Chapter 33 – Programs: Foreseen, Seen, and Unforeseen
After venting her reservations to Clint, Miss Jade resigned herself to perform in the production. Jasmine had e-mailed the public relations officer her measurements the day the notice arrived while she was still overwhelmed by the surprise.
All eyes were focused on Precious Monday afternoon as she was carried off the escalator by her proud mother into the lobby, accompanied by her executive entourage. Dweeb conveyed the designer frock hung on a padded hanger and concealed by a black billowing veil of moiré silk. Passing under the lobby lights, the variegated waves in the flowing fabric iridescently suggested a myriad of infinitesimal rainbows. Mr. Dorky also cradled a decorative shoe-box.
Due to the diversion, Mick was unnoticed when he casually walked to the pay phone in the employee's break room, slid a handful of quarters into the slot, and called his former partner, Sergeant of Detectives Isaac Bold. Mick overrode Bold's immediate reprimands, "Look, Isaac, I know I owe you an explanation, but it will have to wait. Did you identify the man and work up a precis on his history?"
Bold abandoned the badgering and turned serious, replying in a clipped baritone, "I can't summarize a nonexistent past on an unknown person."
"You didn't find a match for those prints?"
"Those prints aren't on file anywhere in our system. I didn't run them through Interpol. To do so without authorization would have raised official questions I obviously couldn't answer." Isaac paused before quietly adding, "I'm sorry; I couldn't find any information for you."
"On the contrary, Ol' Pardner," Loneshark countered, affecting the western accent that had surrounded him for months. The detective continued in his former, sharp, Chicago cop's voice, "Thanks, Bold! You have provided me with a wealth of negative information."
Bold's voice deepened to a grave bass, "You know I never apologize twice."
"There's no reason; I was serious about the negative intelligence."
"What do you mean?"
"Negative, as in not!" Loneshark clarified. "We now know the man in question has not been arrested in this country, was not a member of any branch of our armed services, and has not been vetted by any extensive background checks for employment requiring fingerprints."
"Then I guess you owe me for supplying those valuable facts," Bold smoothly rejoined.
Mick smiled reminiscently. "I've got to go!"
Bold blustered, "Loneshark, you vanished without a word. You can, at least, tell me what you're doing."
"I'm a security guard," the detective admitted airily and disconnected.
