Dragonfire: A Gulliver Swift Adventure

The Man in the Skybox

It was the Nets against the 76ers; the Nets behind but catching up as the seconds counted down. Justin Larrabee II in his aerie above the Barclays Center in downtown Brooklyn was nursing a brew and live-viewing the fourth quarter through a wall of bulletproof glass almost as thick and weighty as the tumbler in his hand, frowning at a servant discreetly if belatedly removing the empties onto a silver tray.

The cheers and catcalls of the crowd in the stands below penetrated even the triple-paned soundproofing of the skybox as the Nets in a frenzied series of rebounds and a last-second slam-dunk pulled the rabbit out of the hat.

"Now that is what's called giving me my money's worth-which," in case the waiter wasn't aware, "is not what I'm getting from you. According to a lot of servers at some of the three-star restaurants I could name-which I won't because I don't want to embarrass you-you don't wait for a bunch of empties to build up on the table, you remove each one we're done with it."

"Don't blame him," said Deputy Chief Bill Vicar, stalking in, "he was barring the door saying no visitors; I had to flash my shield before he'd step aside."

"Consider yourself redeemed," a dismissal for the factotum and a frown for the official. "I said all I'm going to say about Eddie, Bill."

"It's not about Eddie, it's about who the Commissioner is bringing in to consult." Bill thought Justin would want to be the first to know.

"What do I care who she brings in? I've had people looking into it-at great expense-and I'd be shocked, you could name a consultant I wouldn't know."

"The only one you'd ever care about." The Deputy Chief let that hang in the air like the Sword of Damocles.

A beat, and then a "bullshit." How did Vicar come by this information?

"I'm a cop, I got sources I don't pull out of thin air."

"Why him?" What did he know the billionaire didn't?

"Only what they tell me, which is Rowdy used to be in his class way back when; maybe even had a thing going, the two of them. Now it's 20 years later, it could be a dinosaur fang did Eddie; what's the first thing the Commissioner says? 'Go see Swift.' All of a sudden it's old home week; she's thinking with her you-know-what and boom, he's a consultant." He grimaced. "Shooting herself in the same you-know-what, you ask me, his reputation."

"Don't underestimate Swift," Larrabee told him, uncharacteristically brusque.

"This is someone who didn't get away with the murder of my dad by being a fool; there's a first-class brain in that head. I demand he's dropped from the case and he figures it out, anyway? Suddenly we're the fools and Rowdy proves she's a terrific administrator. Gets herself elected mayor in a landslide."

"You're not going to object, she's called him in?" The notion was staggering.

"And neither are you."

"This department has handled serial killers before," Bill retorted, defensive.

"Squad's going through every shred of evidence, all three killings; I don't need an outsider coming in and stealing our thunder."

"Gulliver Swift is not going to steal your thunder," the entrepreneur said, definitive.

What was he talking? "She's bringing him over to see Lovelace while we're sitting here."

"And all he'll get to do is dig his grave-which is why, William, you and I are going to give Gulliver all the assistance he needs."

The enigmatic smile gave Vicar the willies.