Page 69 of In the Nick of Time
DOUG
Oh, yeah?
As late as it was,Nitti’s was still bustling. Most of the tables had happy, chatting diners sitting around them, and the waitstaff were busting their asses bringing out food and drinks and clearing away empty crockery. Doug could hear the kitchen staff calling out orders to each other from behind the swinging doors, but no one occupied the stage. Good.
“Do people never sleep in this town? How do they manage it?” Nick asked.
They were waiting at the hostess station. Doug ignored Nick’s rhetorical question.
“Is Velvet Elvis playing tonight?” Doug asked the young person who finally broke away to approach them, asking, “How many in your party?”
She paused her pen over the seating chart in front of her. “Oh, yes, he’s our most popular performer. He’s taking a break at the moment.”
Reaching for his wallet, Doug flipped it open and flashed some kind of ID badge. Her eyes widened.
“Where does he normally take his breaks?” Doug asked.
“Oh,” she gulped, her eyes widening further. “In the back, past the kitchen, there’s an entertainer dressing room.”
“Thank you.”
Doug headed through the sea of tables, making a beeline for the black swinging doors that led to the kitchen and alleged breakroom. He heard Nick muttering something about getting a cool badge sometime soon. His partner was right behind him, backing him up.
The doors opened onto one end of a long, gloomy hallway. To their left was the bustling kitchen. The intense aroma of garlic, tomato sauce, and various herbs had his stomach rumbling, and Doug realized he was hungry again. The evening’s events had burned some serious calories.
“Oh my god, I am so hungry,” Nick complained, echoing his thought. “Serious question. When we are done with this guy, is it sex first or food first?”
Doug felt himself smile. The situation was serious, but Nick Sedgewick could be trusted to bring the tension down a notch.
“Focus, Sedgewick. Also, the correct answer is food. We have a long night ahead of us.”
Behind him, he heard Nick suck in a surprised breath. Yep, twocouldplay this game.
Up ahead and to their right were several doors, one of which had a faded Hollywood-style star affixed to it.
“Stepping out on a limb and guessing this is the right one,” Doug said with his hand on the doorknob. Turning the handle, he pushed the door open.
Velvet Elvis, aka Marvin aka Melvin Garon, sat at a 1940s-style dressing table. His back was to the door while he leaned in close to the mirror and reapplied heavy black eyeliner. He wore a white sequined jacket and slacks that even Doug knew were early-seventies Elvis.
“As you can see, I’m not ready to go on yet,” Velvet Elvis said to his reflection.
“If you’re getting ready for the next show, I’m afraid that’s been canceled.”
Doug’s statement had the Elvis impersonator slowly turning around to face him and Nick. From the expression on his face, he wasn’t surprised to see Doug. The hatred there wasn’t surprising either.
“Hello, Melvin. Lovely to see you again, Did you think Lady Luck would suck the will to live out of me? Sorry to disappoint. It took me longer than it should have to place you. Forgettable face and all. On the other hand, being forced to relive what happened that day helped this old man remember you.”
Behind him, Doug heard Nick’s snort.
“Long Shot.” Melvin drew out the two words.
“I don’t use that name these days, and I’m sure you’re aware I left the agency. You’re done, Velvet,” Doug said, moving closer to the impersonator. “We’re here to personally serve you your retirement papers.”
“Oh, burn,” Nick muttered.
Melvin’s eyes darted back and forth, searching for a way out, for a path around Doug and Nick.
“You couldn’t do the dirty work yourself because your subpower is too weak—only good for putting toddlers to sleep, am I right? You figured out what Luck was up to while performing at The Ace of Clubs. Then, by chance I imagine, you discovered The Undertaker. What happened? Did you ask him out, learn that he wanted powers for himself? Somehow, you convinced him he could be just like Luck, maybe? Then you convinced him to target my friends in order to get my attention—probably, you suggested he could harvest my powers as his reward. You were behind all of this.”
