, which distinguished him from his predecessors. It was hard to find anyone who spoke badly of Gaardsmyg, and he was said to have an excellent relationship with Mayor Sara Lion.

Commander Gaardsmyg had four majors under him. They were each responsible for one of the city's districts-Amberville, Lanceheim, Tourquai, and Yok-and were also heads of the largest police stations in the districts. These animals were not politically appointed, and, at the moment, none of the four had any political ambitions. They were police officers, experienced and hardened, and had come up through the ranks. By keeping careerists away from the major posts, Gaardsmyg minimized the number of potential rivals leading up to the next term of office.

The police chiefs at the smaller stations, like the one on rue de Cadix, were called Captains, and Jan Buck was a typical representative of this position. Though one of the foremost members of his graduating cla.s.s at the Police Academy, surprisingly police work itself was never something that interested Buck. Larry Bloodhound's young chief was interested in success, and evidence of success. He had sufficient self-insight to choose a career in the public sector, and he bragged about his short memory as a guarantee for future ruthlessness. Buck was more concerned that the columns in the monthly reports were correctly color-coded than that his superintendents-the heads of the station's three divisions, WE, GL, and PAS-had sufficient resources.

Buck was not planning to remain at rue de Cadix. This police station was not ranked low, but many were higher up on the list.

"It'll be better when he's gone," one of the inspectors might speculate.

"There'll be a new Buck," Larry Bloodhound would reply. "I'll be d.a.m.ned if they don't build that sort at the Academy."

This resulted in laughter and sighs in equal proportion. Because it was true.

All the police stations in Mollisan Town had their counterpart to Chez Jacques, to which Larry Bloodhound was directing his steps this late Monday. The bar was on the same block as the station, and was a place to wind down after work. The majority of the customers were police officers. This created a special atmosphere, a pleasant feeling of mutual understanding that pervaded the place. in Mollisan Town had their counterpart to Chez Jacques, to which Larry Bloodhound was directing his steps this late Monday. The bar was on the same block as the station, and was a place to wind down after work. The majority of the customers were police officers. This created a special atmosphere, a pleasant feeling of mutual understanding that pervaded the place.

A narrow corridor with an opening to the cloakroom on the right side led to the restaurant. In the room facing rue de Cadix there were fifteen or so small tables and a long counter along the outer wall. Toward the courtyard there was another room, smaller and darker, but it was preferable not to sit there because the stench of sour cigars clung tight to your fabric as soon as you sat down. The old-fashioned fans whirling slowly above swirled the cigarette smoke, and the jukebox all the way back by the toilets was loaded with fifties cla.s.sics. A saxophone that wailed, a cautious whisk against a large cymbal, fingers clambering up and down the long neck of a ba.s.s.

From out on the street Larry Bloodhound saw that Philip Mouse was already sitting at their usual window table, waiting. Bloodhound smiled. Philip Mouse was one of the city's few private detectives, and the reason he hung out at police bars in the afternoon was obvious. He was fishing for information and maintaining his network. Larry and Philip had found a kind of friendship over the years. True, it started and ended inside Chez Jacques, but those were the rules of the game.

Larry pulled off his jacket but refrained from leaving it in the cloakroom. He draped it over his arm and made his way over to the table where Philip was sitting.

"Mouse," he growled, nodding.

He set his jacket over Philip's white trench coat, which was already on the empty, third chair at the table, and sat down.

"Larry," Philip said. "A rough day? Looks like it. Do you know you've spilled something on your shirt?"

Larry looked down at his large-checked shirt and could see that Mouse was completely correct. Could it be the Mammoth chocolate? But then he remembered.

"It's from yesterday," he said. "A rat that threw up when we picked him up at the Star."

"You're joking? But, Larry, that's so disgusting that-"

"But it doesn't smell like anything," Bloodhound defended himself. "Smell it."

He held out his stained shirt toward the detective, who turned away with distaste.

"Now you're joking," he decided.

A waitress came with the superintendent's cold dark ale, but Bloodhound shook his head.

"Not for me, Doris," he said. "This mountain of fat is going to be a package of muscle. This is serious now. Do you have a light beer?"

Doris concealed her smile and went to get Bloodhound's order.

Mouse lit a cigarette. He brought his paw to the brim of his hat and adjusted it imperceptibly.

"Heard you found a headless vulture," said Mouse.

Neither of them was big on small talk. Better to sit silently, each with a beer, than to discuss imaginary climate changes. In Mollisan Town the weather was reliable; the rain and the winds drew in over the town with absolute regularity. But in all ages the stuffed animals still discussed the tiny, tiny shifts they thought they could observe.

"Finance vulture," Larry replied. "The type that not only s.h.i.ts money, it's a case of diarrhea. Presumably a real swine, otherwise they never get that rich. Going to need a bouncer for the suspects."

Philip nodded.

"It's usually that way. There's a limit on how long the heirs can wait for their money."

"Hmm. I'm hoping for a fool. It's always easier then. There are a few possibilities among the vulture's business acquaintances," said Larry.

"Certainly a good idea to start there," Philip nodded.

"Have a feeling it'll either be solved tomorrow or else it's going to be like s.h.i.tting out an iron on an empty stomach," said Larry, draining his mug.

"Hope for the former," Mouse replied. "Another?"