Part 14 (2/2)
Nicki returned and slid beside me. I realized she'd excused herself so Charlie and I could have a few moments alone. Maybe she wasn't as unperceptive as I thought.
I also realized I hadn't gotten around to introducing her. ”Nicki interns at the Longmont Courthouse.” I'd already filled Nicki in on Charlie's backstory. ”She's the one who found out what happened to that kid, Brian.”
”Cool,” Charlie said, still staring without a hint of self-awareness.
He smoothed a hand over what was left of his thinning hair, sucked in his gut, trying to dial up the suave and smooth Charlie from days gone past. The gesture didn't translate. Vince Vaughn in Swingers is a lot different than Vince Vaughn in, well, anything else.
”Where is Fisher?” I asked.
Charlie ignored me until I snapped my fingers and caught his attention.
”What?”
”What's going on? Why's Fisher so hot to see me? I haven't even talked to the guy since he got me that f.u.c.king job-”
”I told you it's not about the job.”
”Then what's it about? Start talking, man, or we-” I motioned between Nicki and me like we were a tag team ”-are walking out that door.”
”That place we were last night,” Charlie said, accepting he couldn't hold me off any longer.
”North River. What about it?”
He had been busting my b.a.l.l.s so hard over being there I was surprised he recognized the name.
”When I told Fisher about it-”
”Told Fisher about what?”
”North River.”
”When did you tell Fisher about North River? How often do you guys talk?”
”I don't know. Every day?”
”Every day? Are you in a long-distance relations.h.i.+p now?” I looked at Nicki, who broke into a grin, entertained by the witty banter. ”What the f.u.c.k?”
”Let's wait until Fisher gets here,” Charlie said. ”You know I'm not good explaining stuff. I start talking it's not gonna sound right.”
”I don't give a s.h.i.+t.”
”It's all connected, man.”
”What's all connected?”
”North River. Judge Roberts.” He waited. ”Last year.”
”What are you talking about?”
Nicki perked up at the mention of Roberts' name, meeting Charlie's eye, the two of them nodding in agreement. I felt stuck in an old Twilight Zone episode where everyone's gone crazy but me. One thing I'd learned about this life: the moment you believe you are the only sane man in an insane world you can rest a.s.sured you are truly f.u.c.ked.
When the front bell dinged, I knew if I turned around I'd see Fisher. I saw Fisher all right.
The last time I'd seen the guy was at my brother's wake, when I'd asked Charlie and him to drop this whole Lombardi business, forget the hard drive we'd found, the pictures. There wasn't enough evidence, and given my recent brushes with death, I wasn't jeopardizing the well-being of my wife and son.
Fisher had always been a goofy-looking little f.u.c.ker. The greasy ringlets and Dumbo ears, the wisp of p.o.r.n mustache. But still a regular guy. The man who walked toward us now sported long Jesus hair, a scruffy beard, and John Lennon gla.s.ses. He wore a tweed jacket with G.o.dd.a.m.n patches at the elbows. A full-fledged, card-carrying, New Hamps.h.i.+re hippy. He toted a leather satchel, too, like some professor at a liberal arts college, or maybe, y'know, a poet.
I panned across to Charlie, who seemed unfazed by our friend's new appearance, which meant he'd seen him recently, further adding to the sensation that everybody was in on the joke but me.
Fisher stopped at the table and dropped the bag, which landed with a thump.
We all turned.
”We got him,” he said.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
”YOU SURE SCREWED the pooch, eh, Porter?” Fisher said, sliding into the spot next to Charlie. Despite the radical fringe wardrobe, he was the same smart-a.s.s Fisher. ”Involuntary leave? Ouch.”
I didn't bother correcting him that my temporary break had turned permanent vacation.
For as uncouth and cra.s.s as Fisher could be, at least when he saw Nicki he had the decency to act like a civilized human being and not some knuckle-dragging troglodyte looking to club his next conquest.
”h.e.l.lo,” he said, reaching over the table for a respectful handshake. ”Fisher.”
I was relieved they didn't already know each other, given the conspiratorial vibe enveloping the table.
”Just Fisher?” she responded, teasing. ”No first name?”
”Nah, when you're this big, the one is enough. I'm like Sting.”
Nicki returned a dumbfounded stare.
”He's a singer-”
”I'm messing with you. I know who The Police are.” Then she turned to me. ”And I've seen Fatal Attraction.” Her voice went up a shrill octave. ”I'm not gonna be ignored, Dan.”
”Okay, Fisher,” I said. ”What's this all about? Charlie dragged me out here. There's a storm blowing in. I had to call Nicki for a ride-”
”That case you're looking into,” Fisher said.
”I'm not looking into any case. In fact, I'm not even working at NEI anymore.”
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