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Oct-24-2009 18:47

October 24, 1938- Heimlich VonVIctor felt a chill run down his spine. Autumn always had that effect on him. He looked up at the multitude of colors adorning the trees and placed his hands in his coat pockets. The pungent aroma in the air told him that, somewhere, leaves were being burnt. He took a deep breath and looked down, to the place he had visited as many times as he could in the past two years. The cold hard stone hadn’t changed a bit, and never would. It would always be a testament to the man resting under it.

RICHARD CAMBRIDGE
FEBRUARY 10, 1892-
JUNE 15, 1936
“Justice for all. Above all else.”

He took a deep sigh. He never left anything behind, nor did he suspect that Richard would want anything left for him. He leaned down and placed his hand on the stone, “I’m doing alright Richard. Eric and I started up another agency. We’re doing it right this time, and Sergei is getting better at English every day. He’s even solving cases now; you wouldn’t believe how well he’s doing.”

“Excuse me, detective VonVictor?” a voice called behind him

Heim whirled around to find himself face to face with a young uniformed officer, “What do you want?” he demanded, “Can’t you see I’m in a cemetery?”

“Yes sir,” he responded, “and I’m terribly sorry to disturb you, but I’ve been asked to fetch you right away, it’s a matter of life and death!”

Heimlich let out a sigh, and leaned down to touch the stone again, “It never ends Richard, it never ends. I have to go now, but I’ll be back real soon.”

Oct-25-2009 13:58

Heimlich walked briskly down the street, he couldn't let Vulkie catch up with him. He couldn't let her know that he'd just told the fib of a lifetime. Of course it was a lie! She would figure it out eventually, Albert was far too old to be his son, and even so, the last he had mentioned Henry, he made it very clear that he had searched for him for years.

He reached into his coat pocket and produced his flask. He had been good, only a social drinker, but this was different. He unscrewed the top and began to chug the contents. He felt his throat burn as his body warmed and his mind began to dull.

No Vulkie was smarter than that. It wouldn't take her long to put two and two together and it was best he be long gone by that point. Then a thought entered his mind, "What if Barnes really was innocent?" It certainly would be ironic for that slimy pig, who had escaped punishment so many times for legitimate wrongdoing, would be going down for something he had no hand in. He couldn't think like that. He wouldn't. He couldn't get involved, he decided.

Heimlich looked around him and realized he was standing in his apartment. He had walked all the way home and not realized it. He shook the flask in his hand, empty. He staggered over to the large armchair and collapsed. The room began to spin. He reached over and pulled a blanket towards him. The room felt cold. As he spread the blanket over himself his only thought was to rest his eyes for a few seconds until things were back to normal.

The next thing he knew, he was awakened several hours later by the sound of his telephone ringing.

Oct-25-2009 16:00

"Albert VonVictor... Hmm,I'll try to find something out. This doesn't add up..." Vulkie murmered and she went to the "Hall of Records",to find out some more about Albert VonVictor.

"I'm here on behalf of Mr. Heimlich VonVictor" Vulkie said and the guard grunted. "Get in and leave within 5 minutes..." the guard said. Vulkie nodded and went in,right towards the section T-V.

"VonVictor..." Vulkie murmered and she got a lot of information about Heimlich.

But there was still one article left... A birth certificate...

"Albert VonVictor ,born... date.... place.... Parents..." Vulkie murmered. She also found the birth certificate from Heimlich.

"Heimlich VonVictor... Born... Date... Place... Parents..." Vulkie murmered and there she saw it...

"Heim,you... You..." Vulkie murmered,as the guard knocked on the door and came in.

"Oi,it's time. Leave!" the guard said and Vulkie did so.

"We need to have a talk you and me Heim!" Vulkie thought and she left for her apartment. "It's getting too late to phone him,I'll wait until I meet Heim again. Phoning him isn't a good idea..." Vulkie thought and she entered her apartment 10 minutes later.

"I could really use some sleep..." Vulkie said and she "snoozed" off,only to be woken up by a terrible nightmare...

"Sergei..." someone yelled. "I don't want to kill Richard Cambridge. Don't let me do this Leon..." Sergei said. A gunshot. Richard dropping down. Leon making sure he was "sleeping with the fishes..."

That's the nightmare,that made Vulkie wake up so early,that the sun hadn't risen yet... The murder of Richard Cambridge still haunted her thoughts...

Oct-25-2009 16:10

***The next day,25th of October***

It was Vulkie's birthday. She was 39,still looking like she was at her mid 20's. Vulkie went through a lot,she knew that.. But if there's one important thing for a woman,it's her appearance.

She had already sent invites towards her fellow detective friends a few days before the 25th and she was getting a bit nervous.

"No need to panic. Just some drinks... It's gonna be alright..." Vulkie murmered and the doorbell rang. As Vulkie opened the door,she saw who was standing in the dooropening.

"Sergei! How nice of you to come!" Vulkie said and smiled. "It's ghood to meet ghou again Vulkie. It's been long time since we saw eachother..." Sergei said. "Do come in" Vulkie said and she led him towards the living room.

"Have some wine Sergei,or do you prefer Vodka?" Vulkie asked and Sergei asked for some Vodka. Just as Vulkie handed Sergei the Vodka,the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" she yelled and rushed to the door.

As she opened the door,there stood Heimlich,in his best "smoking" suit. "Heimlich,hi.. Glad you could make it.." Vulkie said and she faked a smile. "You know huh?" Heimlich said and she nodded. "Not now Heim. We have some guests here!" Vulkie said and she led Heim towards the living room.

"Sergei,haven't seen you in a while" Heimlich said,as Sergei looked up. "VonVictor!" Sergei yelled and he immediately "jumped" up and grabbed Heim tightly between his arms,hugging him.

"Easy Sergei..." Heim said and he seated himself. Vulkie brought Heimlich a glass of wine...

Just then,the doorbell again rang. "Coming!" Vulkie yelled,as she scurried to the door. As she opened the door,she saw some long no time see-friends...

Oct-25-2009 16:22

"Vulkie!" Charlie yelled and he kissed her on her cheeks. Vulkie blushed. "Hiya Charlie,glad you could make it. Come in..." she said. Behind Charlie stood a lady,who didn't like Vulkie as much as she did in the beginning,but they would be rivals forever. Vulkie just knew that. "Molly,welcome!" Vulkie said and Molly shook her hand. "Good to see you. It's been a while..." Molly replied and Vulkie nodded.

And finally,behind Molly,stood Marc Lacrimosa. The one detective which who she shared some real intense experiences the past few years,just like she did with Joseph Zeo and Heimlich VonVictor. But the intense moments with Marc were more recent...

"Marc,come in!" Vulkie yelled and Marc handed a bottle of bourbon to Vulkie. "You're favorite..." Marc said and he came in,placing his hat on the hatstand.

"Well everyone,glad you could make it. As you may know,I'm becoming 39 this year... It's been some special years that I didn't celebrate my birthday,but for this time,I'll celebrate it with you..." Vulkie said and everyone raised their glass and chanted 'To the next 39 years!".

"Aren't we missing someone?" Heimlich said and Vulkie wondered. "Well,haven't heard from JZ in a while. He's tied up at the moment,with stuff. Last thing I heard,he was on a case... And Anais..." Vulkie said,but Heimlich interrupted.

"People,enjoy yourself. I need to speak with Vulkie in the kitchen for a few minutes." Heimlich said and so,Vulkie and Heimlich left for the kitchen...

Oct-25-2009 19:38

Molly held a glass of champagne in her left hand and smoothed her emerald silk party dress down with the other. She liked the color green, and she knew it showed off her copper hair to the best advantage. She looked into a compact to check her lipstick, and squinted at the scar on her face, once a serious cut over her eye now reduced to a tidy thin red line that stretched from above her eyebrow to just under her eye, curving towards her nose in a tiny hook. She had sustained the injury a year ago, while in pursuit of the criminal Charles Craig.

As this thought crossed her mind, she turned to smile and raise her glass in a silent toast to Marc Lacrimosa who had entered just after she had. He had led the team that had eventually captured the criminal, the team that had consisted of Charlie, Vulkie, Heimlich, Nellie and herself. He raised his glass back and after smiling again, she turned and threaded her way back through the kitchen door she had seen Vulkie and Heimlich disappear through.

Opening the door, she almost immediately ran square into Vulkie as she and Heimlich huddled in conversation by the counter. Molly's champagne splashed down the front of Vulkie's dress and she winced.

"Don't you know its rude to leave your guests--Oops." Molly said, wincing as she grabbed a towel from the counter and dabbed at Vulkies front. "Sorry dear, you know you really shouldn't stand so close to the door."

She patted her on the shoulder and then neatly stepped around her to plant a friendly kiss on Heimlich's cheek.

"Heimlich darling, its been a while!" she smiled, then automatically wiped the red lipstick traces off his cheek. Her perceptive blue eyes took in his expression. "Do tell me if something's troubling you, I swear I could tell something was wrong the moment I walked in."

Oct-26-2009 02:56

Charlie sat in the living room with Marc and Sergei. Marc and Charlie just caught up on old times. The two friends told stories about recent cases.

Vulkie, Heim, and Molly were all missing in action........... " Whats so important they gotta have a secret meeting about?" Charlie asked.

" I dont know lets find out." Marc replied...........

" Sorry mate wont take but a minute." Charlie said to Sergei heading to the kitchen.

Both detectives reached the door at the same time. Marc opened the door to see all three detectives in a intense conversation completely unaware we were even in the same room.

" Hello, Vulkie it is rude to leave your guests......one gets the feeling they are not really welcome." Charlie said.

Vulkie stammered " I.....We're.......Oh Heim you tell them." Vulkie said flustered.

" Charlie, Marc........We are discussing a small fib I told and a possible case." Heim stated bluntly.

Charlie and Marc looked at one another then both men smiled and looked back to their three companions. "Sounds interesting. I am in." Marc said

" Now wait a minute." Heim said.

" You know I'm game for another case with you guys." Charlie said.

"Okay, Look you two no one said we were taking the case. No one even implied it. I will not work this case....I wont." Heim said slaming his hand down on the counter to drive home his point.

"There is too much....

Oct-26-2009 10:00

Earlier...

Brrrrring! Brrrrring! Brrrrring!

Heimlich's head pounded in time to the ringing of the phone. Groaning, he reached out for it. He didn't want to talk to anyone or do anything. Except get the damn phone to stop ringing. He picked it up, and dropped it back in the cradle.

"Ah, peace and quite," he muttered, wincing at the sound of his own voice.

A minute later, the phone started ringing again.

Brrrrring! Brrrrring! Brrrrring! Brrrrring! Brrrrring! Brrrr-

Heimlich muttered a curse before he grabbed the phone up, and mumbled "Heimlich VonVictor here. You better have a good reason for calling."

There was a pause on the other end. Then, a quite, feminine voice, drifted through the phone. "Heimlich? Are you ok?"

The voice sounded familiar. Distantly familiar, but he couldn't place it. "Who is this?" he inquired, wincing as he sat all the way up and the setting sun shone directly into his eyes.

"I'm not surprised you don't remember, Heimlich. Maybe this will help jog your memory," the voice held a gentle humor, and Heim could hear the phone being passed to someone, and the same woman whispering something to some one else.

"Uncle Heimie? Hi! Guess what? Mummy and I are back in New York! And I met my daddy! But he's off doing work for awhile, so he can't spend time with me. He looked so funny when he saw me! And he was mad at Mum. But he was happy to see her too! Of course, I know that Mummy isn't really my mum," Josèe Nin rattled off, speaking a mile a minute, much too fast for Heimlich to process.

There was more noise at the receiver again changed hands. Heimlich spoke before either of the women could. "Anais? Is it really you? And Josèe? Back in New York?"

"Yes, it is! I figured I couldn't put off Josèe meeting her father any longer. Plus, she is old enough to know some stuff now, and she will be going off to boarding school soon enough. Miss Parr has given me some good recommendations." Anais leaned against the counter, smoothing Josèe's hair back as she chatted. "We wou

Oct-26-2009 10:12

"We would both like to see you while we are here, Heim. I would say that I would see you tomorrow at Vulkie's party, but, I don't trust anyone here in New York to babysit except for people who are going to be at the party. And, well... an eight year-old at a birthday party where everyone will be getting drunk and smoking and talking about the past? I don't think that would be the best idea."

There was silence on Heimlich's end.

"Heimlich? You there?"

"Yeah, sorry, Anais. I'm a bit out of it right now. Would you like to meet at the Boardwalk the day after tomorrow?" He asked, still not thinking entirely straight.

"Sure! We can catch up then. I'll let you go now, Heimlich. But first Josèe wants to say something," Anais smiled down at her little girl, who imperiously held her hand out for the phone.

"Bye-bye Uncle Heimie! I can't wait to see you!" the little girl exclaimed.

Heimlich winced, holding the phone well away fro his ear, before gingerly speaking into it to Josèe, "It was wonderful to hear from you and your mom tonight, Josèe. I've missed bouncing you on my knee!"

"Uncle Heimie, you are a silly goose," she informed him, with all the confidence of being eight years old. "Bye!"

The receiver clicked as Josèe hung up, and Heimlich lay back down to finish sleeping off the effects of the alcohol on his body.

Oct-26-2009 10:33

"Heimlich,you lied to me. You lied against me! And I'm supposed to be your friend?" Vulkie said,as the conversation started and heated up.

"Well,look for yourself,traitor!" Heimlich replied. "Don't you think that I already "forgot" your betrayal at the Craig-Case... I still don't understand why you eventually went with those mobsters.." Heimlich added and he sighed.

"That's my bloody business. But you lied to me,about Albert. He's your..." Vulkie said,as Molly stumbled in and dropped her glass of champagne on Vulkie's dress.

"Sorry dear,you know,you really shouldn't stand that close to a door.." Molly said and Vulkie took a towel and began to "dry " her dress a bit up.

Just then,Charlie and Marc came in. "It's rude to leave your guests there,you know that?" Charlie said.

"Just tell them Heim!" Vulkie said.

"Sorry" Heimlich said. "Vulkie and I were discussing a fib... and a possible case..." Heimlich said.

"A case? Sounds interesting,I'm in.." Marc said and the conversation developed,but Heimlich refused to explain.

"I... I can't do this.. I need some fresh air,please..." Heimlich said. "I also have a meeting today. I... I've got to go. Goodbye guys..." Heimlich said and he rushed out of Vulkie's apartment.

"Strange..." Vulkie said and everyone nodded. "It's nothing for Heimlich to act like that. Well,the party must go on eh? Let's go to the living room people!" Vulkie said cheerful and pushed everyone out of the kitchen.

"Where did VonVictor go?' Sergei asked. "Business appointment I presume..." Charlie said and Sergei smiled. "Good. Business has been slow for VonVictor. He don't have that much cases,as Eric and I are doing most of them.." Sergei said.

"Why did Sergei had to bring up Eric Marvington?" Vulkie thought and she sighed. "What's wrong?" Marc asked.

"Nothing.." Vulkie said and faked a smile,as the party went on...

Oct-26-2009 10:56

Molly flitted around the room easily, joking around and sometimes flirting with the various party-goers. She had been quite the socialite in her "past life", and she knew how to work a room. But her mind kept returning to Heimlich. Although they had worked well together in a team, she didn't know much about his background. It was not something he seemed eager to discuss.

One of the detectives she did not recognize asked her to dance, and so she did, whirling and laughing at the smart quips the detective made. But in her mind, she was still dissecting the Heimlich problem; was it best handled by letting him work it out on his own, or should she step in? At the very least let him know that she was willing to help him out with anything he needed...

The detective spun her out and she was promptly caught up by Marc. She grinned.

"I didn't take you for a dancing man." she said playfully, then lowered her voice. "What's your take on Heimlich? Does it seem like something he needs our help with or not?"

Marc opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted as Vulkie, seeming at least slightly intoxicated, cut in to have a dance with her detective friend. Noticing the eyes of the party on the little scene, Molly clasped a hand over her heart and made a sad expression, and another friend of Vulkie's immediately appeared to to swoop her up in a lively number. She laughed gaily, but was making lists of the possible ways she could get in contact with Heim, and in turn get to the root of the problem.