Page 47 of In the Nick of Time
“Just call her back already.”
April picked up the video call on the first ring. Just like when he’d interviewed, there was a silhouette in place of an actual person.
“Swanson and Sedgewick, checking in,” Doug said.
“I see. Report.”
“Nick,” Doug said, “why don’t you fill April in?”
“Who, me?” Nick mouthed as he pointed at himself.
Doug poked him in the side. “Yes, you. You’re the one with the theory.”
By the time Nick was done sharing his idea with April, he was clammy with sweat and certain that the first words out of Agent April’s mouth would be: you’re fired.
“Good work, Agent Sedgewick.”
Nick blinked. He now understood what “knocked over with a feather” meant. Because that was how he felt. If Doug’s solid body hadn’t been there to surreptitiously lean against, Nick would’ve fallen off the chair.
“You’ve heard of this Velvet Elvis?” Nick asked. “What about the porkpie hat guy, do you know anything out about him?”
“We have indeed heard of Velvet Elvis.”
“What do you know?” asked Doug.
“When Velvet Elvis sings at a certain pitch, he can make people drowsy or even put them to sleep. We don’t know much more since he wasn’t on our radar until recently. He definitely uses his subpower for his personal benefit. And we suspect he’s working alongside someone else.”
“He didn’t affect me,” Nick said. “It was almost the opposite. I wanted to get out of there. It was a lot like drinking ten cups of coffee. Felt like ants were crawling across my skin.”
“That’s interesting, Agent Sedgewick. Perhaps you have some kind of natural immunity.”
“After three days, Agent Sedgewick and I have found nothing helpful, just more confusing facts. One known dead agent, the others still missing, and the Nitti’s lead on Agent Carroll proved to be a dead end. Yesterday, we visited the scene where Schoenhut was found.”
“Did you learn anything?”
“Unless the coffin happened to be handy, Schoenhut didn’t die there. Do we know how he died yet?”
There was a silence before April spoke again. “At this point, which is early days, it appears that Agent Schoenhut died in his sleep.”
Nick looked at Doug. Doug looked aghast. Nick mouthed, “What?”
“Pardon me? Died in his sleep?” Doug was clearly astonished by the suggestion. “He was what, thirty-five? And in great health. Did he always sleep in a coffin? Not judging if he did, but regardless, he didn’t sleep in the parking lot of the Lonely Mine Shopping Center.”
“As far as we know, Agent Schoenhut did not regularly sleep in a coffin. Nor was his address a shopping center. The coffin was wiped clean of prints and as yet we have no leads. All we do know is that he was killed by someone who leaves no mark.”
Nick knew he must look like a deer in headlights. A killer who left no mark?
“He wasn’t poisoned?”
“Not as far as we can tell.”
TWELVE
DOUG
A talking tortoise?
“Be careful,”April said before the screen went dark.
