The Body: A Crime Thriller Story (Digital Part One) Read online

  “Clap three times.” Again, that slight hint of pride came through in Grainger’s voice, but all Flight could hear was the old jingle from the commercials. Nonetheless, he clapped three times and soft fluorescent light filled the office. It revealed an almost stereotypical office for a modern computer design type. There were framed posters for video games covering the walls, nine or ten computer monitors arranged in a semi-circle on a massive desk and six or seven PC towers, any one of which probably cost more than Flight’s mid-level sedan.

  He got closer to the body. The knife wasn’t bone, though it was meant to appear to be—or more accurately, it was meant to appear to be an entire skeleton. Flight imagined it was some kind of resin casting, and the knife was one of those that wannabe warriors ordered along with reproductions of Excalibur and the One Ring from catalogs and the internet. The skeleton on the hilt had red rhinestones in the eye sockets and tiny bits of painted flesh along the ribcage. All in all, it was probably pretty menacing for a sixteen year old who spent his days in realms pretending to be an elf.

  Still, it was a good weapon if you had to investigate a murder. There couldn’t be too many of them out there, and once he’d tracked down the manufacturer, it would be simple to locate the handful of people in the city who had one. “Ever seen this knife before?”

  “Sure, lots of times.” Flight stood and turned to Grainger, who seemed to have no inkling of the significance of the statement.

  “Who’s is it?”

  Grainger didn’t reply. He walked across the room and opened a supply closet so integrated into the design Flight hadn’t seen it. There were nine or ten boxes about eighteen inches long, a foot wide, and a foot tall inside. He pulled one out and opened the flaps and then reached inside, withdrawing in a loosely wrapped cellophane package a perfect twin to the knife in the body. He brought it to Flight.

  The blade was about nine inches, vaguely similar to a bowie, and it was etched with what were likely supposed to be runes. It was a plaything, not a weapon, though any knife worked well when it was sliding into someone’s back. It wasn’t very heavy, likely a cheap alloy with just enough lead and antimony to make it look dull and ancient. Etched calligraphy on the blade read SKULL KINGDOM II.

  “We made five thousand of these for Comicon last year. Bubba kept ten dozen and we gave the rest away.”

  Flight pointed at the body. “Is that Bubba? You called Tommy, Bubba?”

  Grainger nodded solemnly, and Flight caught a hint of fear behind his eyes. It wasn’t the kind of fear suspects displayed, but the kind of fear children showed when they found out their friend or teacher or parent died, a sudden understanding of mortality that had never previously been considered. The kid was in college at thirteen, had a doctorate at twenty. Flight wondered how much longer he’d be a child.

  “They’re going to want to question you, Mr. Grainger, but we’re going to wait until I’ve questioned you, okay?”

  “Uh, okay.” Flight looked nervously behind him.

  “Is there a way out of here that doesn’t involve that hallway?”

  “Yeah. There’s a stairway next to the screen.” Flight hadn’t seen it.

  “Sir? The police are here.” The radio had nearly no static. Very high quality.

  “I’ll be right out.” He put the radio down and looked at Grainger. “Go to your office, tell your secretary you have a meeting, and leave. Go to breakfast or something.” He reached into his breast pocket, pulled out a business card, and handed it to him. “I’ll call later. Don’t answer your cell phone unless it comes from this number. Do you understand?”

  “Yes.”

  Flight smiled and put his hand on Grainger’s shoulder and received a grateful smile in return. “We’re gonna get you through this, but get the fuck out of here now, okay.”

  Grainger nodded and walked near the screen. He pressed another invisible button, and the wall slid open revealing a well-lit stairway. When it closed behind the CEO, Flight walked toward the hallway and the police.

  It was going to be a long day.