Page 31 of Hospital for Immortal Creatures

Zacharia raised his hands. “I’m not a thief.”

The man squinted at him through his thick eyebrows. “Then why d’ya jump over?”

“I rang the bell, but nobody answered. I’d like to ask you a couple of things about the owner.”

The man licked his white moustache. “Owner’s gone. Get outta here!”

“You work for her?” Zacharia asked.

“We work for her, and she’s ordered me to shoot at anyone she’s not told me ‘bout!” He stepped closer towards him.

Zacharia shrugged. “She can’t really warn you when she’s dead.”

“The hell ya doin’, Sal?!” A younger, bony woman emerged from the house, bobbing her boyishly cut brown hair at the weapon. “How many times do I ‘ave to tell ya not to throw this metal thing left ‘n right?” She stomped her foot, setting her hands on her hips, the bright red vest across her shoulder like a traffic light against the white façade of the house.

“Get inside, woman!”

She didn’t blink at the man’s harsh tone. Instead, she eyed Zacharia with curiosity. “Who the hell’s this guy?”

Sal bared his yellow teeth. “Some bucko claiming the mistress kicked the bucket.”

The woman’s black eyes widened. “She what now? No way!”

“Don’t believe him. I’ll bump him off!”

“Hold it, hold it.” The woman raised a hand. “Why’re ya here?”

“I want to ask you something about the madam.” Zacharia approached them, palms lifted high.

The woman threw an incredulous glance at Sal. “He a cop? We’re forbidden from talkin’ to cops.”

“I promise you I’m not. I’m prepared to pay you,” Zacharia said.

The two humans faced each other, then the woman turned to Zacharia. “She really dead?”

“Really.”

Sal re-angled his gun – which had lowered with the woman’s approach – at Zacharia. “I don’t believe him; could be lying.”

The woman’s expression twisted into a grief-like emotion. “It’s true, Sal, it’s true. Madam always tells us when she be gone, now she’s been gone a few days and hasn’t said nuthin’…” Her features hardened as she stared at Zacharia again. “How much ya payin’?”

“How much do you want?” he asked.

Sal’s gun wasn’t taking a rest. “You sure ‘bout this, woman?”

She nodded and ran her eyes up and down Zacharia, as if trying to figure out how much to ask for. She must not have believed him very well-off, because she said, “Fifty bucks a piece.”

“All right.”

“I’ll keep this here pointed at ya the whole time,” Sal warned.

They led him to a small extension of the house in the backyard and settled him down on a wooden chair that was comically unsuitable for his build. They explained they had been caring for the property for six years. Sal, as an ex-military, handled the security and the pool. He also did some gardening from time to time. His wife Rosa cleaned. In exchange, the madam, whose name Zacharia was beginning to suspect they didn’t know, allowed them to live on the estate’s premises. The only conditions were they didn’t ask questions and just did their job.

“And you were never curious about who she is?” Zacharia asked. “Not everyone can afford such a house.”

“Couldn’t give a rat’s ass.” Sal pointed the gun to indicate his wife. “This bimbo ‘ere sometimes be snoopin’ around when the mistress has ‘em guests over. But I know my place.”

“Anyone interesting visit the lady lately?”

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