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I swallowed the remaining gulp of soda to settle my stomach. With a sigh, I picked up my pen.
Here goes the windup.
***
An hour seemed to goby before I dropped the pen and pulled the blanket up to my chest to go to sleep. The light in the room made it hard to drift off, but I didn’t want to be in pitch black with no windows, fumbling for the switch.
I was startled awake by Klinn’s voice coming from outside the room. His crew were out there, too. The three of them seemed to be in contest over who could talk over the other person. I stretched my cramped limbs and walked to the door, leaning against it so I could listen in on the conversation.
"We’re all out of hot dogs." Gravix's scratchy voice carried over the other two. "Zorbluk ate the rest after dinner last night."
"I needed a midnight snack." Zorbluk defended his actions. "It’s not my fault we have to feed her. What is she gonna do for breakfast?"
"You two need to cool it," Klinn rebuffed them.
I tapped my knuckles on the door. "You don’t have to fight over what I’m eating for breakfast. I’ll have whatever you’re having." At least it wouldn’t be more hot dogs.
Silence ruled the other side before the door slid open. Klinn stood in front of me. Zorbluk was behind him, peering over his head. Gravix sat on Zorbluk’s shoulder. The pair of them scowled down at me.
"Sleep well?" Klinn asked. He had on a plain black shirt today. I got the oddest sense of disappointment to see it was long sleeve and covered his tats.
"Is that a serious question?"
"I’ll ask those later when you tell me what you came up with during your brainstorming."
"Give me a few minutes. I just woke up."
"We’ll wait out here."
I closed the door almost all the way and headed into the bathroom. My curly puff hung lopsided from how I slept. I fixed it after splashing water on my face. Unless I managed to work a miracle and find out who framed Klinn before lunchtime, I was going to need toiletries and a fresh set of clothes soon.
I returned to the door and pushed it open. Zorbluk and Gravix had wandered away. Klinn stood in the hall, arms folded. He walked once I set foot in the corridor.
We entered another corridor, this one shorter than the first and wide enough for us both to move side by side. Barely. He kept his arms folded. His stiff stance didn’t ease as we entered the kitchen and dining area.
Zorbluk and Gravix were already chowing down at the table. I stared at the pink and greenish-yellow mixture on a platter in the table’s center. The texture reminded me of undercooked scrambled eggs. They scooped the soupy mixture up with pieces of bread and slapped it on their plates.
Klinn offered me the one seat across from his friends. He stood with a plate in hand. "Ladies, first."
“Thanks.” I helped myself to a piece of bread.
Gravix cocked a razor thin eyebrow at me. "Don’t you want some cluctaric eggs?"
"What’s a cluctaric?"
"It’s similar to a chicken." Klinn provided, reaching to get a part of the mysterious animal’s dual-colored eggs onto his plate.
"I’ll try it next time." I smiled politely at Gravix before biting into the bread.
"More for me, then." Zorbluk belched before he helped himself to the eggs on the platter. He used a piece of bread to soak up the pink trail of ooze left behind.
I saw a pitcher of water by the sink and hurried to pour myself a glass.
Klinn chewed quietly. I noticed his amused smile before he hid it behind a hunk of bread. "Tell us, detective. What do you make of the clues you have so far?"
The water was cool and refreshing. "I still need details from you. You said someone was looking for you in this galaxy. Any guesses who it might be?"
Zorbluk wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "Klinn’s got a lot of people who don’t like him."
