Prometheus: Annihilation

Chapter 2

"I heard about that," Nicole Boatwright said to me later that afternoon.  We were sitting in the living room area of our three-bedroom apartment in Davis Square, less than a quarter mile from Tufts University and where we had met during our freshman year. 

Nic had come home early after finishing a case in court two days faster than they had planned for.  Now, a little less than an hour later, we were sitting on our soft pleather Jordan's Furniture sofa.  She was wearing a red long-sleeve blouse, which made the red in her long strawberry-blonde hair stand out, and beige khaki pants which complimented the strong runner's muscles in her legs.  She held a tall glass of Horny Owl Pink Moscato in her small, soft hands.  I had a bottle of draft Guinness in my hand, the taste for which I had acquired my first year of college rugby.

"There had been talk that his injuries did not fit with a simple slip and fall," she was saying, utilizing her ability to remember anything, like an elephant.  It was a gift that had come in handy on many occasions in court...not so much in arguments with me.  "But they ruled it accidental because there was no indication that it was anything else."

Her gaze drifted to the window looking down over the square from our third-floor balcony.  Our apartment was in the next building over from the Davis Square MBTA subway stop, and there was constant activity up and down the street all hours of the day.  I followed her gaze and saw that the Red Bones BBQ restaurant across the street was quite busy.  Davis was huge with the Tufts student body.  During nice weather, there would be a constant flow of them making the ten-minute walk.  In the cold of winter, though, there was less foot traffic and more vehicles.  The small restaurant parking lot was full.  Young boys and girls were gathered together near the door, huddled in heavy parkas, hats, and gloves.  Two buildings down from the subway was the Irish pub, The Burren.  The Burren featured live music weekly, karaoke, and the best draft beer in the area.  It was well-known as being the only location nearby that streamed live rugby matches and as such drew a very specialized crowd.

I looked from the window to the lawyer Barbie sitting on my couch.  "Do you think we should take this on as a case?  As our first case?"

She put her hand on my knee and smiled at me.  "I think if anyone can figure out what actually happened, it is you.  And if anyone needs to get shot, Harry is good at that."

I put on my sternest face and said, "Hey, I shoot pretty well, too, I think."

She shook her head.  "Ace, usually the people doing the shooting are also getting shot at.  I don't want my booger bear getting shot at."

"Hmm," I said, rubbing my chin with my hand...what I like to call my thinking pose, "so I should be the smart one who does all the thinking and send my men in harm's way."

She giggled, a sound that melted my heart every time I heard it.  "Well, if you put it that way, yes.  I don't want my darling dear in harm's way."

"If we do it right," I told her, "they won't even see us coming until there is no more harm's way."

She shook her head.  "I've seen your record, Mr. Cooper, and if that's the case, I do not think you have ever done it right."

"There's a first time for everything," I said.

"Go talk to the guy tomorrow.  If you and Harry think that there is something there, then help the guy find out what happened to his son.  If you come out of it thinking that it is just a father trying to grasp at straws, wish him a safe flight home."

"Exactly what I was thinking," I said.

She sat her wine goblet down on top of a coaster on the table next to our sofa.  "Good," she said, "now what's for dinner?  I'm starving."

I glanced out the window towards Red Bones.  "I was thinking barbecue.  Are you up for a walk?" I asked her.