more Devil's Gauntlet... :)
(When last we left our heroes, they had just met Elsa, the sister of Elena, now deceased. Elena was the last person to have seen the Devil's Gauntlet)
"Ahhh... erhm, my condolences, Miss," Harry replied on a cough, feeling awkward and abashed.
"Sorry for your loss, Mrs. Kincaid. I'm sure you miss her greatly." Pete, taking over smoothly for his partner, said with sincerity. "We're working diligently on finding your sister's killer, and recovering the Gauntlet but Detective Duran and I are currently stalled in the investigation, any information you may have will help us.
"That's why I swiped your phone Detective." Elsa stated without preamble. "I already know who her killer is. What I need is your help in catching the Devil.
"The two of you, brilliant as you are, will not get far without some insight and a bit of history and lore, and I need your protection, strength and knowledge of the artworld.
It's a long tale, and there's an all night coffee shop a few streets away, I don't know about you two, but I could use a steaming cup of tea. Dare I suggest we continue our discussion there?"
Harry shrugged, glancing over at Pete, "Fine, you drive."
"Alright." Pete turning again to Elsa, "Do you have a car, Mrs. Kincaid? Or would you like to go in ours? If these 'unsavory types' are tailing you, and see you're with us, it may cause them to think twice about doing anything - well - unsavory."
"Elsa, please, Detective Harding, Mrs. Kincaid sounds so old." She said with a dazzling smile. "Since I am without transport at the moment, going with the two of you would be just lovely. We can all get further acquainted on our way." Jauntily linking her arms with theirs, as if they were her brothers or long lost friends, she continued brightly with a wink, "I'm looking forward to hearing all about Detective Duran's childhood on the way!"
Harry looked down at her, mumbling something about "How every one's a comedian."
"Now Ma'am, er, Elsa, you really shouldn't scare Detective Duran like that, his poor heart can't take it." Pete told her, chuckling.
Harry just grunted and shook his head.
*******
A quarter hour later, they were comfortably ensconced in the rearmost booth of the L-shaped coffee shop. They had a clear view of the entrance, and the hallway leading to the kitchens and bathrooms.
It had that greasy fluorescent light that all aged diners had, along with the black and white checked tile floor and red booths. It smelled like onions and burnt coffee, with a hint of rotting sweetness.
Elsa had ordered herself tea and toast, and the two detectives were braving the coffee. They were sipping their beverages in a companionable silence; for a moment absorbing the warmth and calm that comes, just by holding a steaming cup.
A few moments more elapsed, when Harry turned to Pete, with his hand held out, "Pay up."
Pete sighed, and took out his wallet. He pulled out a twenty out and reluctantly handed it to Harry. "Fine, but you're getting the check."
Harry grunted in response.
Elsa raised an eyebrow and asked, "what was the wager?"
"On who the caller would be. Harry, Detective Duran, said it would be a family member. I thought it would be someone from Thule, or believe it or not some branch of security or government. They have better access and resources."
"Well, I'm sorry to be the source of your loss Detective Harding, especialy since it was to Detective Duran." Elsa's eyes twinkled with her reply.
"No worries Ma'am. I'm quite used to giving my money to Detective Duran. I get my own back by being a constant thorn in his side." Pete jovially said back.
Harry, having none of their amusement at his expense, grunted at Pete's answer, turning to Elsa, without hesitation asked her, "How did you get his number?" Cocking a finger at Pete.
"It was quite easy actually, when you were at the museum I lifted your phone from your jacket. I'm a very accomplished pick-pocket."
Harry barked out a laugh, "Really?" Sniggering, he turned to Pete, "You let her get the jump on you?"
Pete's expression was answer enough. "I don't remember anyone bumping into me or ... it was OUTSIDE the museum. I remember now. You were dressed like onr the skate boarders that hang around there, but how did you replace it?"
"I simply changed clothes in the ladies, walked past you on my way out, and slipped it back into your coat. Any accomplished petty thief wouldn't be worth their salt if they couldn't pull off a trick like that."
"Wait, if you were waiting for us at the museum, that means you already knew about your sister's death. Why not contact the authorities then? Why wait for two Art Detectives?"
"Ahh, now we get down to it." Said Elsa with a wicked grin. "Well, besides the plethora of knowledge the two of you have about many ancient artifacts, I actually based my decision to seek your assistance on an assumption. I decided that anyone who appreciates art, has to be open minded since art is subjective, and from there it was easy to make the leap."
"The leap...?" Pete asked, confused.
"Yes, that every canvas, sculpture, every piece toiled over and loved, holds a little bit of magic. That the two of you would not immediately reject that concept as lunacy." Elsa replied, for the first time sounding a bit unsure. "I hope I'm not mistaken in my assumption."
"Know what they sa - " Harry grunted as Elsa's heel connected with his shin. He then uttered something under his breath about "people dishing it out...".
Elsa glared at Harry and turned her cornflower blue eyes to Pete, "Was I wrong? You don't have the slightest curiousity? You don't feel that spark?"
"I must admit, I do feel intrigued by this particular case." Pete looked to Harry, who as usual just grunted.
Elsa smiled and placed her cup on it's saucer, "I'll take it... For now."
"Ahhh... erhm, my condolences, Miss," Harry replied on a cough, feeling awkward and abashed.
"Sorry for your loss, Mrs. Kincaid. I'm sure you miss her greatly." Pete, taking over smoothly for his partner, said with sincerity. "We're working diligently on finding your sister's killer, and recovering the Gauntlet but Detective Duran and I are currently stalled in the investigation, any information you may have will help us.
"That's why I swiped your phone Detective." Elsa stated without preamble. "I already know who her killer is. What I need is your help in catching the Devil.
"The two of you, brilliant as you are, will not get far without some insight and a bit of history and lore, and I need your protection, strength and knowledge of the artworld.
It's a long tale, and there's an all night coffee shop a few streets away, I don't know about you two, but I could use a steaming cup of tea. Dare I suggest we continue our discussion there?"
Harry shrugged, glancing over at Pete, "Fine, you drive."
"Alright." Pete turning again to Elsa, "Do you have a car, Mrs. Kincaid? Or would you like to go in ours? If these 'unsavory types' are tailing you, and see you're with us, it may cause them to think twice about doing anything - well - unsavory."
"Elsa, please, Detective Harding, Mrs. Kincaid sounds so old." She said with a dazzling smile. "Since I am without transport at the moment, going with the two of you would be just lovely. We can all get further acquainted on our way." Jauntily linking her arms with theirs, as if they were her brothers or long lost friends, she continued brightly with a wink, "I'm looking forward to hearing all about Detective Duran's childhood on the way!"
Harry looked down at her, mumbling something about "How every one's a comedian."
"Now Ma'am, er, Elsa, you really shouldn't scare Detective Duran like that, his poor heart can't take it." Pete told her, chuckling.
Harry just grunted and shook his head.
*******
A quarter hour later, they were comfortably ensconced in the rearmost booth of the L-shaped coffee shop. They had a clear view of the entrance, and the hallway leading to the kitchens and bathrooms.
It had that greasy fluorescent light that all aged diners had, along with the black and white checked tile floor and red booths. It smelled like onions and burnt coffee, with a hint of rotting sweetness.
Elsa had ordered herself tea and toast, and the two detectives were braving the coffee. They were sipping their beverages in a companionable silence; for a moment absorbing the warmth and calm that comes, just by holding a steaming cup.
A few moments more elapsed, when Harry turned to Pete, with his hand held out, "Pay up."
Pete sighed, and took out his wallet. He pulled out a twenty out and reluctantly handed it to Harry. "Fine, but you're getting the check."
Harry grunted in response.
Elsa raised an eyebrow and asked, "what was the wager?"
"On who the caller would be. Harry, Detective Duran, said it would be a family member. I thought it would be someone from Thule, or believe it or not some branch of security or government. They have better access and resources."
"Well, I'm sorry to be the source of your loss Detective Harding, especialy since it was to Detective Duran." Elsa's eyes twinkled with her reply.
"No worries Ma'am. I'm quite used to giving my money to Detective Duran. I get my own back by being a constant thorn in his side." Pete jovially said back.
Harry, having none of their amusement at his expense, grunted at Pete's answer, turning to Elsa, without hesitation asked her, "How did you get his number?" Cocking a finger at Pete.
"It was quite easy actually, when you were at the museum I lifted your phone from your jacket. I'm a very accomplished pick-pocket."
Harry barked out a laugh, "Really?" Sniggering, he turned to Pete, "You let her get the jump on you?"
Pete's expression was answer enough. "I don't remember anyone bumping into me or ... it was OUTSIDE the museum. I remember now. You were dressed like onr the skate boarders that hang around there, but how did you replace it?"
"I simply changed clothes in the ladies, walked past you on my way out, and slipped it back into your coat. Any accomplished petty thief wouldn't be worth their salt if they couldn't pull off a trick like that."
"Wait, if you were waiting for us at the museum, that means you already knew about your sister's death. Why not contact the authorities then? Why wait for two Art Detectives?"
"Ahh, now we get down to it." Said Elsa with a wicked grin. "Well, besides the plethora of knowledge the two of you have about many ancient artifacts, I actually based my decision to seek your assistance on an assumption. I decided that anyone who appreciates art, has to be open minded since art is subjective, and from there it was easy to make the leap."
"The leap...?" Pete asked, confused.
"Yes, that every canvas, sculpture, every piece toiled over and loved, holds a little bit of magic. That the two of you would not immediately reject that concept as lunacy." Elsa replied, for the first time sounding a bit unsure. "I hope I'm not mistaken in my assumption."
"Know what they sa - " Harry grunted as Elsa's heel connected with his shin. He then uttered something under his breath about "people dishing it out...".
Elsa glared at Harry and turned her cornflower blue eyes to Pete, "Was I wrong? You don't have the slightest curiousity? You don't feel that spark?"
"I must admit, I do feel intrigued by this particular case." Pete looked to Harry, who as usual just grunted.
Elsa smiled and placed her cup on it's saucer, "I'll take it... For now."