Cruel Zinc Melodies

37

Manvil Gilbey was outside the World when I got there. ‘‘Don’t see you roaming around much anymore.’’

His frown wasn’t encouraging. ‘‘Your efforts haven’t gotten things moving again.’’

‘‘Bugs shouldn’t be a problem anymore. Goofy teenagers, I don’t know. I’m working on the ghosts nobody but Alyx believes in as we speak. How about you? Seen any? No? Hey, I met your niece, Heather. Seems to have a good head for business.’’

That didn’t improve his mood.

‘‘No worries. I’m a one-woman man these days.’’

‘‘Getting ready to settle down?’’

He meant to be sarcastic.

‘‘Maybe. Not sure the other half of the equation is, though.’’

‘‘And you’ll never know if you don’t come up with the guts to ask.’’

‘‘Voice of experience?’’

‘‘Lots. Long time.’’

‘‘So. Again. What’s your take on the ghost business?’’

‘‘I think they’re there. I think somebody besides Alyx has seen them. But they don’t want to admit it. No telling why. I think ghosts are why the workmen have been staying away. In this town it could all be just business. Somebody who wants to keep us out of the theater game maybe hired a sorcerer. Because once we’re serving our beers in our theaters we’ll have a huge competitive advantage.’’

Meaning that the Weider brewing empire wouldn’t supply competing theaters. And Weider is the main source of liquid refreshment in commercial quantities.

I didn’t dismiss that, silly as it sounded when it plunked down in the light of day. Raw capitalism goes on all the time.

‘‘There was anybody whose head had that kink, I’m sure you’d know his name, rank, and pay number.’’

‘‘Guess what, Garrett? You got rung in because Max and Ican’t put a face on that somebody.’’

‘‘I’ll figure it out,’’ I promised. ‘‘One way or another.’’

‘‘Or die trying?’’

‘‘I don’t love you guys that much. You found out anything useful here?’’

‘‘That it’s possible the workmen are scared of something nastier than ghosts. Something about spooky music. Nobody wants to talk about that, either.’’

‘‘Smells like a protection racket trying to move in. But I dealt with that already.’’

‘‘And nobody is asking for anything. The purpose of a protection scheme is to extort money. Isn’t it?’’

‘‘You’d think. You going to be around? I’ve got something to do. But I’ll be right back.’’

‘‘I’ll be here. Though all I can do is look for proof that somebody lied.’’

‘‘Whatdid they tell you?’’ I hadn’t yet seen anybody who looked like a workman.

‘‘The ones who did show up are staying out of sight. They don’t want to be seen.’’

‘‘Gilbey, you, me, Max, and every idiot on the payroll here survived the war. That should’ve taught them how to deal with fear.’’

‘‘These are construction guys, Garrett. They did their time in construction companies. If they got into fights it was because the combat battalions didn’t do their job.’’

‘‘Fire some of the people who aren’t showing up. I’ll find replacements. They might not be as skilled but they won’t run away. Hire the real guys back later, after they’ve gotten intimate with the terrors of unemployment. For now, I’m going looking for a specialist who can help us with the ghost business.’’

I headed into the Tenderloin, pursuing Morley’s instructions. I assumed I was being followed despite a lack of evidence.

I was concerned about Morley. He has a gambling problem. He’d had it controlled for a while. I hoped he still did. It isn’t pretty when he weakens. The debts pile up, triggering ticks and irrational behaviors as he tries to get out from under.

He’d shown that style of anxiety during my visit. And was way too friendly.

Being a natural born paranoid cynic, I feared my best pal was betting on the water spider races again.