Ballistic Kiss (Sandman Slim 11)

“You’re not thinking of joining the Lodge, are you?”

“We’ll see. I’m not sold yet.”

“I think Kenny put him in a bad mood,” says Janet.

Mike looks over at the trash wizard.

“Kenny? He’s all right. I mean, he can’t do fancy magic like you, but he can pull off some cool tricks.”

I fake-smile.

“Neat.”

Janet elbows me gently in the ribs.

“The Lodge is the best,” says Mike. He looks at the woman by his side. “Isn’t that right, honey?”

She puts out her hand.

“Hi. I’m Maria Simon and I’m here with this goon.”

Mike practically glows with happiness.

Maria looks a little young for him. Twenty-three or twenty-four. She’s got a willowy Audrey Hepburn–in–Breakfast at Tiffany’s look. Maybe she’s good for Mike. He’s more cleaned up than usual. No grease stains and his fingernails aren’t crammed with dirt and metal shavings. Plus, he might have put on a few pounds.

She says, “The Lodge isn’t for everyone. Are you the adventurous type?”

I scratch my nose.

“I’d rather be at home doing needlepoint.”

“Stark, you said you’d listen,” says Janet. They take my hand in theirs and say, “Stark’s super adventurous. He’s the one who saved me at the zoo.”

“I should have guessed that was you,” says Mike. “Poor Charlie.”

“Yes. Poor Charlie,” says Maria.

Now I’m annoyed again.

“Everybody keeps saying poor Charlie, but no one says where he went. What happens to the ones who get lost on your little excursions?”

Mike says, “We don’t know. Dan and Juliette handle things like that.”

I stage-whisper, “You don’t think anyone’s buried down here, do you?”

“I hope not.”

“I think it’s better not to know,” says Maria. “I remember years ago when we were all high at the Masque club, Brendan Mullen said, ‘If everyone knew where all the bodies were buried, no one would dance for fear of treading over some poor bastard’s face.’”

The three of them laugh at that.

I don’t.

Janet looks at me. “Some members of the Lodge are police, ambulance drivers, or work in the coroner’s office. And Dan and Juliette know more besides.”

I look back at Janet.

“And you’re okay with them making people just disappear?”