The Curious Case of the Two Dirk Gentlys

14: House Guests

By the time Svald settled down in the living room of his two bedroom household the light rain had turned into a full on thunder storm. Sheet lightening flashed across the night sky as he wrote up the day's events. He sat in his green armchair scribbling everything on paper under a warm reading light. He accounted for the disappearances, the group's speculations, and the presence of the other Dirk Gently, the man he never thought he'd get to meet.

The rap at the door came at around quarter past eight. Svald raised his eyebrow. He was used to a private life even in the most extreme of cases. In his experiences unsuspected guests were an inconvenient rarity at best and a sudden disaster at worst. He got up to answer anyway. If the universe sent him a visitor it was only polite that he accept them, no matter how little he wanted them.

Stood on his doorstep, lined by the glow of the street light, was Richard. His face was painted with frustration having been dragged away from his own dry hotel room. In front of him stood Todd and Dirk, both drenched from head to toe.

"I went out for a bite to eat and I found these two wandering around by themselves." Said Richard as he softly shoved them into Svald's hallway.

"That's great. What do you expect me to do with them?" Asked Svald.

"Well they can't stay with me." Replied Richard.

"Didn't you two think to book a hotel or something?" Svald scowled. The two men looked down at their feet. Even though they hadn't technically done anything they couldn't help but feel guilty.

"We did. We're just 90% sure the police are looking for us." Explained Todd.

"What did you do?" Svald grumbled. Once again Todd found himself flashing back to his childhood. All that disappointment, still stupid pigtails.

"Nothing. We are innocent, law abiding citizens...in this country at least." Said Dirk.

"I won't question what that means." Said Svald.

"That's probably for the best." Todd nodded.

"Fine. Come on in." He ushered the pair into the living room before turning back to Richard. Richard's eyes followed the Americans. Such strange people, such curiously strange people.

"Something's off about these two. I feel like I've met the tall one before." Said Richard.

"What makes you say that?" Asked Svald.

"I don't know. Something about him is just so...familar." Richard shrugged.

"You've been to America. You might have just bumped into him in the street." Svald speculated.

"Maybe." Said Richard.

"Well be sure to tell me as soon as you remember." Said Svald.

"Why? Do you think it's important?" Asked Richard.

"Not at all. But you can't expect me not to be curious." Svald smiled.

"Goodnight, Svald." Richard chuckled.

"Goodnight, Richard." Replied Svald as he closed the door. He let out a deep sigh before returning to his two house guests. They had both made themselves comfortable on his sofa, though Dirk was using it wrong. He sat on the arm closest to the door while Todd sat in the seat furthest away. Svald sighed again, this time much quieter as not to be noticed.

"You have a lovely house, Mr Cjelli." Said Todd as he looked around the room. It was awfully dark but cosy and peaceful. Unlike the office the whole place was frightfully unorganised with cards and newspapers from many years past littered in random places.

"Thank you. I aim to please." A lie, of course, but the professional manner had to remain until the Americans were back where they belonged. He couldn't risk alienating them. We wasn't through with them yet. "There's a spare room upstairs that you can share. Bathrooms at the top of the stairs. If you can find food in the fridge you can have it but I giggly doubt it. Mine is the second room on the left. Go in their and I shoot you with a harpoon gun."

"You have a harpoon gun?" Asked Dirk.

"I know where to get one." Svald nodded firmly.