Wild Keepers

by Dee Bridgnorth

  He hadn’t been expecting that. She was pale with large brown eyes. Silky light brown hair framed her face. She wasn’t wearing the heavy makeup he had been expecting either, like Julia had been. In fact, Sienna Carter looked like any girl down the street. Albeit a very pretty one.

  He stared at it a moment longer, then tossed it onto his bedside table. He frowned.

  Why did he have this strange feeling that he had seen her before? That he somehow knew her? He didn’t frequent establishments like Julia’s. He couldn’t have met her. And yet, the feeling persisted, like a slight ache behind his head.

  He sighed. Tomorrow he would start the search for her. A search that he was confident would amount to nothing, anyway. He could tell Thad he had done what he could and leave it at that.

  He blinked. He knew already he couldn’t leave it at that. He was intrigued, there was no denying it.

  Where was this woman, and why was she hiding?

  Chapter Three

  Zach walked slowly down Mission Street, watching the people and sights around him. It had been a long time since he had been in this district, and it wasn’t a place he particularly enjoyed coming to.

  It was dirty, for starters. Trash cans overflowed with rubbish. He could see a couple of skinny alley cats feeding on the spillage, growling with one eye watching as if their loot was going to be suddenly snatched away. A man was sleeping on the sidewalk next to the cans, using old newspapers like a makeshift blanket. His snores were loud, like a trumpet. Zach stepped around him carefully, tossing a coin into the hat lying next to him. It clanged against the others already placed inside it.

  A few shopkeepers were sweeping the front of their stores. Zach smiled at them as he passed, but they didn’t respond, staring at him warily. He passed a fruit and vegetable shop, staring at a pyramid of withering apples. They didn’t look appealing in the slightest. He wouldn’t be coming back here for lunch.

  There were better places in this district. Better streets, where the food was cheap and good. And if he walked a few blocks further, it would all start to change again. Julia’s establishment was in this better part of the district. The high end of the low area, where he knew large neon signs flashed constantly and huge screens advertised local shows. It had even become a bit trendy, recently. Wide-eyed club revellers who wanted to discover the cutting edge of the city.

  But he wouldn’t head that way yet. Julia had told him Mission Street was where he might find Sienna, or at least find some information leading to her. So, he would stick around here for a little while.

  And he knew the first place that he was going to. A bar, just a bit further up. It was only eleven in the morning, but Zach knew that it would be open. If it ever closed.

  He pushed open the door, trying not to stare at the two men hovering near it. They were exchanging something, furtively, and he had a fair idea what it might be. He averted his eyes. In this part of the city, and particularly on this street, you had to mind your own business. If you didn’t want to be set upon by thugs, that is. And even though Zach could more than hold his own on that score, he didn’t need the trouble of it.

  The room was dark and dank. He had to blink rapidly to adjust his eyes to the dim light.

  He stopped, surveying the scene before him. Four men were playing cards at a table in the corner. Another was playing a game of darts by himself, swearing as he missed the board with each successive shot. Zach walked up to the bar. A tattooed man with a cleanly shaven head and a black goatee approached him from the other side.

  “What’ll it be?” the man grunted, staring at him hard.

  Zach sighed. He really didn’t feel like drinking at this time of day, but it would look strange if he ordered a soda in this place.

  “Whiskey sour,” he said, slowly, slapping the money on the counter.

  The man poured his drink, handing it to him.

  “Haven’t seen you in here before,” the bar man said, his black eyes still hard.

  Zach shook his head. “No, I haven’t had the pleasure.” He stared around. “Looks like you have a bit of business, though. Is that usual for this time of day?”

  The man nodded. “No different to normal. Some of the longshoremen come here after working nights on the docks. That’s our usual business.”

  Zach nodded. “Mission Street is a bit far from the docks, isn’t it?”

  The man shrugged. “They closed most of the twenty-four-hour bars near it, so they come here. They have to drink somewhere.”

  “Sure.” Zach sipped his drink. He reached into his pocket, taking out the photo of Sienna. “I was wondering if you could help me. Have you seen her around here?”

  The man peered at the photo, frowning slightly. Then he tossed it back at Zach.

  “Never seen her.” The man eyed him balefully. “Your old lady do a runner, did she?”

  Zach smiled. “She’s just a friend. I’m worried about her, that’s all. Haven’t seen her in a while and had word she was down this way.”

  The man grinned. “I knew you weren’t from around here.” He leaned across the bar towards Zach. “You see, if you were, you’d know that if anyone has come here to hide, they really don’t want to be found. It’s not a place where you vacation, if you get my drift.”

  Zach nodded again. “I get your drift.” He took another sip of whiskey. “Still, is there anyone who might know where she could be?”

  The man shrugged, his bulky tattooed forearm jiggling slightly as he wiped down the bar. “Maybe the cheap one-night motels. They sometimes rent rooms for longer if someone is desperate. But they don’t talk unless you pay. Then they’ll sing like a bird.”

  Zach nodded, draining his glass. “Well, thanks anyway. I’ll keep looking.” He stood up.

  “Yeah.” The man eyed him. “Maybe you should just let her go, buddy. As I said, if she’s come to this district to hide, she doesn’t want to be found. Plenty more fish in the sea.”

  Zach smiled. “Good advice. I’ll think about it.”

  He walked towards the door, pocketing the photo. He could have approached the other men in there, but he knew it would be frowned upon. Bar keepers didn’t like their regulars hassled by strangers, and he would be asked to leave. Or forced to.

  He opened the door, turning his head to gaze at the card players as he passed by. They smiled, slightly, nodding their heads at him. He nodded back, then kept walking.

  One of the card players stared after him, throwing his cards on the table. He walked slowly to the bar. “What did he want?”

  The bar man grinned. “Searching for his missing girlfriend. Had a photo.”

  The man nodded, staring at Zach on the street outside, then watched him disappear.

  ***

  Zach sat down on the cheap plastic stool outside the noodle house, almost falling off it. He steadied himself, running a hand through his hair wearily. He had been wandering these streets for over two hours, and he was starving.

  He smiled as the woman placed the bowl of steaming noodles in front of him, digging in hungrily. They were good. So good, in fact, that he would remember this place. He polished off the bowl, then sat back, thinking what to do next.

  Bright neon screens flashed at him from up high, entreating him to shop, or see a show. Sometimes the advertised shows were for gentlemen only. The screens flickered bright blue and red, making him blink. He sighed. This whole search was useless, as he knew it was going to be.

  He had showed Sienna’s photo to many random people in the streets. They had all shaken their heads quickly, not even a flicker of recognition sparking in their eyes. None of them had wanted to linger, either. They had all stared at him distrustfully and scurried away.

  He sipped his soda, thinking about it. This district’s population was ever shifting. Drifters and loners, sleeping here for a night or two, sometimes more. And Julia had said that Sienna hadn’t lived here for two years. A huge amount of time in a drifting population. Still…someone must have known her, when
she did live here. Or at least remember her.

  He took out the photo, studying it again. He would remember her, even if he only passed her on the street. She was that beautiful. And yet not one of the people he had passed the photo to had remarked on that at all. Their eyes had touched on it briefly before sliding away. They hadn’t even bothered to take a second look. Suddenly, that struck him as strange.

  Like they didn’t want to linger at staring at her. As if they were fearful, somehow, and didn’t want to get involved. Zach took another sip of his soda, staring hard at the photo.

  The woman from the noodle shop came out, taking his empty bowl and placing it on a tray. She smiled at him studying the photo. “Your girlfriend?”

  “A friend.” He held the photo out to her. “Have you seen her around here?”

  The woman gazed at the photo. A look of fear came briefly into her eyes before she averted her head from it. “No, sorry! You like your noodles?”

  “Very much,” he said, pocketing the photo. The woman smiled again and walked quickly away.

  Zach watched her walk behind the counter in the store, busying herself with a new order. No, he most definitely hadn’t imagined it. That woman had recognised Sienna. Not only that, but she had been scared to say anything about her. Why was that?

  He stood up, gazing around. It had to have something to do with her job; the job with the mystery rich man. The man that Julia had been unable, or unwilling, to identify. A man who obviously wielded so much power and fear in these streets that no one was willing to get involved in his business.

  And Sienna Carter was most definitely part of that business.

  He gritted his teeth, frustration overwhelming him. It was a dead end. He should be relieved, of course. He hadn’t wanted to do this, after all. It was only a favour for a friend of Thad’s, and they had both been aware that it would most likely lead nowhere. He should head to Julia’s establishment now and tell her that he was getting nowhere, and she either gave him more information or he would have to call it a day on the whole search.

  And Sienna Carter didn’t want to be found. It was so obvious. Perhaps she wasn’t in the city at all anymore. Julia had insisted that she had nowhere else to go, but Zach didn’t know Sienna, and she hadn’t lived with Julia for two years. Perhaps Sienna had made other connections elsewhere; somewhere she could safely go to. Turn over a new leaf and start anew.

  He shivered in a sudden cold wind. Or perhaps she was nowhere. Perhaps she was dead. A rich man’s plaything that he had grown tired of and disposed of discreetly. Zach knew it happened. Perhaps this mystery man had spread the story that she had run off on him to throw everyone off the scent. And dead women don’t talk.

  A wave of sadness swept over him. He hoped that hadn’t happened to her. Again, that sense that he knew her somehow seized him. How was it possible? She was stunning. He was almost certain he would have remembered her if he had met her someplace. Once upon a time he was known for having an eye for the ladies. But he had redeemed himself on that score lately. He sighed. He had entangled himself so tightly it was a wonder he could even walk.

  His eyes swept down the street again. No, it wasn’t looking promising. He would head down a few more streets and show the photo again, then call it a day.

  ***

  She watched him frown slightly then abruptly walk off. Where was he heading now? He was tenacious, she gave him that. He had shown that photo to a hell of a lot of people, but she was almost certain that no one had told him that they knew her, or where she was.

  It was one of the reasons she had decided to come back to this area. People who lived around here didn’t blab. They minded their own business. And they were naturally suspicious of strangers asking questions.

  A few people had told her. That a man was asking questions about her in the streets and wanted to know if they had seen her. Fear had gripped her, of course. And with it a desire to track him and watch with her own eyes. She wouldn’t be able to rest until she saw him leave.

  Sienna clutched the threadbare coat tighter around herself, thinking quickly. She probably didn’t need to follow him anymore. He had the look of a defeated man—like he needed to go through the motions but didn’t have much hope of an outcome. Still, she should make sure. It didn’t pay to underestimate her enemy.

  She quickly followed him, making sure she was a good distance behind him but close enough to not lose him in the crowd. She didn’t think there was any danger of that, however. He was tall; so tall he stood almost head and shoulders above anyone walking these streets. He had a certain presence, as well.

  She frowned slightly. She didn’t recognise him. And she had lived in the man’s premises for two years. She thought she knew all his henchmen. But that didn’t mean a thing. Perhaps he had recently hired this guy to his service. Or perhaps the guy was a bonafide private detective.

  A very good-looking private detective, she thought, clutching her coat tighter again. This guy was as handsome as they came. Not only tall and buff but almost swarthy; he had a dark complexion and black, wavy hair. Intensely brown eyes. He reminded her of the pictures of highwaymen, or pirates, on the covers of the cheap paperbacks one of her foster mothers had been addicted to. She could almost picture him wearing a scabbard and an eyepatch.

  Sienna felt a slight tingle, thinking of it. Then she took herself strictly to task. He was handsome—so what? She had never trusted handsome men. They roamed the world as if they owned it. Arrogant and shallow, in her experience. Not worth the time of day.

  She suddenly realised she had seen his face before. But not in the guise of a henchman, or anyone from that life. She shuddered, a cold chill sweeping through her. She didn’t want to think about any of that. She couldn’t think about any of that. She needed to focus on surviving what was happening now.

  He had stopped, peering in a shop window. He lingered for a while, staring intently at whatever was displayed. Sienna pressed herself into a shop doorway, eyeing him. But he didn’t go into the shop. After five minutes of staring into the window, he swiftly turned and kept heading down the street.

  She counted to ten, then headed off after him. Her eyes slid to the shop window he had been staring at so intensely as she passed by. She frowned, puzzled. It was a shoe shop. He had been staring at a display of shoes for five minutes.

  She kept walking, still frowning. Maybe he just really needed a new pair of shoes? Even private eyes had to have shoes, after all. Still. She quickened her steps. He was getting ahead of her, and if she didn’t sharpen her pace, she would lose him.

  Suddenly, he veered to the left, down an alleyway. She couldn’t see him anymore.

  Her frown deepened, and she quickened her pace, once again.

  ***

  Zach’s eyes widened as he wandered down the alleyway. He had been expecting a deserted space, maybe filled with trash cans and rubbish. Instead, he was suddenly surrounded by stalls and people. It was a hive of activity.

  He gazed around, taking it in. A row of makeshift stalls stood against one wall. The smell of frying food wafted towards him: samosas, kebabs. It was a street market, like the ones he had seen pictures of in other countries. Food carts, wheeled here from elsewhere. A whole pop up culinary experience.

  Clumps of people clustered around them, devouring the food. It smelled wonderful, but he had already eaten, and besides that, he needed to focus on the job at hand. He had randomly chosen this alleyway as a means of luring her away from the busy streets. He still hadn’t formulated a plan, but he had known it was necessary to confront her away from people.

  And now, that idea was shot to pieces. How could he approach her in this crowd? If she followed him down here, of course. There was no guarantee of that either.

  He had been aware of her from the moment he had finished his food at the noodle shop. Standing up and gazing around, he had seen the woman pressed into the shadows of a doorway, watching him. His gaze had swept past her, not lingering. But he had known it wa
s her straightaway. He strangled down the strange sense of elation he felt at seeing her.

  She knew he was asking questions about her and had decided to check him out. Find out who he was. But he had known instinctively that he had to lure her somewhere quieter. If he approached her in that doorway, she would run. Or scream. And he didn’t want that.

  He had made sure that she was still following him; had spent five minutes staring in a shop window waiting for her to appear. And then he had kept moving down the busy street, before ducking down this alleyway.

  He looked behind him, quickly. Yes, she was weaving in amongst the crowd in the distance. He had to play it cool. Not move too quickly. He approached the food carts, checking them out. Then glanced around, again, making sure she was still there.

  He frowned. He couldn’t see her.

  He doubled back quickly, pushing through people. She had disappeared.

  Frustration flooded through him. He had to find her again. If he couldn’t, this one opportunity would be blown sky high. She would go underground; the chances of finding her again were limited. She would probably leave the area entirely, knowing that she was being pursued. She had already taken a big risk following him, and it showed how scared she was.

  She knew that she wouldn’t be able to escape her old life easily.

  Zach gritted his teeth. He mustn’t lose her.

  He stared down the length of the alleyway. And suddenly he saw her, lingering behind some crates against a wall.

  Their eyes met and held. Time seemed suspended. He watched her eyes widen slowly. She knew. He knew that she knew.

  And then she was running, so swiftly and suddenly he barely had time to register it. He could see her long brown hair flying in the wind behind her as she sprinted around the corner.

  He bolted, pursuing her. He rounded the corner. He could see her ducking and diving through the crowd of people, who all stared after her, stunned. She almost fell over a little boy holding the hand of his mother and had to quickly veer to the side. The mother shouted after her angrily, but Sienna didn’t stop.