The Stein & Candle Detective Agency, Vol. 3: Red Reunion (The Stein & Candle Detective Agency #3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

started shooting, emptying the clip of the .45 at the ninjas. I gunned down two of them before they knew what was happening. The others ran for cover, so I raised the tommy gun and let them have a taste of that. The sub-gun chattered away, pumping its thick slugs into the ninjas and tearing them apart. Their limbs tore and their bodies split. I had chosen my cover well. A throwing star clanged off of the rubble near me, but that was as close as they got to taking me out.
    They started to run, following Toshi out of the apartment building. They flipped and leapt through the air, moving like living shadows across the ruined cityscape, and disappearing into the rubble. Except for the four dead ninjas they left behind, they had disappeared completely in a matter of seconds.
    I stepped over the rubble and approached Belasco. He knelt on the blackened floor, his hands on his head. He turned to me and smiled. “Mort Candle!” he said. “I sure am glad to see you!”
    I kicked him in the chest, knocking him flat onto his back. I let him eyeball the muzzle of the tommy gun, keeping it inches from his head. His eyes went wide and white. “Funny,” I said. “The feeling ain’t mutual.” Behind me, I heard Tiny and Weatherby pounding up from the basement. They had their heaters in their hands, and kept Belasco covered. “What were you and Toshi jawing about? What’s happening at the bay?”
    Belasco whimpered and smiled weakly. “Come on, Mort,” he whispered. “How about letting your old pal Bobby keep his state secrets, huh? You’d be surprised what a friend in high places can do for you.”
    “You’ll never be anyone’s friend. What’s going on at Tokyo Bay?”
    His smile vanished. “All right. All right. My contacts in the Tokyo rackets told me that the three big Yakuza groups – the Hasegawas, the Nagasakos, and the Yamotos – are having a get-together on a private cruise ship. They’ll take it out in Tokyo Bay, and discuss what to do about the attacks. All of those gangsters. All in one place. It’s too big a target to pass up.”
    “And the goddamn ninjas will take over what’s left.” I swore. “We’ve got to get down there and stop it.”
    “Not just ninjas, buddy!” Belasco warned. “I’ve arranged to have another army of kappa water imps, released into sea around the boat. The Yakuza will be hit from all sides.”
    I took my boot off of Belasco’s chest. “We’ve got to get down to the waterfront. We’ve got to warn Sakai. And we’ve got to find some way to take out the kappa.” I turned away from Belasco and headed out of the apartment building. Belasco stayed behind. He didn’t bother getting up, knowing I’d just put him back down again. Tiny and Weatherby stayed close to me, as we hurried outside. I turned to Weatherby. “Any ideas on the kappa, kiddo?” I asked. “Like, what the hell they are?”
    “Vengeful water spirits, lustful for human flesh,” Weatherby explained. We broke into a run as we headed for Tiny’s pick-up. “They enjoy eating women and children. They are scaly and strong, almost invincible in the water.”
    “Which is where we’ll be fighting them. Any ideas?” I asked as we reached the pick-up. Tiny slid into the driver’s seat, and Weatherby and I followed him, squeezing together in the passenger seat.
    Weatherby nodded. “I do actually. We need to stop at a market on the way to the docks, or any place that sells vegetables.”
    “Well, goddamn, little Weatherby!” Tiny laughed. “You know just what to do, now don’t you?”
    “I s-suppose so,” Weatherby said, a little embarrassed at the praise. “My father taught me well. I simply remember his lessons. I take the skills I know, and try to improve the world. It’s the best I can do.” He smiled at Tiny. “I’m sure you and Mort do the same.”
    I wasn’t so sure. But I knew nothing good would come of bloodthirsty ninjas taking over Tokyo’s underworld. If they got real power, they could