The Dead and the Dreamer - Page 83/109

"Five at your office. I'll bring everything we need and line it all up with the remote team," Frank added. "I got the feeling something'll come from this."

Tammy said, "Think so."

"Although I should add that I think I've done about ten thousand recorded stings that never amounted to much at all. But I don't mean to discourage you."

Just then the power went out. Frank's office fell dark. The only light came from the gloomy daylight against the watered down windows. The entire floor was eerily silent for a few seconds as what really happened dawned on everyone. Then the emergency generators kicked in and the building came back to life. The fax machines clicked and beeped and the copiers warmed back up. Gradually, folks started moving around and talking again.

"That's nice," John remarked. "City didn't pay their bill?"

Tammy laughed.

Frank shook his head. "Shit happens all the time around here. I'm starting to wonder."

"Take the day off," John told his friend.

"Sure. Take it off and get ready for tomorrow," Tammy added. "I'm starting to get a little nervous about all this. What if it all backfires?"

***

The Shamrock Café was crowded. It was a Saturday night and every seat was taken. Tammy and Hank arrived ahead of John and the lieutenant and were seated quicker from the first come first serve line spilling out onto the sidewalk. John wore a blue baseball cap and fake eyeglasses so as not to be recognized by Hank, who had met him at the private eye's office when the case first started. When John and Frank were finally seated, they were offered a booth by the street side window. John was able to watch Tammy as she sat at one of the little round tables circling the bar.

The place was bright with white paint and colorful fixtures. It was set up to look more like a comfortable country home than a restaurant. Glasses chimed, people laughed, and the front door was getting a work out. Frank quickly set up the portable receiver and the two men started listening to the conversation.

After ten minutes of small talk, Tammy started asking about the local music scene and how he was making progress.

"Well, it's wonderful. It's just as we imagined it. There is a wealth of talent here sitting in the brink of stardom. It's like a dream," the energetic agent told her.

John noted his thick northern accent. The attitude was lost but the bounce was there in full. He seemed to be on good behavior. Maybe, John thought, it was the atmosphere of the Shamrock Café that cooled his jets.