Ghost of a Chance

“I too wish to thank you,” Shiro said. “You rendered my son a great service, at no small cost. I would like to reimburse you for your time and your materials. Is five hundred enough?”

Alex expected Iggy to object but instead he inclined his head.

“Five hundred is far too generous,” he said. “The rune costs me one hundred and fifty dollars in materials, plus ten dollars for my time and a dollar-fifty for the cab ride both ways. Call it one-seventy?”

Shiro took out a billfold made of alligator leather and pulled two, fresh hundred-dollar bills from it.

“Let’s say two hundred,” he countered. “To offer less would be to insult my son’s worth.”

“I wouldn’t dream of making you do that,” Iggy said with a smile, and he accepted the money.

Shiro bowed again, then turned to Alex. His eyes dropped for a moment to Alex’s bandaged hand, then he looked up to his face again.

“Dr. Themopolis also tells me that you jumped in front of Daniel when someone started shooting with a machine gun.”

“He’d have done it for me,” Alex said. He wasn’t trying to be humble, it was the simple truth.

“I have no doubt,” Shiro said, smiling. “Still, I value my son’s life very much and I am grateful that you took the risk to save him.”

He stood and bowed deeply to Alex. Not really knowing what to do, Alex sat where he was.

“Last year, you came to my work to ask me a question,” Shiro said, sitting back down. “I remember it very well. You’d be surprised how many people want my help and then ask stupid or foolish questions. Yours was refreshingly well thought out.”

“Thanks?” Alex said, still not sure where Shiro was going.

“At the time, I told you never to return, unless you wanted dumplings.”

Alex chuckled.

“I remember.”

“In return for your service to my son, I am rescinding that order,” Shiro said. “If you ever need my help again, I will answer one question from you, to the best of my ability.”

Alex felt gooseflesh run up his arm. Shiro Takahashi had just offered him something for which other men would pay handsomely. He wondered if there were hidden strings that might come with such an offer? In any case, it was probably best if Alex only used his question in the direst of need.

“Thank you,” he said, amazed.

“Well,” Shiro said, standing. “I’ve taken up enough of your afternoon. I would like to invite you both to come and dine at the Lucky Dragon with me.” He turned to Iggy. “Danny tells me that you are a connoisseur of fine food, so I’ll have the chef make you something special. Next week, perhaps.”

“Delighted,” Iggy beamed.

Shiro bowed to both of them, then shook their hands and left with his doctor in tow.

“Now I’m hungry,” Iggy complained once they’d gone. “You want a plate of something?”

Alex shook his head. He suddenly felt as if he couldn’t keep his eyes open.

“I’ve had enough excitement for one day,” he said. “I’m going to bed.”

30 The Day After

Despite going to bed in the late afternoon, Alex slept clear through until the following morning. Despite all that sleep, it still took him four cups of coffee to wake up enough to get to his office by nine.

Even with a head start, Leslie still managed to beat him into the office. As a result, she had a stack of work ready and waiting for him. He’d given Billy Tasker a hard time for imperiling his relationship with the police, but he had to admit, walk-in business had picked up since the stories about the Runewright Detective had appeared in the tabloid.

Alex spent the next few hours calling potential clients and making appointments to use finding runes or do research for clients who wanted information found. By the time his intercom buzzed, it was nearing lunch.

“You have a visitor,” Leslie said, somewhat enigmatically, when he answered.

Exiting his office, Alex found Gary and Marjorie Bickman waiting for him. Both of them beamed at him.

“Thank you so much, Alex,” Marjorie said, stepping up to give him the hug that her very proper British husband never could.

Alex was a little taken aback since he’d seen, and been thanked, by both of them only last week.

“Master Barton paid us an advance to help make up for the money the Atwoods absconded with,” Gary said, holding out a white envelope. “Since the master provides us an apartment, we don’t need very much, and we wanted to make sure you were paid.”

Alex took the envelope without looking inside and tucked it into his inner jacket pocket with his rune book. He then shook Gary’s hand and got another hug from Marjorie.

“If there’s ever anything we can do for you,” Gary said, putting his arm around his wife.

“Just tell anybody who might need some help to look me up,” Alex said with a smile, then he bade them goodbye and they left, arm in arm.

Alex took the envelope out and dropped it on Leslie’s desk.

“If that’s the hundred bucks they owed me, it should catch you up on your back pay,” he said.

Leslie picked up the envelope and pulled out a fifty, two twenties, and a ten.