The Dirty City by Jim Cogan Read Free Book Online Page B

was the one who wanted to hire me, he was against it – but she was the senior partner.
    “Walter, please. That’s enough, let Mr Jerome hear us out first.”
    “I’m all ears, sweetheart.” I could tell right away she hated being labelled with such a disposable term of endearment, I could read the disapproval in her face. Which cheered me a up a bit, I was coming to the conclusion she was a bit of a tight-ass.
    “There are some strange things going on in this city, Mr Jerome. People are going missing, the city is being flooded with cheap, plentiful supplies of an extremely dangerous and addictive narcotic-.”
    “Yep, know all that.”
    She hated being interrupted too!
    “Witnesses are reporting very unusual sightings. People, after dark who lurk in the shadows-.”
    “Dr Del-Ray, you’re describing three quarters of the underworld gangsters in the entire city.”
    “Please can you refrain from interrupting me with your petty wisecracks, there is no-one else here in this room to appreciate them.”
    Well, that told me!
    “These people, they’re described as being fast, unbelievably stealthy, impossibly strong. And they only come out at night.”
    Oh boy, I couldn’t believe it, yet more crazy talk!
    “I still don’t see what you want me to do?”
    “We want to understand what they are, Mr Jerome. And what they want with the people they’re kidnapping,” interjected Smitts.
    “Sounds really fascinating, honest – it really does,” which was my nice way of saying that this sounds like time wasting bullshit! “But, this is the stuff of teenage Halloween fiction and I’m a serious private detective, I don’t see a job for me here.”
    “Frankly, you disappoint me, Mr Jerome.” Del-Ray’s features hardened, I figured she’d finally had enough of me at that point. “Two respected academics want to hire you to investigate something of extraordinary scientific and social significance, and you’d sooner be doing what? Finding missing drug addicts and spying on unfaithful spouses?”
    “Hey, I do my best to keep an open mind, but this – this is a folly that could damage my credibility.”
    “I’m sorry you feel that way – most PI’s share your sentiment, but I was led to believe that you might be more understanding, evidently I was mistaken.”
    “I apologise if I’ve been misrepresented.”
    “This is my card, it has my contact details for me at the Institute. I would urge you, if in a few days time things start going a little bit insane, then you might actually find you need our help.” She dropped the printed card onto my desk and briskly rose from her chair, “good afternoon, Mr Jerome.”
    “And good afternoon to you, Dr Del-Ray,” I looked over at Smitts and couldn’t resist a last jibe at him, “And whatever your name was, my friend.”
    Smitts sneered and turned his nose up at me as if he’d just seen me defecate on the floor. What an asshole. She was feisty, though, but definitely a tight-ass.
    I found Del-Ray and Smitts somewhat laughable, I was an ashamed sceptic, but the days strangeness quota kept on increasing. I had to admit, it was interesting and I was curious, but I was also a realist – I had real work to do and chasing shadows was surely going to be a distraction from that, so I tried to put it out of my mind…

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 5
     
     
    With the trail on Anton Jameson going colder by the hour, I decided to change tack a little. I’d tried talking to the mob, I figured it was time to get the inside track from the cops.
    I got told once, by a pretty senior cop, that if you see a cop in his fifties, working the beat on the streets, no promotions, no upwardly rising career - still one of the guys and seemingly no aspirations to go any further, you can bet that cop is as crooked as a bag of snakes. No-one could afford to live on a patrol officers salary their whole life, let alone retire on their measly pension. It stands to reason that they must be