I stared at the door. A piece of cardboard had been taped over the glass, covering my name and profession, which was probably for the best. But what surprised me is that the place hadn’t been rented out to some other business.
I tried my
key, and it worked. Another surprise. I had skipped out without paying the last
month’s rent, so I fully expected both a seizure of property and a changing of
the locks by building management.
I flicked
the lights on, and the old fluorescents took time to flicker back to life, as
if unsure of how they were supposed to do that. Jen’s desk was still there,
covered in a fine patina of dust that I tried not to stir up. I passed through
into my office, my soles echoing strangely on the floor. I hung my hat on the
rack, along with my coat. The feel of the place was entirely different, now.
Colder, lifeless, exactly the spirit I left it in.
I pulled up
the blind, looking out at the darkness, but here my name was still on the
window: “Matt Allen Investigations.”
“It’s about
time,” the breathy, seductive voice made me jump out of my skin. Only one
person could do that to me.
“Hey, Nikki.”
I didn’t turn to look at her.
“I think I
deserve much more than that, Matthew.”
“If you say
so.”
“What
happened to you? You were able to elude even my resources.”
I shrugged.
“I much
prefer your usual demeanor to this taciturn version.”
I shrugged
again.
A slight
prickling of neck hair was all the warning I had before she spun me around,
traversing the distance from my door to the window without the clack of a
single heel.
Cold hands
held my head, forcing my eyes to meet hers. I stared into those ancient blue
depths. I wanted to lose myself in them, but I wasn’t feeling it.
She looked
into my eyes, then flinched back. “What darkness has moved into your soul?”
I looked away,
not wanting her to see any more. “Life,” I said.