Game-Boy

CHAPTER 4

"Wonderful," said DeeDee, scanning the printed pages. "I'll get Sergeant Mackenzie to bring him to me."

"What gives anyway?" JC was still feeling a little snappish.

"I saw this young man give our missing boy something."

"What?"

"Don't know yet."

"When?"

"Don't know that either. This thing I do isn't an exact science, y'know?" The old lady rang the bell. When Clarence appeared, he was instructed to get Mac on the horn. To make it happen.

"Now, in this picture? Please explain," said DeeDee pointing to the fierce Seven. "Is this some kind of dress-up wargame? "

JC took a deep breath. Christ, shit moves fast, she thought. How the hell do I explain the 21st Century?

* * * *

DeeDee tensed when she heard the doorbell chime. She ran her hands over her coif, batted her lashes for good measure and ran an index finger around the corners of her mouth. Lipstick in place, she thought. JC popped in right before Mac gave the stocky young man in the bedroom doorway a nudge.

"Sit," Mac instructed. JC hovered by the TV. Making herself invisible, noticed DeeDee. Very clever. Mac continued, "Mrs. Burgermeister has some questions for you. She's working with the police on Dane Pritchett's disappearance."

The boy snuck a glance at DeeDee, then dropped his gaze to his stained, wet socks. His pants were fringed ragged at the bottom and had wicked water half way to the knees.

"Could you kindly remove that?" requested DeeDee indicating the brown hood of the zipped sweatshirt. Not nearly warm enough for this November rain, she thought. "I like to see who I'm talking to."

The boy grunted. He revealed long, greasy hair, a pockmarked forehead, that sleek nose DeeDee remembered, chubby cheeks and a lazy mouth.

"Better," DeeDee tried coaxing with a smile. No go? Then plunge right in. She raised the photo of the fierce Seven. "You?"

"Uh-huh." Mac shoved the back of the chair and the boy sat up straighter.

"Your friends?"

"Yes, Ma'am." He met her eyes defiantly.

"And when did you last see your good friend Dane Pritchett?"

"Like, two weeks ago!" His eyes burned. I'll soon knock that out of you, thought DeeDee.

"I'll not play games here, Cameron," said DeeDee, hoisting herself regally from her pillows. "I know you gave your friend something and I suspect it was after his official disappearance." DeeDee watched his eyes skitter away. The colour seeped from his face. Gotcha.

"I keep seeing water. And I believe that this place figures into the mystery." DeeDee dropped the photo of Gabriele Pritchett's listing into the boy's cradled hands. He jumped as though stung.

"Come clean," ordered Mac from the sidelines. JC's eyes were riveted on the boy. Now she squinted.

"H-he called me."

"From there?" asked Mac, looming over him. The boy nodded and gulped. His eyes panned the room as though it were a cage. "Fingerprints will verify everything. I can get a team out there right now."

"And?" DeeDee spoke softly as she searched his face.

"Needed money," he mumbled.

"Makes sense," said Mac.