G21 WORDS


Dangerous Visions

HYPER-FICTION

Quiet Worlds

by Rod Amis

G21 Contributor

Irish Eyes LogoIRISH EYES: as 9 April approaches, JOE O'NEILL offers a special editorial "DEADLINE FOR PEACE."

POWERSBOOKS LogoPOWERSBOOKS looks at the Dangerous Visions available from a number of books and "PRIVATE THOUGHTS."

VOX POPULI, YOUR E-mail alternative to the Message Board is updated!

G21 WORDS DOUBLE FEATURE:
Words LogoPOETRY: NATHAN BLACK - "Rationalizations of The Hermit"

Words LogoHYPER-FICTION: ROD AMIS - "Quiet Worlds"


Bare Knuckles LogoBARE KNUCKLES: JEFF WINBUSH kicks off the Dangerous Visions Issue with "REGGIE WHITE GOES DOWN."

London Calling! LogoFLISS USSHER's G21 EUROPE column LONDON CALLING! has a Dangerous Vision of a generation in "PARABLE OF A GENERATION"

G21 ASIA LogoG21 ASIA RAOUL TESLA reports from Angeles, the Philippines.

ANOTHER Great Joke of the Day in THE HOUSE OF CARDS!

G21 ASIA LogoG21 ASIA has KIM CARTER back talking about another type of foolishness in "CANNIBAL ISLAND."

Planetary Madnesss LogoJENNIFER BLUE's PLANETARY MADNESS looks at YOUR influences!

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The number was a prominent Chinese businessman, guy named Tom Wing, who had been trying to break the lock the old Italian- and English-descent families had on politics in Rockford. He had been appointed most recently to the Redevelopment Commission by doing fundraising in Rockford's burgeoning Chinese community for the new Mayor. He had been a brash kind of guy, into name dropping, power grabs, trying to throw his weight around. Word on the street was that he usually alienated the politicians he started to "help" by his insistence on playing the big man, knowing lots of people, having lots of influence. Still, because he was second generation and spoke relatively good English, had made his fortune in real estate before the bottom dropped out at the end of the 'eighties, and because he was so pushy, he had indeed developed some clout in the Chinese community. He had also developed a few enemies. Among Wing's worst enemies was the matriarch of the family which published the only bilingual paper in the Chinese section of town. They had been big contributors to the new Mayor's campaign, too, just to counterbalance Wing's influence. Now Wing was dead. His widow had filed the claim last week, two weeks after his death. What attracted Harry's attention about the file was the Medical Examiner's report. The M.E. had pronounced Tom Wing dead from "...accidental discharge of his small caliber firearm during the process of cleaning..." One bullet through the mouth and out the base of the cranium.

Harry rang up Quinn Meredith. "Talk to me about Tom Wing," he asked his partner.

"What's to talk?" Quinn asked distractedly. "He's dead. Yeah, right, I'll get back to you on this," he went on to someone apparently leaving his office.

"I'm looking at the M.E.'s report and I don't like it."

"What's not to like?"

"What's not to like is `accidental discharge' of his weapon into his own face, Lover. Wing was not the kindah guy to clean his own weapons. He would have had a servant to do that. And he wasn't the type of guy to commit suicide."

"You're the only person who's said anything about suicide, Trots. Look, we looked over this case and it was just an accident. Let it go." Quinn sounded irritated.

"You know I can't do that."

"Make an effort. We've got more than enough unsolved homicides on the roster right now, boyo. You short on claims at Cosmo this week or something?"

"Har, har. Can you transfer me down to Quang?" Quang was Harry's friend in the M.E.'s office.

"What for? I already told you that there were no signs of foul play on this, Harry! We did our job. If you want me to send over the Q and A's I can have someone do that for ya'. But there's nothing there. It really was an accident."

"Are you going to transfer me down to Quang or not, Quinn?"

Meredith's deep sigh came through the telephone receiver. "Hold on," he said. It sounded like he was saying it through clenched teeth.

The phone went dead for a minute. Then Quang's voice came through the receiver. "County morgue, this is Mr. Ng. May I help you?"

"Quang! Harry. I need a favor, pal."

"Hally! Wha's hab'ning? How you been, man?"

"Tip top. How 'bout yourself?" Harry asked the guy.

"Can't complain. What can I do you for?"

"I need you to pull the report on the Tom Wing autopsy a couple weeks back. Find out who did it and let me know if you're as chilled by it as I am."

"Leave that one alone, Hally," Quang said. "Too much juice."

"Is there something I oughtah know about this one, Quang?" Harry asked.

"I awready to'd you. Word is they wanted that one closed as quickly as possible, man. I think somebody was afraid of knowing where all the bodies are buried. That's enough for me. I don't need no headaches. I don't think you do either right now, Hally."

"It's my head, Quang. Besides, I don't like paying for murders as if they were accidents. You gonnah help me on this or not?"

"Who transfer you down here?" "Meredith." "Okay. But don't ask me no more favors, Trotter. And don't let no one else know I did this for you, you unnerstan?" "I understand," Harry said. Harry put the Wing number in his own In basket with Crawford's. He put a yellow post-it note on the outside of the manila folder to remind him to talk to Smith about working on the case with him.

+++ CRAWFORD +++ GEOFF +++ HARRY +++


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