As I leave my building, the night air greets me the only way it knows, a cold blast strikes my face like the first strike from an alcoholic step dad in a drunken rage, I have to get down to business before this dire weather takes me out first. The wind howls trough the trees with the eerie tone reminiscent of an manic- depressive glee club, a strange energy emanates through this bounding metropolis tonight, not a good place to be for the weak of heart, one wrong move on these streets without knowing your surroundings and you're as good as food for the jackals, luckily I've passed the crucible, navigating this labyrinth has become second nature to me.
I seek out the shady part of town, all the local dives and hangouts for scum and losers, kidnappers and rapists, the true underbelly of our so called fair city, keeping my ear out like a casted line, just waiting for a bite, anything for a lead that could shed some light on this growing enigma. " Hey J, it's been a while!" Ernie was the barkeep at the local watering hole, "La porte bleue", Good guy, makes great drinks with a strong pour, also a pretty reliable source for the goings on of the underworld, for a price.
"What do ya say Ern?"ditching the formalities, "Whiskey double, you know how I like it" I gestured toward the top shelf, "Coming right up Jake, on the house", he must have sensed that I wasn't here just to wet my whistle, "So, I'm gonna get down to brass tacks Ern, what have you heard about James Fields?" Twisting the lid back on the bottle tightly, he replied almost proudly, "Word through the vine is that there was a meeting of the minds up by the old Crawford mine the other night, a few rent-a-goons let it slip on their way through, not sure what it's all about, but it sounded like pretty big business."
It was big business alright if Mr. Fields left his home in the middle of the night for some secret rendezvous, but who were these "minds" he mentioned? This pit just seems to be more and more bottomless as I continue. I finished up my liquid inspiration, tipped Ern a Hamilton "Thanks for the tip bud, I'll see you around." Big Ern's face lit up like Times Square at Christmas, "Anytime, J, anytime." Our parting words echoed in my skull as I headed for the door. I'm starting to think whatever is at the end of this rope isn't gonna be pretty (to be continued)
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