Zana

42 Windermere Lane

The Gypsy Cab pulls up outside 42 Windermere Lane just as the sun starts to rise.

Streaks of pink and orange clawing through the fading purple sky.

An exhausted Lucky Lucy and Velvet slowly climb out of the worn leather backseat.

Teddy opens the front passenger door with a quick flick of his paw.

Overwhelming grief has followed them from the Vendetta Bar.

All the way to the doorstep of Velvet's black terrace house.

Another dawn.

Another devastating day without Sophia.

Velvet turns the brass key in the lock and stumbles down the hallway to his study.

Lucky Lucy is more cautious.

She takes a dagger with a diamond-edged blade from her clutch bag.

And does a room by room search.

Just in case Bela is lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce again.

A frightened Teddy creeps behind her.

Button eyes scanning each corner and crevice.

After searching every possible hiding spot the two of them join Velvet in the study.

He is sitting in his rocking chair.

Eyes closed.

Eating a chocolate.

On his lap rests the open box of Decadence.

The one he had ordered for Sophia on that fateful night in the Stockings and Garter Club.

"All clear", said Lucky Lucy, collapsing into an armchair.

Velvet says nothing.

The expression on his face changes.

From sullen to a tortured grimace as the ghastly prophecy unfurls.

Tears start to stream down his cheeks.

Teddy runs over and hugs his leg.

Velvet opens his weary eyes and looks at Lucky Lucy.

"The whole incident, Sophia's murder, everything, was predicted by the chocolate. If only..."

His voice trails away to nothing.

Lucy Lucy feels her heart break as she looks back at Velvet.

The door bell rings.

~

The visitor is well known to Lucky Lucy.

She lets him in and leads him down the hallway to the study.

Victor Nomad is a menacing figure.

He lives in the dark shadows of London's criminal underworld.

It is rumoured that he had once strangled six men in single night with his bare hands.

The truth however is more shocking.

He had actually killed nine.

Velvet rises up out of the rocking chair and walks over to the giant man squeezed into a long grey trench coat.

They embrace.

The two men know each other well.

It was Velvet who had conjured up the sleeping spell years earlier.

The one that allowed Victor to move stealthily through the Pickle Green Gang hideout.

Unnoticed on that warm summer's night.

Payback for the notorious Tina Woodhouse rape and murder.

Victor places his huge hands on Velvet's narrow shoulders.

Looking him squarely in the eyes.

"I'm sorry for your loss. She was a good girl that one." He said in a deep rumbling voice. "I owe you and I have some information that might help us square up the ledger."

Velvet stares back at him intensely and ushers him to take a seat with a sweep of his hand.

"Would you like a glass of something, Victor?"

Victor flashes a quick smile at Lucky Lucy.

"It's a bit early but sure why not. A whiskey would do the trick nicely. Make it a large one. Thanks, love."

Lucky Lucy walks over to the antique cocktail cabinet.

Victor unbuttons his trench coat and sits down.

He pulls out a cigarette and presses it to his thick lips.

He pauses.

"Do you mind?" Victor asks.

"No, go right ahead", Velvet replies, sitting forward in his rocking chair.

Victor lights the cigarette and blows a large plume of smoke up into the air.

"Okay, this is what I know. It's on the level. My source is reliable, a straight up guy."

Lucky Lucy hands Victor a large glass of whiskey.

"Ta love."

Victor drains the glass empty in one mouthful and hands the glass back to Lucky Lucy.

"Two days ago my source clocked your friend Miss Fly catching a ferry to Calais. He said she is traveling on an Irish passport under the name Jade Murphy."

A wave of relief mixed with confusion washes over Velvet.

He gives Victor a quizzical look.

"How does your source know it's her for sure? I mean, how does he know what she looks like?"

Victor takes a long drag on his cigarette before replying.

"Little birdies sing on the streets, the buzz is out there. Believe me, the news about what happened at the club, the chase, everything, spread faster than the clap in a cheap whorehouse. So I took the liberty of wiring your friend's photo to as many watchers as I could. Look, I know it's none of my business but I want to help. Like I said, I owe you. If need be, I'll gladly wring the neck of that sick bitch myself. What can you tell me about that fucking freak?"

Teddy wanders over and tugs on Victor's trouser leg.

He looks down and smiles.

Nothing surprises him much these days.

Not even a walking, talking, teddy bear.

Teddy stares up at Victor and speaks in his high pitched little voice.

"You cannot understand the story of Bela without first explaining the tale of Zana."