She knew that her life had changed for ever, and that standing in front of three thousand applauding fans would never match the feelings that she and Kieran had experienced when the fire breather had exploded over Brother Albrecht’s circus, or Xyrena and Brother Albrecht had risen into the sky in a fountain of fire.
But she had achieved something even more important. She touched the mirror’s surface with her fingertips, and said, ‘Goodbye, Mom. We love you.’
John arrived at the Griffin House Hotel to find its driveway blocked by more than a dozen police cars, as well as ambulances and TV vans. He parked on the opposite of the road and walked across to the main entrance. As he mounted the steps an officer came to meet him with his hand raised.
‘Nobody’s allowed inside, sir. The whole hotel is being evacuated.’
‘I’m a cabbie. I’ve come to meet up with a couple of guests.’
‘OK, then. Who are they? I’ll have them paged for you.’
John tried to see inside the hotel lobby. It was crowded with guests and luggage and police officers. ‘What’s going on here? Why is everybody having to leave?’
‘Just tell me who you’ve come to collect, sir, and I’ll have them fetched out.’
‘OK. It’s the Kaiser Twins, Kieran and Kiera.’
‘The Kaiser Twins have their own limo, sir.’
‘I know that. But I have to talk to them. It’s important.’
‘Sorry, friend. That’s not going to be possible. We have a major situation here. Why don’t you write them a fan letter or something?’
‘Tell them that D.M. is here. That’s all I’m asking.’
‘I’ll see what I can do. But wait here.’
The officer disappeared into the hotel lobby and John knew that he wasn’t going to make any attempt to tell Kieran and Kiera that he was here. Guests were already starting to leave the hotel, and police were escorting them to a line of taxis waiting in the side street.
He was about to give up when Detective Hudson came down the steps, looking harassed.
‘Hey!’ he said. ‘Remember me?’
Detective Hudson frowned at him and then nodded. ‘Sure I remember you. The cab driver with attitude.’
‘What’s going down here? Why is everybody having to leave?’
‘You’ll see it on the news soon enough. They found dead bodies in nine of the rooms.’
‘Jesus. Do they know who did it?’
‘All of them killed differently. Including my partner.’
‘You mean Detective Windsocky? The guy who looked like me?’
‘Yes,’ said Detective Hudson. ‘The guy who looked like you.’
‘I’m real sorry for your loss,’ John told him.
‘Well, I doubt if you are, but thanks.’ Detective Hudson’s lips tightened and John could see that he was close to tears.
‘Listen,’ said John. ‘You’re tired. You’re in shock. But take it from me, your partner is in a real nice place now, with real friendly people. And he’s a whole man again.’
Detective Hudson stared at him. ‘What do you mean by that?’
John realized that apart from the police, and whoever had found his body, only the Night Warriors knew how Detective Wisocky had been mutilated.
‘I mean he’s at peace. I’m sure of it. That’s all.’
At that moment, a woman TV reporter came pushing her way through the crowds calling out ‘Detective! Detective!’ and Detective Hudson turned away. John walked back across the road and climbed into his cab.
He wasn’t entirely surprised to find Dean Brunswick III already sitting in the passenger seat. Dean looked haggard and very sick now, and as John made himself comfortable behind the wheel, he started to cough.
‘You’re in a bad way, Dean,’ John told him.
‘Oh, I’ll get over it. We all get over it, in the end.’
‘Cheer me up, why don’t you?’ said John. He started the engine, and checked his rear-view mirror. ‘So, where do you want to go?’
‘Someplace happy. I always like a happy ending.’
‘OK,’ said John, ‘Quizno’s it is, for a triple meat sub, and onion rings. And try not to cough all over it.’