This time I was given the words Dame, Betrayed and Foggy. I knew she’d be trouble the moment she walked through my door but, like a damn fool, I thought that the trouble would be worth it. The dame was a real beauty, legs that seemed to take up most of her height and wearing a dress to show them off properly. She sauntered in, not bothering to knock, and sat on the edge of my desk.
Me? My name is Fitzgerald, Barney Fitzgerald, but everybody just calls me Fitz. And that’s what she did once she was perched. “Hi, Fitz,” she said. I looked her up and down, taking my time. No dame dresses that way, or acts that way, if she doesn’t want some kind of attention. Only looked mind – I might have been down on my luck, but I’m still a gentleman. “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure, miss…” I replied, bringing all of my suaveness to bear. “Hutchinson.” Her reply was short but did it’s job. It told me her name, and also told me that she didn’t intend to tell me anything else. I doubted it was her real name. You simply can’t trust anybody these days. “You got some kind of problem, Miss Hutchinson, or are you simply here to add some much needed decoration to my office?” “I need your help, Fitz.” “You and every other lost soul who walks through that door, Miss Hutchinson. You probably noticed when you walked in that this is an office, not a church, so I’m going to need more information, and some payment.” “I’m afraid I can’t offer a retainer, Mr Fitz – my husband as betrayed me. I brought all of wealth to our marriage, and I thought he loved me. But he’s run away with every cent. I need you to track him down for me, so I can get my money back. Once you do that, I can repay you everything, Mr Fitz. Everything – and then some. You see if I can’t.” I walked over to the window and looked out at the foggy night. I didn’t want to look at her for this part of the conversation – looking at her made everything confusing. “Mrs Hutchinson,” I said once I was safely looking the other way. “You seem to be asking me to do a great deal of work for only a promise of payment if I succeed. It’s not the way I usually work.” I saw sure I saw something below me on the street, moving into my building, but her hand on my shoulder soon drew my attention away from that. “Mr Fitz, I’m a damsel in distress, and I need you to be my knight in armour. And once we find my rat of a husband, I’d be very grateful to you.” That was what I was afraid of. I took a deep breath, preparing to answer her. The smart answer was no. I was resolved. I was going to say it. I even opened my mouth, but the door burst open. A man was stood there with a gun, and he was pointing it at her back. Instinct took over, and I drew my own weapon and fired at him first. His bullet went wide, shattering an old lamp. Mine flew true, and he fell. “Alright, Mrs Hutchinson,” I said. “I’ll take your case.” Nobody tries to kill somebody in my office.
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October 2021
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