(He and Sable were going to be in on it together.) Alas, we make do with what we have. I hope you all enjoy the latest chapter. Every once in a while I get worried that I'm losing my tone, I must admit.--------------------------------------
The bookstore's paneled wood door swings open with a creak and the delicate jingle of a bell. The interior is roughly paneled, cedar wainscoting, cigar smoke, and the scents of bookbinder's paste and paper all blending into a quiet, homey atmosphere that made the place seem more like a favorite grandfather's study than a storefront. You almost don't notice the heavy, steel shutters over the windows, with their industrial locks. The proprietor has a singular obsession with zombie preparedness. Not only is this one of the most fortified sites in town, but he's got enough spare ammunition, food, and medical supplies to keep a fair number of people alive for a couple of weeks, were the zombocalypse were to occur. Jediguy also joins Wynni for meetings of the "people who keep double-barreled shotguns behind the counter" club. Jedi's recently added a scoped hunting rifle to his collection too, for those times when the living dead are just a hair out of buckshot range. The long arms hang on decorative plaques near the counter, and gleam like they've just been cleaned. Jedi must have been out to the range with them lately; I know he practices regularly. As close as undead-disaster-preparedness is to Jedi's heart, his real passion is still this bookstore. He keeps the faith for the little-read and highlights the well-deserving unknowns here, trying to get them some of the attention they wouldn't get any other way. He keeps the Writer's Borough flowing with fresh creative juices. Or at least he tries. A lot of the time, the store's pretty lonely inside. It's unfortunate, and I feel all the worse for it, because I'm one of those faces that should spend time here and doesn't. I make a new resolution to change that, one that I already know I'll end up breaking in the end.
Jedi's not watching the front of the store, but I spot a fluffy white cat stocking shelves. Mari's a close friend to Jedi, and they've got some history between them. There's still a some chemistry and sparks between the fox and the cat, but I don't know if they're actually sharing sheets. We're like the military, Jedi and I: I don't ask and he doesn't tell. "He in the back?" I ask Mari, as she reaches down to gather a few more backwards-written-like-Japan comic books. Always reminds me of Spiffman when I see that stuff, on account of his intentional mispronunciation of it as "mango," and I damn near shed a tear for those that have already passed. I hope I won't be mourning Jedi or Sable any time soon. Or Lupe, for that matter. Mari looks up at me with clear gray eyes, almost frightening in their intensity. That look reminds me again of why Jedi got with her in the first place. She inclines her head and then jerks it toward the storeroom behind the rear stacks. "Thanks," I murmur and leave her to her work.
Jedi's a bit tall and built for a pure-bred fox, but he's still got some of the rangy look to him. His white-tipped russet ears flick and bob through a moussed-up emo-rock mop of black hair to the music playing in his headphones. He flips a three inch butterfly knife idly around one hand, spinning it through his digits with a careless ease born of practice and a willful disregard for having fingers. He's using the knife as a box cutter, opening a bunch of packages of fresh books, so recently printed that the ink still smells wet. I suppose my own scent, musk and asphalt, so different from the bookbinder's odor of this part of town, gave me away as he turns to me and grins. "Hey, Av. Good to see you." He snaps the knife shut with a quick roll of his wrist.
"Jedi," I return the smile and take his offered hand. "Always feels like it's been too long. How's the business?"
"Eh, like an AA meeting in Dublin on Saint Paddy's, but I'm getting by. How's the private dicking?"
"If I told you, it wouldn't be private any more," I joke, my tongue planted between my teeth in a lighthearted loll, "A gentleman never kisses and tells. Honest truth? It's a grind. Too much [censored] is going down in this town lately."
"Yeah, I heard about Sable." There isn't a lot of love lost between Sable and Jedi, but that's more because of perceived slights between the two of them than anything really concrete. Jedi usually regards Sable as a bit of a troublemaker, and Sable thinks that Jedi's still kind of a loud-mouthed newbie. Sable'd been pretty mistrustful when Jedi'd earned his badge, but since then, the husky had privately decided that Jedi is a decent guy. I'm sworn to secrecy on that one, though: Sable loves hir reputation too much to let it out that shi doesn't have a real problem with the fox. Besides, shi regards the mild semi-hostilities as being too much fun to end. In any event, while they might not like each other particularly well, they don't actually hate each other either.
"Fact of the matter is that I'm here about that. Where were you this morning?" I wink to let him know the question is at least half in jest. Jedi laughs.
"I hate to disappoint you, man, but I've been here since before dawn." I frown. That's not exactly what I'd expected to hear. I wasn't counting on an alibi, but since when did Jedi get to the shop before dawn?
"That's a hell of an early morning. What happened?"
"Ehh, had to do some big changes to the stocking and move a bunch of novels around. Not fun stuff. Sometimes owning your own business is a major pain in the [censored]." I shake my head in sympathy.
"I know exactly what you mean." I shoot him an empathetic half-smile. "And speaking of ways that the job's a pain in the [censored], do you know where I can find Fast?" Jedi bites his lip. Not a good sign.
"[censored]'s actually the reason I was stuck here this morning. Fast skipped town late last night. He told me that he wanted more time for his personal endeavors, and that he didn't like what this place is becoming. So, without much fanfare, he just packed his stuff up and left. Now I've got to struggle to keep this here bookstore open without a powerhouse like Canid keeping people streaming in." Jedi sighs and runs one hand through his hair while he spins the knife around with the other. I'm pretty sure everybody who knows Jedi is just waiting for that nervous tic to get him in trouble. "I've still got some connections with him, if you really need to have words with the 'yote, but I wouldn't expect to see him around here anymore."
I frown. There's an old adage, common to any forum, that those who make a big production about leaving are bound to come back, and those who disappear into the night are gone for good. In my experience, it's absolutely true. I can't really rule out FastChapter's involvement in the attempt on Sable's life, but I can't investigate him further either, not if he's really skipped town and isn't coming back. But I think he's probably clean...After all, why would he leave because he doesn't like what this town is turning into when the person he disagrees with the most just got shot in the neck? I sigh. Looks like I'll have to keep crossing names off the list of people who had a beef with Sable. At least that's one big, bold name down. "Alright, thanks, Jedi. I appreciate the word. I'll just have to keep poking around."
Jedi gives me a snort of laughter. "I hear you're good at that."
"Yeah? V might argue," I chuckle. "Good luck. If you need a hand, you know how to find me."
Jedi nods. "Take care, man. I'll let you know if I hear anything that might help you out too."
I give Jedi a little wave over my shoulder and head out of the store. I nod goodbye to Mari as I pass, and push the door open, stepping out into crisp outside air. I light a new cigarette, shove my hands into my pockets, and pause, my eyes narrowing. Somebody in the morning crowd is watching me instead of admiring the books in the window.
