Reading the Dice

Story 7: Gumshoe Show

Dice Roll: key, skyscraper, flower, abacus, scales, eye, footprint, fiend shadow, house

Detective Kenny quickly locked the door to his office, pocketing his key. He was late, and she was going to be furious. He hurried to the elevator and punched the number 28. The little room rose, then finally the high-pitched ding let him know the doors were about to open.

As soon as the doors were wide enough, he walked out and down the hallway, straightening his tie and fussing with the bouquet in his hands. He knocked on a door that read: Kate Miller, Accountant.

The door swung open and Kate fixed him with a glare, hands on her hips; "You're late."

"I'm sorry," Kenny replied. He held out the flowers. "Here. For you."

Kate took them with a frown, then laughed when she saw the ragged bundle of petals. "When did you buy these? Last week? Only one flower is even still alive!" She turned and went into her office, leaving the door open.

Kenny followed her inside, carefully shutting the door behind him. Kate was placing a vase with a single chrysanthemum on her desk. Kenny spied the rest of the bouquet in the trash can. Kenny walked over to her desk, eyes roving the shelf on the wall behind. Several trophies and awards cluttered the shelf, gold plating dusty and muted. He smiled a little to note that the only two items on her shelf that weren't dusty were the abacus and scales he'd given her on their second date, after she'd spent their first date complaining about being nothing but a calculator to some people.

"Shall we go?" Kenny asked, looking at his watch. "The show starts in ten minutes."

"Yes. We'd've had time for dinner before the show, if only someone could be on time." She looked at him pointedly. "Now we'll have to wait until after, and all the best places will be full."

"Had a breakthrough in a case," he said with a shrug. "Couldn't quit halfway."

She smirked and took his arm as they went out the door. "I'll remind you of that the next time I catch you trying to sneak out of the opera during the intermission!"

They took the elevator down to the main floor and walked out of the office building. As they walked hand-in-hand down the sidewalk, Kenny caught a glimpse of their shadows against the wall and smiled.

Suddenly, behind their shadows, another, bigger shadow appeared. Kenny stopped and whirled around, pushing Kate against the wall.

A tall, burly man in a black ski mask leered at them. "Hand over your money and no one gets hurt."

Kenny glanced at Kate. She stammered, "I—I left my purse at my office. I don't have any money."

"Money!" the man shouted. "Now!"

Kenny pulled a wallet out of his pocket and handed it over.

The man turned and ran away, dodging into an alley, disappearing from view.

"What?" Kate gasped. "You—you didn't even try—"

"Calm down and call the police, dear," Kenny interrupted calmly. "He won't get away for long. Or did you forget who I am?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Detective Kenny Clark. Private Eye."

"Did you notice he ran with a limp? And that his left eyelid drooped?"

"No. I just saw you hand over your wallet without even so much as a cough. I've seen you argue with maitre d's more vehemently!" She pulled out her phone with a huff and turned her back to him.

While she called, he wandered down the sidewalk, then stopped to look down the alley where the thief had disappeared. He chuckled as he spotted the footprints in the mud.

As Kate walked up, he pointed to the prints. "Look. It's almost too easy."

"Cops're notified. I suppose our tickets were in that wallet?"

"Yes. Sorry, dear, I guess I'll owe you another show some other night." He gestured down the alley. "How about we retrieve my wallet and I'll take you to a nice dinner?"

"Fine." She pulled her coat closer around herself, then gestured to him. "Detectives first. I know how you feel about people messing up your evidence."

He smiled and walked down the alley. "Never fear, Kate. This won't take long." They walked down the alley single-file.

When the alley opened up onto another street, they stopped. Kenny looked all around, studying the ground and the buildings. He turned to the right.

"This way," he said, pointing to the muddy scuff marks on the sidewalk. "Keep your eyes open, and watch for signs that he made another turn."

They followed the muddy prints up a sidewalk into someone's yard.

"Here?" Kenny looked at the door of the house. The muddy footprints disappeared after the top step, so the person presumably had gone inside.

"Maybe wait for the cops, Kenny," Kate suggested. "You don't know if he has friends inside. Or guns."

"Nonsense. Our boys in blue will be here shortly. In the meantime..." Kenny walked up to the door and knocked.

The door opened; a tall man with stringy brown hair stood in the doorway. He looked down at Kenny with one droopy eye. His eyes widened at the sight of the detective on his front step.

"Hello, there. I came for my wallet."

"Ah. Um. Ah. I. Um. Dunno what—"

"We followed your footprints from the alley off 14th Street. The cops are already en route," Kenny explained calmly. "I've already solved three cases today, and I'm tired and would just like a nice evening. Please don't drag this out."

"Uh."

Red and blue flashing lights lit up the yard as the cops pulled up. Several officers walked over.

"Rick Newman," one of the officers said, pushing past Kenny, "you're under arrest."

Another cop pulled Kenny aside; "Thanks for your help, Detective. We've been looking for this guy all month. He's been mugging people all over the city."

Kenny smiled at the officer as they shook hands; "Always a pleasure to do my part."

As the robber was led away, Kenny smiled at Kate; "See? I told you that wouldn't take long."

"Yes. Just long enough that we missed the opening of the show. Again." She sighed and reminded him, "And you still don't have your wallet."

He smirked and pulled a wallet from his back pocket. "That other one was just a fake. It takes more than a demand to steal from Detective Kenny. But the cops needed my help to put Newman away, so they asked for my assistance, and you know me, honey. I always get my man."

Smiling broadly, Kenny turned to face the crowd and bowed. The audience erupted into cheers and applause.