Chapter 39 – The Heart of the Mountain
Mick arrived in Pinewhittle four days later. Loneshark swayed and swaggered into The Pancake Palace to far more congenial greetings. The detective was inundated with questions concerning his and Clint's disappearances, which he evaded with a weary smile. Mick simply ordered a large coffee to go and got his land-legs back by walking to the cabin. Loneshark arrived and built a fire, noticing the kindling in the box was getting low. "There will be enough for another start. I'm too tired to worry about refilling now," Mick thought as he leaned on the mantel and stared into the freshly crackling blaze. The covert agent turned to sit on his usual chair and spied Clint's cell phone on the table to the right of the opposite chair. With a mischievous smile, Mick opened the phone and sent Jasmine her and Clint's agreed upon emergency signal. Loneshark collapsed into his chair to wait. The exhausted detective succumbed to a non-rumbling sleep. He was soon jolted awake by the whirlwind entrance of the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. "Where's Clint?" Jasmine demanded, breathing heavily with concern. Her inquiry answered Mick's unasked question. Miss Jade didn't have knowledge of Indigence's whereabouts.
Loneshark held up the phone. "He's not here."
"What are you playing at, Deja vu?"
"Not exactly."
"Well, you look . . . and smell . . . like the first time."
"Yes." Mick's lack of either expression or inflection caused Miss Jade to stare intently before asking more calmly, "What's wrong?"
"Please sit down over there," the detective requested in the same subdued manner, weakly gesturing at Clint's customary chair. Jasmine took the seat. Their discussion continued throughout the night.
After Jasmine's departure, the covert agent showered. Mick slept most of the morning, regaining his strength. Loneshark spent the afternoon reviewing his strategies. The detective made no pretense of resuming his security guard cover. He showed up in Tyro's cubicle the morning before the anticipated apprehension. Mick systematically presented the evidence to Agent Newbee and offered to guide Tyro to the mountain peak the next morning, explaining his belief that Clint would return to the place where he cast the urn containing Cale's ashes on the anniversary of that ceremony.
Tyro was hesitant. "My orders – "
"Young Man, to command respect, you must first demand respect! Now! Are you going to sit quietly in this cube for the rest of your life, waiting for someone to remember you exist, or are
