by J. D. Sloane
“Is that the judge that presided over your case?”
Ronan tipped his eyes in Alicia’s direction as she took a bite from her place, his pale face twitching slightly across the surface of his scar.
“Well ’presided over’ may be a bit of an overstatement,” Ronan said, clearing his throat. “Let’s just say that Husk’s particular brand of justice has a very specific price tag. But because he only sells to one side of the law, no one seems to mind.”
“And that’s him? In the photo?” Alicia asked, twirling her noodles around her fork as Jaxson looked up from his plate.
“Yeah,” Jaxson said, cocking his head towards the paper. “Why? You know him?”
“Well, not by that name. But yeah. I know him. And there’s an easier way to find him. A much easier way.”
“I said the house was a no go,” Ronan said, his eyes narrowing as Alicia shrugged.
“Oh no, not his home. And not where he works. I know a place a lot more reliable than that.”
Alicia smiled slowly as she met his gaze.
“I know where he plays.”
Judge William Husk locked the door to his private room and took a seat on one of the plush leather chairs, adjusting it so that it was positioned dead center in front of the one-way viewing window. He took a quick glance around, his hooded dark eyes scanning the lower room slowly and then poured himself a tumbler of bourbon from a bottle he had brought himself. Below him the club was just beginning to get interesting, which tended to be the case on weeknights. He suspected that it was because so many of the club’s members were married and couldn’t come up with a steady, feasible excuse for coming in after 4am three nights out of seven. Not that he’d ever been married.
Husk let out a low sigh as he took a drink and let his eyes wander, the usual band of bored elites putting on a very decent show for the newcomers, one in particular that caught his eye. Husk looked the girl over, drawing a crowd in the center of the room as a tall masked man struck a whip near her feet and ordered her to undress. He sat forward slightly as the girl dropped her eyes and then slid her sheer lace dress to the floor, something about the way she was standing, the tension of her shoulders, making him play closer attention.
What do you know? He thought, setting his drink aside as another man walked up behind her and shoved her by her shoulders to her knees. Fresh blood. And on a school night too. What is this city coming to?
He licked his lips lightly as he saw the girl hold out her hands in front of her as the unmasked man fastened something around her wrists, and slid further down in his seat, unzipping his pants with one hand as he tilted his head to the left. He stroked himself idly, closing his eyes as he saw the girl begin to tremble and then turned his head as he heard a loud sound on the other side of the door, his face screwing up in annoyance. Husk sat forward in his chair as the noises suddenly got louder, trying to see around the corner of the window and then jerked backwards suddenly as he saw the girl in the center of the floor scream, the entire crowd scattering towards the end of the room.
The private booths in the club were well-insulated but not sound proof and Husk flicked the speakers on above his window as he saw four men in white jackets and bow-ties run into the middle of the room, the sudden thunder of a gunfire startling him so completely he knocked over his bourbon. His mouth dropped open as he heard the men begin to shout, waving what looked like assault rifles in the direction of the crowd, and dropped to his knees as if they could see him, looking at the soft light of his table lamp with a jolt of sheer panic. He watched the crowd muscle past each other towards the relative safety of the back wall and felt his blood run cold as he saw a tall thin woman in shiny green dress walk to the front of the room, the entire crowd hushing as she turned towards the long line of private rooms above them.
Husk cringed as the woman read the numbers above the windows, her gold eyes so bright and heavily lined they seemed to glow in the darkness and watched her pass over his window slowly before drifting back. He stepped away from the glass as she walked up the stairs leading to the private rooms, her steps light and carefree as she stood in front of his window and gave him a wide, feral grin.
“Hey there, Number Twelve,” she said, wiggling her fingers at him girlishly as he heard someone in the crowd begin to cry. “It’s been a long time. I’m not sure if you remember me or not, but I sure remember you.”
Husk ducked lower as the girl placed her hands around her eyes and leaned against the glass, looking inside the room carefully for a minute before pulling away. He searched his mind frantically, trying to place her face and came up a perfect blank, his dark eyes rolling with horror as she pushed her red hair behind one ear fussily for a moment, checking her reflection.
“It’s the hair, right? No one ever remembers a face around here, do they?”
Husk felt a sharp pain in his chest and tried to steady his breathing as her expression dropped, the anger seeping out of her in waves as she pressed her hands against the glass palm side up.
“No use in hiding, Judge. We know you’re in there. The little light next to your number is all lit up. But just to refresh your memory, I was the shy first timer that you left chained to the floor in one of the quiet rooms. Now that was a fun way to spend the evening.”
Husk felt the sweat run into his eyes and wiped his brow as one of the men on the lower floor handed her up a can and she shook it sharply, popping off the top as she began to hum. She sprayed long letters over the window, sweeping her arm down in a smooth line as she completed what looked like an H.
“Remember how I told you that it hadn’t bothered me? That there were no hard feelings? Of course you don’t, what am I saying? You don’t even remember my face.”
Husk tried to disappear into the wall as she completed the final letter, the word reading the same backward and forward. HAH!
“Oh, and by the way,” the girl said tossing the can over the railing as she blew him a kiss. “I lied. Super hard feelings about everything, Husk. Hate you forever.”
Husk jumped as the girl bobbed down the steps like a school girl and the whole crowd pressed together in a sudden huddle, their eyes darting to some place beyond the window as he heard a sharp knock at his door.
“Hello?” A low, gravelly voice called from the opposite side. “Anyone in there?”
Husk scrambled as far away from the door as he could and ducked down next to the wall, flinching as another round of gunfire sounded below him.
“No? Don’t want to join the party?”
The voice outside let out a low whistle.
“All right. Have it your way.”
Husk let out a scream as he heard the loud patter of a machine gun shred the thick wooden door in front of him and covered his head as someone kicked the lock around the knob inward, the entire thing falling away in one long splintered hole. He held up his hands as he saw two men rush forward into the darkness and yelled for help as they dragged him out into the room by his wrists, the closest one kicking him so hard in the stomach he thought he would pass out.
“Help! Please! Somebody help me!”
“Oh, well,” the girl with the red hair said into his face, leaning over him lightly as the men in white dragged him down the stairs. “Doesn’t that sound familiar?”
He screamed again as he felt something strike him in the back of the head and then slid to the floor face down as the men released him in the middle of the room, his forearms cracking against the polished black surface as he looked around frantically. He touched the back of his head as the girl from the stairs stepped forward and shook his head as he dropped his hand.
“W-What do you people want?”
Husk snapped his head to his left as he heard the slow scrape of metal being dragged across the floor and felt a wave of sheer terror wash through him as the man whistled tunelessly under his breath, his pulse escalating so wildly his vision swam with blood.
“We’re just looking fo
r the pledge office, Judge,” Ronan White said leaning sideways to meet his gaze as he twisted the chair to face him. “Know anyone who might be interested in sponsoring us?”
Husk opened his mouth, swallowing quickly as no sound came out and then felt his entire body shudder as Ronan sat down in the chair in front of him, glancing around at the scantily dressed people around him with a sharp blend of amusement and contempt.
“Nice place you’ve got here,” he said, his voice low and friendly as he tipped his head in Husk’s direction, giving him a conspiring wink. “You know it’s been my experience that most acts of criminal debauchery happen in the filthiest places imaginable. I’ve got to hand it to you, Billy. You elites really know how to live.”
He stood up, whistling under his breath as he pulled a long leather whip off the wall, and then swung it through the air as he gave Husk a wicked smile.
“And the toys! Are these custom? They are, aren’t they? Really, Judge, just top drawer all the way.”
Husk gritted his teeth as Ronan closed his eyes briefly and then tossed the whip to one of his men, making a quick gesture with one hand. He felt himself hauled backwards and whirled his head around as two men shoved him into the empty chair, one of them jamming the sharp muzzle of a gun into the side of his neck.
“I’m just going to help myself to a few of the nicer pieces, if you don’t mind,” Ronan said, his wide eyes darting over the half-clad crowd with a violent sort of amusement. “It’s a little weakness of mine. Everything here is so- elaborate. But it does kind of beg the question, doesn’t it?”
“What?” Husk said through clenched teeth as Ronan paced back over. “What question?”
“Why don’t you just make them do what you want?” He asked, his dark eyes twirling so wildly that Husk felt a sudden wave of nausea.
“Look what I found,” the girl in the green dress said behind him, holding something up in one hand as Ronan stood up and raised his brows politely. She slid behind his chair as his stomach twisted with panic and then dangled it out in front of him, shaking it in front of his eyes until he recognized the ball gag.
“Just a little treat from one of the quiet rooms,” she said, slapping the leather harness down around his neck as he tried to jerk away from her. “And there’s more where that came from.”
Ronan bit back a smile as Husk held up his hands and motioned for the girl to step away as he rolled his eyes back towards him.
“Look, Ronan,” Husk said, his voice becoming higher pitched as he saw one of Ronan’s men pull out a thick nylon rope and swung it around like a lasso. “I know what this is about. I know why you’re here. What happened to you was not-not right. But you can’t blame me for it. You just can’t.”
“Oh no? Why not?”
“B-Because it was Nolan. He was behind the whole thing. He wanted you put away so we put you away. You can’t fight the chief of police, right? I mean, who can fight the whole police department?”
Ronan made a quick gesture with his fingers and turned away as the crewman with the rope stepped forward and slapped the rope across his chest, looping it around the chair with a quick, violent tug.
“Funny you should mention that,” Ronan said, rubbing his thumb against his fingers slowly for a moment. “Tie him up.”
“Don’t,” Husk said, his voice cracking with panic as the man crossed the rope in a wide x across his chest and then looped it around his arms hard enough to sting, his dark eyes flat and patient as the guard with the gun shifted his muzzle at him. “We can work this out. I promise. I can get you Nolan. I can get you anything you want. Just tell me what you want and you’ll have it.”
“I’m so glad you feel that way, Judge,” Ronan said, crouching down in front of him until they were at eye level. “I really am. Nothing pleases me more than being on the same page with the people I work with. And what I want from you, what I require, is just a little honesty, that’s all. Now that doesn’t sound so hard, does it?”
“Just fucking kill him,” the girl said behind him. “He’s not going to tell you anything. Especially not now. Not when you have him trapped…”
“Shut up you crazy bitch!” Husk spat through clenched teeth and Ronan sneered as Holly grabbed one of the metal spiked whips out of Jaxson’s hands, swinging it at the back of his head as Ronan held up his hand.
“No,” he said, his voice beginning to pulse with anger as he caught the whip mid-air and then yanked it out of her palm, closing his eyes briefly as if fighting for control. “We discussed this. I need him awake. And don’t pout. It’s annoying. You’ll get your chance later, don’t worry.”
Ronan shrugged, his face lighting up with an expression that was almost friendly as he threw up his hand.
“I have to apologize for my friend Holly. She’s an incredibly beautiful, complex person really. But she’s a little high strung. Plus, she just loves killing people. I mean, she loves it. Can’t get enough of it.”
Husk felt a thick line of sweat roll into his eyes as Ronan stood up and pulled out a thick, intricately carved knife, snapping it open with a smooth shake of his wrist as he gave him a sudden, feral grin.
“Common interests, right?” He said tapping the blade in his direction. “That’s what all the magazines say, anyway.”
Ronan stepped towards the crowd, the people closest to him taking a quick, instinctive step backwards. He gestured to three of the men on the other side of the room and Husk felt a wave of faint pass over him as he saw one of them pick up a gas can with both hands, dousing two of the far exits as the crowd seemed to take one collective breath inward and then scrambled together in a sudden panicked huddle.
“You know,” Ronan said, raising his voice as he passed behind Jaxson casually and scanned the crowd. “There’s a line of thinking that says that the worst thing that ever happens to you can put you in the path of the best thing that ever happens to you. And tonight we’re going to put that cheerful little philosophy to the test.”
He turned around as a sudden chorus of screams rose up from the back of the crowd and then tipped his shoulders back towards them as he raised his brows, his expression almost friendly beneath the dark, twirling violence of his eyes.
“Oh, and anyone who makes a break for the door will be shot in the back. Just a little neighborly FYI to get us started.”
Husk swallowed hard as felt Holly grab the ball gag around his neck and jerked his head forward as she tried to snap it over his mouth, twisting his head from one side to the other as she slapped her hand around his forehead.
“I’ll tell you what you want!” He shouted, his terror escalating so wildly he felt his heart hammer against his ribs in a series of hard, painful thuds. “Just ask. Ask me anything! I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you…”
Ronan walked over to the chair and shifted the knife in his palm as Holly snapped the ball gag into his mouth, his voice becoming a garbled cry of terror.
“I know you will,” Ronan said, dipping his face so close to him it seemed to crowd out the whole room. “I do. You see, everyone talks. Absolutely everyone. It’s just a question of when.”
Husk screamed as Ronan’s face twisted with a sudden rush of ugly rage and he drew his arm back with a sudden snap, slicing his blade down the side of his face with a tight, steady drag. His eyes widened with horror as he felt the blade nick the inside of his gums and felt his terror inch him towards unconsciousness as Ronan looked him over and then spun the blade around in his hand, dragging it down his cheek slowly as he felt his head swim forward. He snapped his head back up as Ronan slapped him with the flat side of his knife and blinked rapidly as he realized that the screaming was coming from outside his head. Husk rolled his eyes towards the crowd as he heard one of the women start to shriek and then jerked backwards as one of the guards smacked her in the face with the butt of his gun, her scream dying on her lips as he heard her hit the floor.
“Oh them,” Ronan said, smirking slightly as he tipp
ed his head in the crowd’s direction. “Don’t worry about them. The next time something good happens to one of them, at least they’ll know who to thank.”
Ronan turned his chair slightly as he tapped the judge beneath the chin and then clucked his tongue as he began to weep, his dark eyes twirling with such malicious amusement that it seemed like they were on fire.
“No, no, Judge. You’re going to want to stay awake for this next part. After all, it is going to be your last. Live. Show.”
Chapter Eleven
“Nolan!”
Jessica Nolan turned around as the new chief ran up and tried not to fidget, her hazel blue eyes dropping as he gave her a frown.
“Chief?”
“What are you doing here? Where’s O’Neill?”
“We were the closest car to the scene. O’Neill is over there interviewing one of the men from inside.”
“Why aren’t you with him?”
“He- didn’t seem to want to talk with me around,” she said, brushing her blond hair away from her eyes. “I think he might be a council member.”
Chief Welsh rubbed his hand over his heavy, angular face and then broke off mid gesture as he noticed Jessica staring, his mouth screwing up into an expression of annoyance.
New chief, she thought, turning her eyes away as he picked up his radio. I’m as bad as the old timers. But I just don’t think I’ll ever get used to seeing anyone but Dad sitting in that office. Maybe that’s why he hates me. I’m just part of the old guard that can’t quite get behind his way of doing things. Especially when his way of doing things is so obviously wrong.
“No, keep them out,” Welsh said, his fist tightening around the radio so hard the rubber grip bowed inward. “That’s an order, Lewis. Absolutely no fucking press past that point.”
