My Funny Valyntine: Book One - The Pull

Chapter Twenty-Eight - When Love Goes Wrong (Nothing Goes Right)

i.

"Why?" Charleston Monk asks, visibly holding back his rage. "Why in the name of the cunt mother would you bring her here?"

"This is who they have been after," Shaw answers, sitting on the leather sofa left of the desk. "The big mute and the psychotic one have been chasing her for months. She's the reason for Mrs. Jones's niece, the riot on the docks, and the shootout in Apple between the Olivers and Vamps, and-"

"And Goodman, too, right?" Monk adds, putting the pieces together.

"That's right," Shaw agrees.

"Hearts and bones," Monk says, more to himself. He looks to Shaw, asking, "Well? The fuck is she? The fuck lured my weaver away with fucking Lament to find her?"

"I don't know."

"The fuck you mean you don't know?"

"Whoever wanted her, they brought the Traveler in to take her out." Shaw pulls out a small notebook from his pocket and flips through the pages. "Tunisia Night, the niece of Mrs. Jones, owner of The Robin's Nest, was killed instead. Looks like Night was trying to help Valyntine here, but I'm not sure why just yet. She ended up at the Nest. Been running ever since until they got cornered in Oriole."

"What about the Traveler?" Monk asks, quite interested in this part of Shaw's recounting.

"From what I can tell, shortly after he failed to take her out, a Last Call was issued across the city for 50,000 gold pieces. Less than twenty-four hours later the Last Call was called off, and the bounty was doubled to capture her alive instead. Set off a shit storm of greed and confusion that burned any truces and agreements the gangs of the upper boroughs had in place."

Charleston Monk stares at Valyntine through the cloud of smoke from his thick cigar.

Shaw continues, "A rumor spread that someone spotted them on the docks in Moonburn Port. Every dropper in the East descended. It turned into a riot. Someone managed to nab her in the melee. They brought her to the Good Man in Apple District for an exchange. Looks like Goodman tried to double-cross whoever delivered her and that's when the gangs showed up. These two, somehow, escaped that fiasco and made it back to the Nest."

"And that's when Holiday died," Monk offers, nodding his head. "The mother of Sophia Bassie killed in my fucking borough."

Shaw nods his agreement, flipping another page, and finishing, "I know quite a lot happened at The Robin's Nest that night, but no one is talking. They're too afraid, which leads me to believe those two psychopaths likely showed up. Since then, Golightly and Valyntine have been holed up in his penthouse in the North Borough." He closes his notebook.

Monk sits on the edge of his desk smoking his cigar and staring at Valyntine. She holds his gaze, refusing to look away even as the smoke waters her eyes. Stewing, Monk slams his fist down again and marches over to the horn and intercom on his desk. Jamming his thumb on the intercom button, he shouts, "Rhapsody!"

Five seconds later, a canary-like voice comes through the speaker, "Yes, dear?"

"Come to my office."

"Honey, it's late. I'm lying with Rosalie. She's still upset."

"I don't give a fuck what you're doing!" Monk chides her, exasperated. "Leave Rosalie and get your bony ass to my office. Now!" He releases the intercom button, then grabs the receiver up and dials a number. Everyone in the room hears his side of the conversation. "It's me ... Who the fuck do you think?! ... What the fuck is going on with that deal you had going with your daughter? ... Uh-huh ... Oh, really? ... Then do you care to explain why I have that cunt's pepper in my fucking office right fucking now with the girl the whole cunt loving city is after?! ...Yeah, you're fucking right you'll be here in five minutes!" Monk slams the handset back down on its holder, causing the bell inside to chime.