Ambient 06 - Going, Going, Gone

nitwit rummaging through my ancestral laundry. I was sure Bennett somehow had a hand in this, somewhere; he always gave me the impression he suspected, he just never came out with it. I would have given it all deeper thought, but a voice I heard as I exited caught my attention.
    »Walter.«
    There they were, both my mutts bounding toward me. Seeing them, seeing how especially good Eulie looked, I instinctively switched into beach-strut mode, drawing in the gut so that no part of it would be visible. Then I thought of the genealogical voyeurs still hanging out in the bar, and decided we’d better make tracks. »Hi hi. Around the corner, ladies,« I told them, leaning forward to cut wind resistance as I ankled past them double-time. »Come on, follow me.« I steered my dusky delights down 18th and then up Park. They dressed down in daylight. Eulie wore an orange mini and knee-high boots – no jacket, coat or stockings. Even on the run I could see her pipestems pimpling up like plucked drumsticks. Big Mama wore leather, nothing but the old shiny shiny from bootsoles to collar. Looked like she came straight out of one of those magazines for special audiences. Inverted cross earrings dangled off her lobes, and I wondered if she was Cainite. As we kept up the pace I saw the stares were starting to load up, and figured we’d better slow down before we reached critical mass. Once on 21 st east of Park I stopped at midblock and signalled they should join me. »OK, this is good.«
    »What disconcerts, Walter?« Eulie asked, laying one of her little paws on my arm. Let me tell you, that charged my battery right up. »You’re uncoloured.«
    I nodded. »Damn right. So are you if they ask.« Looking behind us, I checked to be sure we hadn’t been tailed. Gave the surroundings a quick check, now that I knew Mammy’s boys could be playing Weegee on me whenever I wasn’t looking. Lovely Eulie batted those lashes and my knees started clicking like castanets. Chlojo, idling, gave a hot dog cart a come-hither look. She licked her lips like she was deciding whether she should eat hot dogs or hot dog man first. »Those were your supervisories?« Eulie asked.
    »You went in the bar?«
    »We sighted from without.«
    »The guy who was sitting on my right, he’s my boss. The other three, they’re bad news. Blondie’s all ubermensch and a mile wide, he’s onto you two –«
    Eulie didn’t appear to hear a word I said. »Walter, privacy essentials. Can we shack with you?«
    My jaw dropped like I’d been poleaxed. »How’s that?«
    »Go to your pad,« she said. When I gave her peepers a closer gander I gathered she’d almost hit the bull’s eye when she first tried her line but it hadn’t quite come out as she planned. »Is it safe?«
    »Come on.«
    I ran them down 21 st to Third, where we stood and waited for the light to change blue. The uptown clattered along the tracks overhead; it was a sunny day, and venetian-blind shadows ran the length of the avenue. Chlojo nearly bumped into a bum lowering his string down a sewer grate, fishing for change. A firetruck rolled by, and from the looks the gals were getting I suspected they’d try to roll by again.
    »Where’ve you two been?« I asked. »You said you’d be dropping back by. I could have died of old age at this rate –«
    »Are you still sighting?« Eulie asked. Other people in passing cars gave Chlojo stares like she was the Loch Ness monster. One poor dope nearly slammed into an El stanchion before swerving back into his lane, nearly clipping a Seven Santini Brothers van.
    »The ghosts?«
    She nodded, and as we crossed the street I filled her in. »I bring in spookarama in stereo every night.« I guided them down Third, past the pawn shops and thrift stores and bars. »Mornings, too. Sometimes they try to talk to me. I don’t know if talk’s the right word. They know my name. He does at least.« Sweet petite looked like I’d told her the sun was made out of cream cheese. »But he’s all transmit and no receive.«
    »They speak directly to you?«
    »How’d they find out my name?«
    »Unknown,« she said. I never saw anyone look so worried as she always did.
    »No matter,« I said. »Now when we get to 18 th we’re going to go through the building next door, go up to the roof and cross over that way, just to be on the safe side.«
    »Walter, there’s something you need knowing.«
    »What’s that –?« I started to say, but was interrupted.
    » Hey!! Mama!« some