A Light in the Darkness Book: The Moonlight Murderer

Chapter Fifty: That Quiet Little Voice

It took a bit for Jan to regain his full faculties and by the time he had, Bill was ready to present a device which he claimed was a masterwork behind many daring escapes. A device which allowed him to go uncaught for years and make fools of the city watch. It mainly consisted of leather harness to be strapped over one's torso with connected ones on the arms. The arm harnesses had lines of thick wire which ended in gauntlets fitted to multipoint hooks.

"Is this some kind of torture device?" he asked incredulously. This only annoyed the man more.

"I'd tell you not to be stupid, but I know it's a waste!" Bill snapped. "This," he continued. "Is a grappling device. Specially designed to operate in this city. With it I could cling to buildings and zip through town with the law being none the wiser. Saved my ass more times than I can count. Now you'll use it to get into the palace."

"Wait! Wait! You want me to use your contraption to scale the palace walls?"

"Oh, don't worry it's easy to operate and will fit you quite well," Bill smoothly replied. "Trust me. I've done this before. I used to sneak up into my daughter's office to mess with her things while she wasn't around."

"Right when I think you can't get any creepier you tell me this," Jan threw up his hands in frustration. "If it's so easy than why don't you just do it?"

"Do I really have to say it?" the murderer complained. The thief stood his ground. "Fine," Bill drawled. "I'm old. Okay. We both know it. The device puts too much strain on the upper body for someone my age. About ten years ago I tried to get into the Sentinel's Tower and nearly fell to my death."

"Wait. If I'm using the device, how are you getting in?" he asked, squinting suspiciously at the self-admitted elder.

"Oh, that's easy. We'll simply strap me onto your back. Shouldn't be a problem. This thing can hold two bodies. Trust me." Bill assured him.

"No, no, no, no, and no," the fen replied, quickly waving his arms. "Climbing up there sounds tough enough without you breathing down my neck, waiting to stab me in the back."

Bill walked to the other end of the room and opened the door to the escape tunnel. He beckoned for Jan to follow.

"Don't be foolish," he said. "We already made a deal. As a businessman I won't go back on my word. I have nothing to gain by murdering you."

He sighed and grabbed the device, the old man fitted it onto him, and they left through the tunnel, closing the door behind them.

"Oh, and you say anything about what we talked about in there, you won't get a single coin from me," Bill added with wry smile.

He groaned about how he was sick of getting mixed up in these messes and trudged after him. The tunnel was dark but elder knew his way. While they were walking, he explained how to function the grappling device. The correct motions to extend and retract the cables. The ways to properly secure the hooks and how to loosen them. If sounded a bit more complex than he'd made it out be, but nothing he couldn't manage.

They finally emerged from the tunnel and it was well into the night. He only had the foggiest idea of how long they'd spent down there but they'd managed to give the guards the proverbial slip. After helping the old cretin climb out of the tunnel, Jan got a good look at the surroundings.

There was tall building with dark thatched roof and unlit lantern hanging outside. Bill explained the place was an old gentleman's club his father had purchased and refurbished due to its proximity to the tunnel exit. Jan had to hand it to the man, he had style, even if he had apparently failed miserably at parenting. One dead son involved with the mob and one serial killer who in turn was also a shitty father. Not exactly a good track record. If Bill had any resentment, he didn't voice it.