The Night Beat

suggested. “Might have been afraid to let you know he was a bad guy.”
    Cotton nodded. “Yes, you may be correct. I never dealt with anyone identifying as Anthony Tomio, but in recent months, there was a Tony, called himself Tony T. He was also looking for the book that Nero wanted, but Nero had claimed it first. However, he was satisfied with an ancient scroll.”
    “Sounds like our man,” Jack said. “Title on that scroll?”
    “The Calling of the Many . Quite old, Sumerian, I believe.”
    “I see.” Jack nodded. “Mind if we take a look around?”
    “I’m not harboring criminals, young man.”
    “Oh, nothing of the sort insinuated.” Jack gave Cotton his “humoring the unknowing witness” smile. It was a good one, and worked nine times out of ten. “You just have some fascinating merchandise. I’d like to take a fast look.”
    Cotton seemed about to argue. I knew what to do. “Oh, come on, Jack. We need to find Tomio and Nero. We don’t have time to lollygag.”
    Cotton shot me a look of pure disdain. “Young man, by all means, feel free to look at anything and everything. Take your time. Call me if you spot anything you want to take a closer look at or even purchase. I offer a ten percent discount for all Necropolis Enforcement personnel, and I’d be happy to extend the same to the Prosaic City Police as well.”
    “Speaking of which, did any human uniforms ever come in here?” I did my best to keep my tone reasonably uninterested. It was a shot in the dark, but most of this investigation was based so far on wild guesses that were turning out horribly right.
    Cotton nodded. “They came in, to check on things.”
    “Don’t take this the wrong way, but, how in the world didn’t they notice you were a ghost?” I’d known this being for my entire undead existence and he’d never once not looked like a ghost to me.
    Cotton didn’t look like he wanted to answer, but Jack backed me. “Honestly, Mister Mather, that’s a good question. And it could be important to our investigation.”
    Cotton sighed. “Well, it’s a simple thing, really.” He pulled a small device out of his pocket. It looked like a cigarette lighter, one of the nicer kind. He flicked it, and suddenly he looked human and solid.
    “That’s how he always looked to me,” Sexy Cindy said quietly. “Didn’t know he was a ghost until tonight.”
    I managed to hold on to my temper. I also managed to speak calmly. “So, Cotton, you’re using an Enhancer, right?”
    “Of course.” He said it like it was of no consequence.
    “You realize that a powerful witch or warlock created that, right?”
    He shrugged. “Yes, again, of course.”
    “And you have no problem using it?”
    “None whatsoever. Victoria, do you have a point?”
    Jack nudged me as he turned and started wandering the shop. I shook my head. “Nope, no point. Just mentioning it for Cindy and Freddy’s sake. They’re new. Learning and all.” I figured mentioning his massive hypocrisy wouldn’t do anything other than earn some choice comments from Cotton and make me even angrier. He was supposedly just fine with “good” witches and warlocks now, and somehow, that was supposed to make what he’d done as a human all okay. Maybe it did for some beings, but not for me.
    Cotton looked pleased. “Excellent. Good to see you focused on helping others for a change. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have paperwork to attend to. Call if you need any assistance with the merchandise.” He turned and floated away.
    Once he was out of sight, Sexy Cindy let go of the back of my pants. “Girl, I hate him, too, but I don’t think you killing him would help us find Tomio.”
    I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Thanks. But, I thought I was pretty restrained.”
    “I figured I was gonna have to tackle you if Cindy couldn’t hold you back,” Freddy said. “Not that I can blame you.”
    “Yeah. Well, let’s figure out why Jack wants to look around.”
    “Rather hang here than go to the Salvation Center,” Sexy Cindy said.
    “Why?”
    She shrugged. “I never been in there before, but after this place and The Pleasure Palace, I’m figuring whoever runs it’s gonna be the worst kind of bad news.”
    While we wandered off to find Jack, I wondered if Sexy Cindy was going to prove prophetic. I hoped not, but the base of my tail said it was going to be a bumpy ride and we should all fasten our seatbelts.

Chapter 32
     
    Jack was working his way