Nearly Departed, Max Schlienger [the gingerbread man read aloud txt] 📗

“I’m also quite certain that some of your past clients would be only too eager to press charges of their own, whether they were based in reality or not.”

“You’d never do it,” Dennis stammered. “You wouldn’t go to the cops. They’d know you were involved, and you’d lose your practice.”

“Oh, I hardly think so, Dennis, seeing as it’s the word of a respected psychiatrist over a grifter. And even if I did,” he clicked his tongue a few times, “I’m an old man, well past my retirement age. It would be a welcome change.”

“My friends would testify for me.”

“Ah, yes, your friends,” replied Harding. “Friends with illicit gambling debts, perhaps?” A tapping sound came over the phone. “You know, I have this money here for Luke, but I’m afraid I’m legally bound to report if someone has committed or intends to commit a crime. Although, I suppose I could just withhold the money, and he would have much worse things to worry about.”

The room’s temperature seemed to plummet. “What do you want?”

“I think you know the answer to that.”

Dennis searched the faces of his companions. Even Bobo looked worried. “The key?”

“The key.” Harding’s chair creaked over the phone, and Dennis could picture the psychiatrist leaning back with a look of triumph. “I’ll give you an hour to bring it to me. If you’re not here by then, well...” He let the implied threat go unfinished. “I trust you’ll make the right decision.” The man’s voice started to pull away, but came back for a final thought. “Oh, and Dennis?”

“Yeah?”

“Come alone.”

Dennis hung up the phone. The look on his face must have said enough, because nobody spoke. That was fine... He didn’t trust himself to say anything without choking. He tried to rationalize his feelings. Where was the harm in giving Harding the key? The money was just as much his as it was Elspeth’s. More so, even. For all Dennis knew, Eric Palin had tried to make off with an uneven share. Anyone who could say for sure was dead, and in most cases gone. Even if Evy had any more information, there was no way Dennis could question her and still make it to Harding’s office in an hour. That left only one alternative, the key to which was quite literally sitting in the palm of Dennis’ hand.

“Elspeth,” he said, “I need to ask you something.”

Chapter Fifteen

The sun was hanging low in the sky, casting harsh glares on everyone in the car. Spinner drove in angry silence, while Bobo sat in the back seat with his long legs splayed out as far as the space would allow.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay in there, September?” Dennis had lost track of the number of times that he had been asked the question. He stared out the window at the passing city.

“It’s not like I have much choice.”

Spinner growled. “I’m still not okay with this. It’s wrong.”

Dennis wasn’t sure that he agreed, but wasn’t going to directly contest the statement. “Remember what Elspeth said,” he tried.

“Leave her out of it.”

Dennis slouched sedately. The conversation hadn’t been much better throughout the course of the ride, or even back at the hospital. Spinner’s grudge had kept him from wanting to do anything that might let Harding follow through with his plans, while Dennis had been resolutely certain that their chosen course was the best one. Elspeth had finally settled the matter, in her own matriarchal way, asserting that the key should be turned over to the psychiatrist.

Spinner’s eyes stared straight ahead, his face locked in an obstinate glower. “I could have helped you out, kid. I still have some friends on the force. I’d have gone to bat for you.” It was a touching proclamation, considering what Dennis had subjected him to. Even so, Dennis wasn’t willing to gamble against Harding’s ability to manipulate the situation, especially not when there were other people at stake besides himself.

“How’s that thing feel, then, September?”

“It itches,” Dennis replied to Bobo. His shakes had been so bad back at the hospital that a kindly nurse had insisted on giving him a plain leather jacket from the Lost and Found box. It was a surprisingly good fit, and a decent replacement for the one he had lost, even if the worn material made a somewhat ridiculous match with the rest of his attire. At least he had been able to remove his tie.

The mutters continued from Spinner’s side of the car. “Eight years I spent chasing the bastard. Eight fucking years. Now we’re just going to let him get away.”

“Could be worse,” said Bobo.

“How?”

“Could have been ten years.”

Dennis tapped on the window. “There’s the office,” he said. The car slowed as they pulled into the parking lot at the building’s rear. Dennis stared up at the evenly-spaced windows, wondering if Harding was watching from one of them.

“Okay, kid, listen.” Spinner pulled the car’s parking brake and turned to face Dennis with a serious expression, his sullen behavior gone. “Have you ever fired a gun before?”

Dennis felt himself pale. “A few times. Why?” Spinner reached beneath his seat and pulled out a small black box. He thumbed a series of dials into a preset combination, and the latch clicked open. Dennis’ eyes went wide when he saw what was inside. “I thought you couldn’t own a gun?”

“I can’t carry a gun,” Spinner said. “Strictly speaking, neither can you, but I’m not going to send you in there without protection.” He pulled the stocky revolver from the case. “This is a Smith and Wesson 617. Twenty-two caliber, with a ten-round shot capacity. It’s double action, so you don’t need to cock the hammer.” He held it out to Dennis. “Show me how you hold it.”

Dennis kept steady as he took the weapon. He glanced out the windows to make certain that nobody was watching, and then held the gun in a two-handed grip. “Like this?”

Spinner nodded. “If you have to shoot, aim for the torso. Don’t try anything