The sign read Throwback Investigations and Jackson Clancy, Jack to anyone that didn’t want a punch in the face, was one. Hard-boiled with a soft spot for dames with amazing gams and urchins with more spunk than brains. Ex-cop drummed off the force for doing the wrong things for all the right reasons. Oh, and broke as an off color joke in the PC age. All that and a little bad luck led him to peeking inside that window as rain sloshed over his brown fedora and overcoat.
The day before he sat in an office occupied by himself, a bottle of bourbon, and some dust bunnies, only the latter gaining substance. If he didn’t get work soon he might have to go dark side. He almost jumped out of his skin when the phone rang.
“Throwback Investigations,” Jack growled through a throat grown rough from years of going rounds with tobacco and cheap booze.
“Find out why this asshole kicked my dog!”
“You sound about nine. Too young for language like that. Way too young to hire me.”
“Grandma sent fifty bucks for my birthday.”
Fifty bucks wouldn’t even keep the lights on. Jack didn’t like the idea of taking money from the kid, and for such a stupid case. Still, how many pounds of discount ground chuck would that buy?
“Spill the address and the info. I’ll swing by and talk after I know.”
So Jack stood in the rain, watching this guy Chester, who looked like a dog kicker, through the window. The dog kicker might be a satanist with all the black candles burning around the house. Though, the gold leaf crosses on them were right side up. Then there was the dame. She had legs that made Jack want to see her kick anything. The two seemed to be a couple, a long term one from how they argued.
Things took a turn for the strange when Chester dragged another girl into the house. The first girl, the hot one, seemed pleased to see Chester mid kidnapping. What kind of sick, deviant sex game were these people into? If Jack could prove the younger woman was there against her will the reward would trump the kid’s payment. Jack would still find out why the dog got kicked though.
Jack’s cell rang. He looked at the ID and shuddered. It was never good news when the priest called.
“Father O’Reilly. I assume you’re the one that sicced the kid on me and you’ll actually be footing the bill instead of him.”
“You assume correctly. Have they started the kidnappings yet?”
“One just arrived. I assume I’m not saving her so this job is costing triple the normal fee. What do I do, and what do I need to know?”
“Find out exactly what they’re working towards and report back to me. All you need to know is they are very, very dangerous. Before you ask… especially the moll.”
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