City of the Absent Read Online Free PDF Page B

the evil tales you typically cover?”
    â€œTell enough crime stories and, and…well, it becomes a crime in itself perhaps.”
    This remark seemed far too philosophical to get into at the moment, Ransom thought. Perhaps over cigars, when the other man was sober. Most definitely another time.
    â€œIt’s not safe being about here,” Ransom said now, “with so many pickpockets and thieves that’d kill you for the change in your pocket, Thom. Not in your condition.”
    â€œNor sober as old Reverend Jabes either, I warrant!” Thom slapped his knee and laughed like a screeching banshee, drawing stares. “And how safe was ol’ Carter inside his little Ashland Avenue mansion?”
    â€œHe’s dead, now you can call him by his first name.”
    â€œI never treated him ill unless he had it comin’, Rance. You know that.”
    â€œAll the same, let’s get you a cab to haul your wobbly behind home.”
    â€œHome? Where is home for a man like me, Rance?”
    â€œYour place is on Byron Street, isn’t it?”
    â€œFitting address for a man of letters, heh? Byron.” Thom’s laugh now came out hollow. “I can’t leave, Rance. Too much going on. Got to get the story.”
    â€œIt’s cooled here, Thom. Nothing hot here.”
    â€œAhhh …not here at the mayor’s, but you must’ve heard what’s on at the Plaisance.”
    â€œThe Midway? What’re you talking about?”
    â€œLooting and rioting is the word. All hell’s broke loose since the mayor’s been shot dead.”
    â€œJust what we need.” Even as Ransom said it, he heard the deafening sound of bells on a number of police wagons dispatched to the fairway, where a French-styled, open-air beer garden sat amid exhibitors displaying and celebrating diversity in culture, dress, and color. Called the Plaisance, this huge area of the fair had become the gathering place of rowdy hoodlums and gangs of roving men. White City’s not so white , Carmichael had said, and he couldn’t have be more correct. A special police force called the Columbian Guard, acting as a semimilitary unit, had their hands full to overflowing tonight.
    â€œAre you going to investigate, Inspector?” asked Thom, sputtering now. “Isn’t it what you inspectors do, inspect ?”
    Ransom looked from Thom, who truly needed putting to bed, back to the window where Jane’s séance continued, and he knew he must get quickly to the Midway and the Plaisance.

CHAPTER 5
    Ransom grabbed a sunken-eyed scarecrow of a man leaning against the mayor’s fence and made him an offer. “I’ve a job for you. Could you use some coin?”
    The sunken eyes lit up. “Sure could.” The man looked as if he’d not eaten in days.
    â€œLook here, friend, if you’ll hail a cab for Mr. Carmichael here and see he gets in it, there’s two bits in it for you. More than enough for a good meal at Rayburn’s or at the fair.”
    â€œFifty cents,” the man haggled, “and I’ll do it right, sir.”
    Ransom frowned at the ante but nodded, doling out one recently minted quarter, explaining that the second would come once the job was done. Now the stranger frowned, but he rushed off to find Carmichael’s ride home.
    â€œGet yourself indoors, Thom. Else I’ll be reading about you in that rag of yours.”
    â€œIt’s not my rag anymore.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œFired…boss got orders from above.”
    â€œMayor Harrison?”
    â€œIronic, isn’t it? He as much as kills me. A political writer who can’t harangue and bluster as he sees fit is as useless as a corpse! No disrespect to the dead!”
    â€œI’m sure none taken.”
    The crowd around the mayor’s home had quelled in its desires, some singing mournful dirges, others beginning to leave the area. A grim pall cast a lead heavy