The Sleeping and the Dead by Jeff Crook Read Free Book Online Page A

Didn’t you almost marry him?” He and Cole shared a laugh. Adam watched me from the corner of his eye. He looked like he didn’t even know me. I had never told him any of this. “I heard he fled the church just before the wedding because Arkansas state troopers were waiting in the parking lot to arrest him for bigamy.” Michi laughed again, no longer angry, more like a grandmother recounting the exploits of some precocious grandchild. “Isn’t that droll?”
    â€œVery Tennessee Williams,” Cole said.
    Michi turned to me. “Your failure to brief the DA about your history with the star witness is what got you suspended, wasn’t it? It was all downhill from there.”
    â€œAnd straight to the top for you, dear Michi-san,” Cole added.
    â€œAll my life I wanted to be a luminary. I tried to marry into society. I couldn’t buy my way in, not even with my wife’s old cotton money. Honest to God I never expected I could weird my way in. People had always invited me to their parties because of my money. Write somebody a check and they’ll let you sleep anywhere. But after the trial, I became The Star of Memphis society. I found out people liked me because of my little extravagances. I have Jackie to thank for that. That’s why we’re such good friends. That’s why I always try to help her out. That’s why I can’t believe she brought the police into my house tonight, after all I have done for her, especially after her divorce. How is dear old Reed, by the way?”
    â€œFuck you for asking,” I said. “Prick.”
    â€œLook,” Adam interrupted. “We’re not here to cause any trouble, Mr. Mori. We’re just trying to find out if any of Chris’s friends know who he was meeting tonight.”
    â€œI can tell you that,” Cole said.
    â€œYou said you didn’t know.”
    â€œI didn’t know before. I know now.”
    â€œHow?”
    â€œBecause I asked,” Cole said.
    â€œJesus Christ,” Adam swore. “I’ll ask the questions, if you don’t mind.”
    â€œNot at all. I just thought I’d save you the trouble. Half them boys won’t even talk to you for fear you’ll turn their lives into a public spectacle. Like Michi said, they’re good boys. They’ll talk to me.” Cole touched Adam’s arm. The old fag could lay the butter on thick when he wanted.
    â€œAll the same…” Adam began.
    â€œOh screw that. My word is as good as theirs. Better, and I’ll testify to it if need be. Chris was supposed to be rehearsing tonight. He’s playing Banquo in a production of that Scottish play at the Lou Hale Theatre. Or I should say was playing .” Cole finished his martini and looked a little sad and tired around his Cherokee eyes.
    â€œWhich Scottish play?” I asked.
    â€œ Macbeth ,” Adam said.
    â€œOh, he is one of us, after all,” Cole said to Michi.
    â€œI told Kouyate he shouldn’t stage that thing,” Michi frowned.
    â€œWhy not?” I asked.
    Adam answered for him. “Theater people have a lot of superstitions about Macbeth , including a fear of speaking his name or quoting lines from the play anywhere but on a stage.”
    â€œBad things happen.” Cole touched his nose conspiratorially. “Nothing good ever comes of a production of Macbeth .” He gasped and clapped a hand over his mouth. “Excuse me. It’s late and I really need a drink.” He hurried away.
    â€œWe should probably talk to the manager at the Lou Hale,” Adam said to me.
    â€œYou’re not staying?” Michi asked.
    â€œNo, but I’ll need a list of people who knew Chris.”
    â€œI’ll have Cole arrange it.” Michi followed us to the door, leaning heavily on his cane and breathing in wheezing gasps between puffs of his cigarette. I knew the extremity of his decrepitude was just a show