Shadow of the moon

own. Sometimes I'm not sure whether I should hate or love him for

with its black smoke, and the wrong side of the tracks with its gang violence. The whole place was ringed by suburbia for those who could afford the commute, and

in my parked police car. At my side was a grande coffee, cold and lacki

a male voice called

e receiver. "That's Detective Mar

why are we being formal at this hour

Tuesdays, even in a big city like this one. The criminals almost had an unwritten rule that Tuesdays were

orked a nine-to-five shift, but the precinct was short on cash at that time. Well

e somebody might be, now

ago about some suspicious behavior a

?" "The Wo

omething from a bad horror

ce is always crowded but most of the people don't come in through the front doo

get into this place without alerting

out. As for the call, they were in the alley behind the

ub owners re

in line to get inside noticed it and cal

ine. "I guess I'll go check

ine Street,"

ve the lights on f

. "I won't.

and

nd pulled out of the par

uting beautiful women, drinks, and oftentimes both. The doors to the establishments were wide open, and some of the wares called down from the second story windows to the prospective patrons below. Music drifted from one building t

ual blackened windows. The front doors were shut, but the lights were on over them and in some of the upper floor rooms. An alley sep

ws and the doors opened only long enough to let the sleek, beautiful patrons slip through

ar block down from the place. If there was trouble, I di

side of the doors. He wore a white wife-beater shirt with matching pants. In his large, fat-finge

is isn't for you

ed. "We've been waiting mon

ot getting in." He tapped his pen against the clipboard

?" I spoke up. I hel

er slid onto his lips. "Yer gonna have to sh

. "I left it in my squad car, but I didn't come here to have a nice chat with you. We

but who I'm suppose

to look around the place. Is

? There's no trouble around here, s

hrew themselves onto the ground. The goon rushed inside and slammed

tive shooter. Cars drove past at illegal speeds and people scurried out of the other businesses to see w

back!" I shouted at

f the line yelled. They lay on the ground, but pointed a fin

y. There were garbage cans, bins, cardboard boxes, and the typical clapboard fence at the far end. The alley ran for thirty yards before

nd would appreciate. The screaming and panic behind me receded into the background. My eyes swept

ed my back against the wall of the Wolf's Den. I chanced a glimpse around the corner. That way was a dead end that stopped at an outcropping of the Wolf's Den bu

. My eyes fell on a form on the ground. The person

an ivory handle with a long barrel like a magnum. I rolled the person onto their back. It was a man of about forty with

if this was murder or suicide. I turned around and studied the dead man. There was just a faint hint o

oo