Chapter 31 Chet #6
“How are you doing? I wanted to ask if there had been any development with regard to the Seven of Spades.”
She jerks her gaze toward the curtains’ opening. “Careful, Chet. These areas aren’t soundproofed, as you are well aware.”
“Of course.” I bow my head. “Apologies, my Queen.”
She curls her lips. “And there is no news. But the Kings are out and about trying to track down information. I have it on good authority that Mr. Hathaway may in fact be aware that his father’s death was not entirely natural.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Oh?”
Again, so much I don’t know.
Her Majesty’s lips twist into a grin. “It’s a story I’m quite proud of.
Henry Hathaway was the last person who tried to expose what we do here at Aces.
How we…help others. It started with his HOUSE Act, which was meant to make us more transparent.
That of course was a complete flop, so he tried taking matters into his own hands.
It was ten years ago, back when my father started getting sick and I began taking over.
He was already washed up from his last term as mayor and was looking to discover something about me that might help shine up his tarnished legacy.
When I caught whiff of his plans to reveal our inner workings, I had his food poisoned with a concoction that mimicked the effects of a heart attack. ” She cackles. “It was divine.”
I cross my arms. I understood Henry Hathaway knew something about what was going on, because I’d found out about the riddle he’d left his son upon his death. But no one would have taken his rantings and ravings seriously after what happened to his political career.
I want to find out more, but it’s been five minutes or so. It’s time to take Rouge to her office.
I bow my head once more. “I suppose I should be returning to my atrium. Do you mind if I use the bathroom in your office before I return?”
Her Majesty raises her eyebrows. “You’ve never asked to use the bathroom before.”
“Yes, but I ate something that doesn’t agree with me. And it would be improper for an employee to use the guest restrooms during service hours.”
She purses her lips but gestures out the grand suite. “Have at it. I’ll be right behind you.”
I cross the club and make my way to Her Majesty’s red door.
I open it slowly and sure enough, Miss Wonder and Mr. Hathaway have opened the secret door behind the armoire in the office.
I step through. The two of them are surrounded by a small pond of red diamonds and have their noses pressed into Her Majesty’s manifesto.
All the evidence they need to put her away. And this is all the evidence I need to put them away.
“Miss Wonder. Mr. Hathaway.”
Mr. Hathaway looks up, gives me a look I’ve never seen from him. As if he’s actually glad to see me. “Chet,” he says. “We need you to escort us out of here as quickly and discreetly as possible.”
I clasp my hands and slowly crane my neck over my left shoulder. I’m positively giddy. All my players have landed exactly into their places. “You might want to see what’s going on in here,” I call out.
Her Majesty narrows her eyes at me but then glides into the office, her lips pursed.
When she sees Miss Wonder and Mr. Hathaway through the secret door in her armoire, she draws a slow hand up to the diamond necklace nestled in her cleavage, her eyes widened.
She glares at the two invaders. “It looks like you two have been palming an ace.”
They don’t move.
Her Majesty raises her scepter. “I’m afraid Aces Underground has a strict policy about cheaters in the Diamonds section. This applies to all patrons, even the King and Queen themselves.”
Miss Wonder shrieks.
Mr. Hathaway lunges toward her, placing himself between my angel and my Queen.
But Her Majesty is quick, and she smacks her scepter to the back of Mr. Hathaway’s skull.
He crumples to the floor, and in a flash Miss Wonder is lying beside him.
I instinctively kneel at her motionless body, place a finger against her neck. She’s okay, thanks be to the heavens. A small welt on her forehead, but that will go down in a few days’ time.
Her Majesty lowers her scepter, moves toward her desk, and takes a seat.
She reaches into a drawer and pulls out two small needles.
She injects a small amount into both of their necks.
“This will keep them unconscious until after service. Then you’ll have to take care of them. Florian is out of town this week.”
“Take care of them?” I ask.
“It is not nearly as often that I find myself dispatching patrons, but it is not unheard of.” She scans the two bodies. “But their organs are in perfect shape, I’m sure.”
“My Queen”—I bow my head—“if I may, perhaps it would be prudent to keep them alive. Mr. Hathaway still maintains some influence in the city’s political sphere, and Miss Won—I mean, Miss Maravilla—could make an excellent bargaining chip to get him to do what you want.”
She scrunches her forehead. “The Hathaway legacy is in tatters. Maddox has no more influence than his father.”
“For now. But people’s memories fade. It’s been well over a decade since Mr. Hathaway’s father died. I believe there is potential for us. And either way, his family’s reputation notwithstanding, he remains a person in the spotlight. A sudden disappearance would draw suspicion.”
She crosses her arms. “Perhaps you’re right.
Take them to the Caterpillar then. Break into their phones.
Concoct some cock-and-bull story to their closest friends about going on a vacation together.
Fish their keys out of their pockets, go to their apartments, and make them look as though they’ve packed a bag for a long trip.
We’ll starve the two of them out at the Caterpillar Hotel until they’re ready to play ball. ”
“As you wish, my Queen.”
“And Chet?”
“Yes?”
Her Majesty looks over the pair of bodies, her lips curling into a shrewd grin. “Once you finish, meet me back here. I believe you are entitled to a reward.”
* * *
I did as my Queen commanded. Dropped Miss Wonder and Mr. Hathaway off in separate rooms at the Caterpillar, wrote texts to their loved ones and employers saying they would be out of town for an unspecified amount of time, and then staged their individual apartments to look as if they’d both gone on an extended holiday.
I’m not sure I trust Her Majesty to play nice with them once they agree to do her bidding.
The small shampoo bottle I left at Miss Wonder’s apartment, however, will remain untouched.
A small clue—perhaps one of their friends will discover it.
Tiny seeds yield bountiful harvests.
* * *
A month has passed. Her Majesty checks the Caterpillar Hotel weekly.
Neither she nor I—and certainly none of the cards—have actually communicated with Mr. Hathaway and my angel.
They remain in their hotel, slowly getting thinner.
Soon they will be on the brink of demise, and that will be when we strike.
That is, if something else doesn’t happen first.
And like a lightning flash, the Black Door opens, revealing none other than Dr. Harrison O’Rourke, Mr. Hathaway’s best friend!
It is as if the Celestia are begging me to play with these people more.
And, as their vessel, I will happily oblige.
Dr. O’Rourke demands to be let in.
He’s curious about his friend.
I will play coy. Tell him it’s against the rules. Only when he thinks he’s convinced me will I allow him in.
Always let them think they’re in control.
He slams his hands on my desk. “Chet. You’re not hearing me. I demand that you let me in.”
A knock at the door. I open it to reveal Her Highness, Miss Bianca.
She will just get in the way. Damn! “Miss Bianca, aren’t you supposed to start singing soon?”
She nods. “Just have to run to my car real quick, grab my finishing powder. I’ll be back before my set begins.”
“I see.” I gesture her through the door. “Be back quickly or you’ll be missed.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” She walks through the door and stops in her tracks when she lays eyes on Dr. O’Rourke.
There is an instant attraction. Its aroma swaths the entire room. It’s almost sickening.
And I realize.
Her Highness might just be a perfect ally to Dr. O’Rourke.
But I mustn’t be too hasty. Let it evolve organically. Let them focus on me as a common enemy, and then Her Majesty. They have been speaking for several moments, completely unaware of my presence.
I cut between the two of them. “Yes, and it is just luscious to see a new friendship blossoming. But you’ll have to take it outside.
Although, Miss Bianca”—I pretend to check my watch, even though its battery has been dead for years—“you’ll have to keep it brief. Your first curtain is in ten minutes.”
Dr. O’Rourke cocks his head. “Your first curtain?”
Her Highness gestures to the door that leads to the mirrored staircase. “I’m the singer here.”
Dr. O’Rourke shoots his eyebrows up. “I thought you looked familiar. You have a lovely voice.”
Her Highness blushes. “Thank you. It’s a living, I suppose.”
More flirtation. I need to seal this deal quickly.
“If it’s a singer you’re looking for,” I interrupt, “you are welcome to scout Michigan Avenue for one, Dr. O’Rourke. But I really must insist that you leave now.”
And that does it. Her Highness slowly draws her finger over her left eyebrow, her lower lip trembling slightly as she looks from me to Dr. O’Rourke and then back to me.
“Chet,” she says. “I would like to invite Dr. O’Rourke to the club as my guest.”
Bingo.
* * *
Her Majesty is displeased.
“What on earth possessed you to allow a non-member in?”
“Miss Bianca made a good argument. She is not a full-time employee here, and the rules do not specify anything regarding independent contractors. By her logic, she must be a member who performs additional actions, not unlike Mr. Rose.”
Her Majesty crosses her arms. She isn’t buying it. She slowly stands and sits on the edge of her desk, her long legs straddling me as I sit in the wingback across from her. “Chet, my darling,” she says. “Are you unhappy here?”
“Of course not, my Queen.”
“Then why all this acting up? You used to be so obedient, so loyal. Now you’re doing things on your own accord.”
“I was the one who found Mr. Hathaway and Miss Maravilla in your office.”
“And how, I wonder, did they know how to get into my office in the first place? How on earth did they discover the Seven’s head in the nature preserve the weekend before Valentine’s Day?”
“My Queen—”
“I have no proof, of course.” She examines her nails, picks a bit of fluff off one of them.
“But you’ve changed, Chet. You’ve begun to labor under the delusion that you are your own person.
” She lifts her leg and pushes her stilettoed heal into my left thigh.
“Allow me to relieve you of that misconception.”
I don’t respond.
She grinds her heel further, ripping through my dress pants and drawing blood. “You are nothing without me, Chet! Do you hear me? You and your little friend would still be picking cans out of the garbage if it weren’t for me. Do you understand?”
I look down.
She grabs me by the neck, forces me to look her in the eyes. “This will be your last strike, Chet. You know better than most that I don’t believe in second chances. Because of your stellar service record, I have looked the other way for several weeks now. That ends today. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“Yes, my Queen.” I bend down and kiss her hand. She responds by prying my mouth open and sticking three of her fingers in it. I run my tongue up and down her fingers in reverence. She moans.
She removes her fingers from my mouth, wipes them dry on her bodice. “Thank you, Chet.” She checks her watch. “I’d love to stay and discuss this further, but I’m due at the Jade Sanctum. That will be all.”
* * *
But that wasn’t all.
Because when I came home that night, a surprise lay in wait for me.
In my bed, lying against the pillow, eyes closed as if in a deep sleep…was the head of my best friend in the world, Timothy Mann.
A drop of liquid forms at the edge of my eye and slips down my cheek.
Is this…sorrow?
I’ve read about it, but I’ve never experienced it until now.
My lips twist against my will into a grin. Every emotion evokes the same physical manifestation from my oral cavity.
This is a final warning from Her Majesty. One more toe out of line and it’ll be my head next on the docket.
All this time, I thought I was immune.
I was the one who could play with Her Majesty. Push her buttons.
But now she’s drawn a line.
Even I am not allowed to cross her.
I gave my purity to her.
I gave my life to her.
And it wasn’t enough to save Tim.
I cradle the head of my best friend in my hands and then kiss it on the lips.
I will do what I must to bring Her Majesty to her knees.
I will achieve justice for Tim, for all the others. Even if it means taking myself down in the process.
I know now where my allegiances lie.
At least… I know where they lie for the time being.