Brussels.
Barry felt drawn to Brussels. Good cop/bad cop worked even while he watched them working it on him. Barry spoke to Brussels, whose wet eyes looked sad and sympathetic now. Barry could look at him, though he couldn’t meet Starvold’s ice-blue eyes. “This is apropos of nothing,” Barry said to Brussels. “Why is he bringing this up? My parents passed.”
“A lot of changes in your life this year,” said Starvold.
“My parents passed. My best friend died. The business is in turmoil. I’m trying to manage things while Connie mourns.”
Starvold: “You considered Robb your best friend? Wouldn’t you say that you’re more on Connie’s side of things?”
Barry turned to Brussels. “What does he mean?”
Brussels, softly: “You told us Connie was your best friend. Previously. Previously you told us this, I mean.”
“They are both my best friends. My best two friends.”
“And the comic book store.”
Barry thought he would faint. His vision blurred. He took a breath. “What comic book store?”
“The one you made an offer on last year. And then you took the offer back. Why did you do that?” asked Starvold.
“I changed my mind. Who told you about this?”
“Not the store’s owner,” said Starvold.
Still looking at Brussels, Barry said, “What’s this got to do with anything?”
“You know why I say ‘not the store’s owner’ don’t you? It couldn’t be him we talked to.”
Barry didn’t speak. He stared at his lap.
“Disappeared here a couple months ago, didn’t he?”
“He’s an eccentric,” muttered Barry.
“Guy owns a store and opens every day, six days a week for sixteen years and then one day…poof. That’s eccentric, you’re right.”
“I can’t help you, gentlemen. I haven’t seen Jay Porter in months.”
“Maybe you broke his heart, Barry. Well, he’ll turn up. Store’s still there. Undisturbed. Maybe you could still buy it. All stocked, landlord started to wonder and started refusing deliveries. I don’t know the ins-and-outs. You probably do, being a business pillar and all. Don’t know how you buy a business that been abandoned. But I’ve never heard of a thriving business just abandoned like that. It’s a quandary.”
“As I said, I’m no longer interested in the business.”
“Sort of grew out of comics, I guess.” Starvold waved his hand. “I’m just breaking your balls. That’s all I have. Detective Brussels.”
Brussels shook his head very slightly. “Thanks for coming in Barry.”
No one made a move, but Barry assumed Detective Brussels’ words, that he could leave. Barry shifted forward. No change in them, they just kept looking at him. He pushed to his feet.
“See your eye healed up.” Said Starvold.
Barry’s hand went to the bone beside his left eye. The bone still hurt where Luke had hit him that day in the library, but the outward bruise was long gone. “I walked into a door,” Barry reminded them. They’d already asked him about that when they interviewed him before. He turned to go.
He paused when Starvold said: “I remember.” You’ve been steering clear of dangerous doors, that’s smart. Say, how’s your partner doing. Ms. Wexler? Is she doing okay?”
Barry walked from the room. He didn’t look back, but felt their staring eyes all the way.
Chapter 14: Tommy, Ethan
Brussels regarded his partner. “He’s not going to break. Not on this.”
“Tough character, uh?” Starvold made a wanking gesture.
“You don’t think so? Maybe not what you’re used to, but that little fucker is one repressed cocksucker. Whatever’s in the fucked-up fuzzy head is buried deep.”
“So why bother?”
Brussels made himself shrug. “Satisfy my curiosity.”
“Satisfied?”
“No. You should have asked him about the Wexler woman while he was still at the table, so I could’ve seen his face.”
“You could have asked him.”
“Wouldn’t have pissed him off if I did it. Wanted to see
Barry felt drawn to Brussels. Good cop/bad cop worked even while he watched them working it on him. Barry spoke to Brussels, whose wet eyes looked sad and sympathetic now. Barry could look at him, though he couldn’t meet Starvold’s ice-blue eyes. “This is apropos of nothing,” Barry said to Brussels. “Why is he bringing this up? My parents passed.”
“A lot of changes in your life this year,” said Starvold.
“My parents passed. My best friend died. The business is in turmoil. I’m trying to manage things while Connie mourns.”
Starvold: “You considered Robb your best friend? Wouldn’t you say that you’re more on Connie’s side of things?”
Barry turned to Brussels. “What does he mean?”
Brussels, softly: “You told us Connie was your best friend. Previously. Previously you told us this, I mean.”
“They are both my best friends. My best two friends.”
“And the comic book store.”
Barry thought he would faint. His vision blurred. He took a breath. “What comic book store?”
“The one you made an offer on last year. And then you took the offer back. Why did you do that?” asked Starvold.
“I changed my mind. Who told you about this?”
“Not the store’s owner,” said Starvold.
Still looking at Brussels, Barry said, “What’s this got to do with anything?”
“You know why I say ‘not the store’s owner’ don’t you? It couldn’t be him we talked to.”
Barry didn’t speak. He stared at his lap.
“Disappeared here a couple months ago, didn’t he?”
“He’s an eccentric,” muttered Barry.
“Guy owns a store and opens every day, six days a week for sixteen years and then one day…poof. That’s eccentric, you’re right.”
“I can’t help you, gentlemen. I haven’t seen Jay Porter in months.”
“Maybe you broke his heart, Barry. Well, he’ll turn up. Store’s still there. Undisturbed. Maybe you could still buy it. All stocked, landlord started to wonder and started refusing deliveries. I don’t know the ins-and-outs. You probably do, being a business pillar and all. Don’t know how you buy a business that been abandoned. But I’ve never heard of a thriving business just abandoned like that. It’s a quandary.”
“As I said, I’m no longer interested in the business.”
“Sort of grew out of comics, I guess.” Starvold waved his hand. “I’m just breaking your balls. That’s all I have. Detective Brussels.”
Brussels shook his head very slightly. “Thanks for coming in Barry.”
No one made a move, but Barry assumed Detective Brussels’ words, that he could leave. Barry shifted forward. No change in them, they just kept looking at him. He pushed to his feet.
“See your eye healed up.” Said Starvold.
Barry’s hand went to the bone beside his left eye. The bone still hurt where Luke had hit him that day in the library, but the outward bruise was long gone. “I walked into a door,” Barry reminded them. They’d already asked him about that when they interviewed him before. He turned to go.
He paused when Starvold said: “I remember.” You’ve been steering clear of dangerous doors, that’s smart. Say, how’s your partner doing. Ms. Wexler? Is she doing okay?”
Barry walked from the room. He didn’t look back, but felt their staring eyes all the way.
Chapter 14: Tommy, Ethan
Brussels regarded his partner. “He’s not going to break. Not on this.”
“Tough character, uh?” Starvold made a wanking gesture.
“You don’t think so? Maybe not what you’re used to, but that little fucker is one repressed cocksucker. Whatever’s in the fucked-up fuzzy head is buried deep.”
“So why bother?”
Brussels made himself shrug. “Satisfy my curiosity.”
“Satisfied?”
“No. You should have asked him about the Wexler woman while he was still at the table, so I could’ve seen his face.”
“You could have asked him.”
“Wouldn’t have pissed him off if I did it. Wanted to see
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