“Uh…what does that have to do with this?”
“It doesn’t, but there’s a killer takeout place right around the corner, and my stomach is about to eat itself. Let’s go get some food—my treat—then we’ll head home so I can find this Vik fella.”
An hour later, I have learned the hard way not to eat the spicy paste that’s served with sushi, but I can’t bring myself to care too much about the stuff that’s still stuck at the top of my mouth. Not when we’re back in the car and off to yet another adventure.
“You’re positive it’s the same Vikram Choudhary?” says Miguel, hands wrapped tight around the steering wheel.
“Positive? No, sir. But he’s the right age, and I’d rather start in Lincoln Park than drive all the way to Naperville.”
“I hope this isn’t a dead end,” says Miguel.
“It’s only dead if we stop trying. Let’s go.”
Traffic’s far worse than when we arrived, and it takes a good half hour to go just a couple miles. Miguel can’t find parking, so Dane offers to circle the block to look for something while he goes up to the apartment. To my surprise, he takes me out of the car with him. “You’ve been my lucky charm so far, Harold.”
Have I? Come to think of it, Iamrather fortunate.
“Maybe we can finally make real progress this time,” he adds as we climb the steep cement stairs to the large stone building where Vik supposedly lives.
When we reach the door, Miguel hits one of the many buttons on the panel. There’s a loud buzzing noise, but no onelets us in. He hits the button again. “He must be out right now,” he murmurs. “Wonder if he went with JMB to…well, wherever he is now.”
“Excuse me.”
There’s a guy behind us dressed in an all-blue outfit, the same kind Raina wears to her job at the hospital. I can’t be certain, but the man’s long, straight nose and bulgy arms make me think people would describe him as handsome. In fact, I can imagine him in one of Amelia’s stories.
“Sorry,” Miguel tells him, stepping out of the way.
“No worries,” says the man, sticking his key in the lock. He’s nearly inside the lobby when Miguel shoves his foot in the door to keep it open.
“Hey,” says the man, spinning around. Miguel’s tall, but this man is taller. “I can’t let you inside—building policy. You’ll have to wait for whoever you’re trying to visit to buzz you in.”
“I’m looking for Vik. Are you him? You fit the description I was given.”
The man frowns.
Miguel tries again. “Vik Choudhary?”
“I’m not sure what this is about, but I’m not interested,” says the man, pulling the door closed.
Miguel moves his foot, so it doesn’t get slammed in the doorframe. Instead of leaving, though, he taps on the glass. The man spins and looks at him. He shakes his head. After a moment, he opens the door again and steps onto the stoop. “What do you want?” he says wearily.
Miguel seems surprised. “Um, to ask you a few questions about your friend Jonathan Middleton-Biggs.”
Vik’s eyes immediately drop to Miguel’s waist, like he’sexpecting him to pull something out of his pocket. Miguel must notice this, too, because he raises both of his hands. “I’m not sure what you’re thinking, but I’m just a bookseller—I own Lakeside Books in West Haven, Michigan. My name’s Miguel Rivera.”
“Okay…” Vik’s frowning, but he doesn’t smell so nervous anymore. “Why are you here to see me, then? I’m not an author, and I don’t have enough time to read all that much.”
“Because we’re trying to find Jonathan.”
Vik laughs bitterly. “He’s definitely not here.”
Miguel examines Vik. “I got your name from Enrique. Well, your first name, and then we went to Roundabout Books, and a woman named Keisha knew who you were.”
“Ah, that explains a lot. She and my sister went to school together.” Vik glances away. “I’m still surprised you got this far. Jon doesn’t like anyone prying into his personal life. Everyone who knows him knows that. Including Keisha.”
“I gathered, and believe me, I had no intention of poking into his affairs until he didn’t show up for his event earlier this week. I’m now on the hook for thousands of dollars, and it might put my bookstore out of business. I’m just trying to find Jonathan so I can convince him to come in and do the reading and signing like he said he would.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, but I have no idea how I could possibly help you when I haven’t seen Jon in a month.”
