Horace, tending to the long line, even on a Monday night, saw him approach and held up both hands in front, as if trying to stop a charging bull. “Mr. Parker, Mr. Parker. Wait a minute now.”
“Where is he?”
“Leslie? He’s in the basement doing inventory—”
“Not Mr. Charles. Mr. Müller. Karl. The kid I dropped off last night.”
Horace’s eyes opened wider. “The nervous looking one? Mr. Parker, he’s not here anymore.”
A pit opened up in Dash’s stomach. “What do you mean?”
A black man a few feet down the line said, “You ain’t cuttin’ me, ofay, that I know!”
Dash ignored the remark. “He’s really gone?”
“Yes, sir,” Horace said. “And Leslie isn’t too happy about it. That’s why he’s doing inventory now. The kid didn’t stay to do it. He didn’t stay long, period.”
“Did someone come and get him?” Dash could not picture this boy who was scared to death of his brother leaving the safest place he could be.
“I don’t know, Mr. Parker. I didn’t see him leave.”
This didn’t make any sense. “I don’t understand, Horace.”
The irate man in line said, “What’s to understand? There’s a line and you get in it!”
Horace looked at the man. “Hey now! We’re having a conversation, so mind your manners or you’re gonna be standing there all night.”
The irate man grumbled under his breath, but he seemed to be somewhat mollified.
Dash said, “What happened after I left?”
“He sat at the bar and watched the rest of El’s show. Leslie made sure he paid.”
“I’ll bet so.”
“Then we closed. I got myself a well-deserved drink and talked with some of the bartenders. They tell me the craziest stories about some of the people who come in here.”
“I don’t doubt it. Where was Karl during this time?”
“Cleaning up the main room. Thought it was a little odd seeing a downtowner cleaning up after us, but these days, I see lots of odd things.” Horace’s face creased with concern. “You all right, Mr. Parker?”
The irate man in line said, “What’s happening? Y’all need a room?”
Horace jerked his head towards the line. “I said we’re having a conversation. You better mind your manners, sir, or I’ll never let your raggedy ass in. You understand me?”
A woman with the irate man jostled his arm and hissed something to him.
“I’m alright,” Dash replied belatedly to Horace’s question, lying through his teeth. “I’m just surprised he isn’t here, that’s all.” He made believe his sniffing was due to the hot air, not the tears threatening to break loose. “Did he say anything before he left?”
Horace crossed his arms over his chest, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “He did but . . . you gotta promise you won’t tell Leslie. I could get in serious trouble.”
Dash held up a hand as if taking an oath in court. “My lips are sealed.”
Horace looked him in the eye, making sure he saw Dash’s sincerity. He nodded to himself once. “I was outside in the alley, having a cigarette, trying to have a quiet moment. Wanted some peace, you know? I’m halfway through my ciggy when I heard him—the little German boy, I mean—talking. At first, I thought he was talking to someone, but I didn’t hear another voice speak back. Now you know Les’s office window is right there so that’s where I figured his voice was coming from. I snuck a peek to see who he was talking to. He was on Les’s telephone. That’s a big no-no around here. Only Les can use the contraption because he, and he alone, pays for it. If he finds out the little German boy used his phone and nobody told him about it? That poor sucker can find themselves another job. And I like this job, Mr. Parker, so please don’t say anything to Les about this.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” Dash replied. “You didn’t by any chance hear what the kid was saying, did you?”
“Bits and pieces. I heard him say: ‘please try again, it’s of the upmost importance. I said, try again! No, I will not lower my voice. It is an emergency, please try again.’” Horace shrugged. “That’s all I could make out before I went back to my spot and minded my own business.”
It sounded as if Karl was arguing with the operator. “And he didn’t say out loud who he was trying to reach?”
“No, sir, but that’s probably why he left. He couldn’t reach the person he needed to.”
Dash wondered who it could’ve been and why the urgency. “Did he mention any names either on the phone or around the club? A Tyler Smith?” Dash tried to remember the person who suggested his club to Karl and his friends. He got it. “A Miss Avery?”
Horace shook his head.
Dash thought of the blue card Karl handed to Finn. “What about a Zora Mae?”
More shakes of the head.
“And Karl left how long after his telephone call?”
“That I don’t know. I left shortly after my ciggy break. When I come in today, Mr. Charles is ranting and raving about how the German kid didn’t even work the night.”
“Was he missing last night or this morning?”
“Last night. Mr. Charles said he ran an errand after I left and when he came back, the club was left wide open, and the kid was nowhere to be found.”
Another round of tears threatened to leave Dash’s eyes. He sniffed again. “And, uh, no one has heard from him since?”
Horace’s face was sad. “No, sir. Did something bad happen?”
Dash sniffed a third time. Not here. “Yeah, Horace. Something very bad happened.” He cleared his throat, hoping that would keep the emotion in check. “I need to talk to El. It’s important.”
“She’s onstage now.”
“Is she making them cry?”
Horace nodded.
“Then she’s almost
