Simon Green: The Bride Wore Black Leather

Suzie and I remembered all the words, in all the right places; Alex remembered the ring; and everything went perfectly. Made a nice change.

Afterwards, while we were saying good-bye to our guests, before they all went off to the reception at the Adventurers Club, I spotted a familiar face right at the back of the church, keeping to the shadows. No-one else seemed to notice. I excused myself, and went back to speak with him. He nodded politely.

“Hello, John. Hope you don’t mind me dropping in like this, without an official invite.”

“Hello, Walker,” I said. “Good of you to make it to my wedding, after all.”

He tipped his bowler hat to me. “Wouldn’t have missed it for the world, dear boy. Congratulations to you both.”

“So,” I said. “You’re not dead after all, then? I should have known . . .”

“Ah,” said Walker. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t know. I’m here from the Past, you see, time-travelling through the Portable Timeslip. I learned of your wedding through a friendly oracle; and I wanted to be sure I wouldn’t miss it. Even though I probably won’t remember most of this when I get back. Price you pay for these sudden, short-term hops.”

“You knew the exact date of my wedding, in advance?”

“I’m Walker,” he said, smiling. “It’s my job to know everything that matters.”

“My job, now,” I said.

“I always meant you should succeed me,” said Walker. “The Nightside doesn’t need me any more; it needs a new kind of Walker. Like you. I’ve been quietly training you for some time.”

“I’m not sure whether I should say thank you, or not,” I said.

He nodded easily. “It’s been that kind of relationship, hasn’t it?”

“That sort of friendship,” I said.

“Most of the time. You watch out for yourself, now. I won’t be there to look after you.”

“Is that what you called it?” I said, and we both smiled.

“You’ll still have Julien Advent,” said Walker. “He has a good heart, and a good head on his shoulders.”

“Yes,” I said. “I’ll still have Julien Advent.”

Walker looked at me thoughtfully. “The oracle told me I didn’t have a lot of time left. Tell me, John. Did I die well?”

“You died . . . in character,” I said. “Right to the very end.”

“Then that’s all that matters. Well, time to be going. Lovely ceremony. Best of luck. You’re probably going to need it.”

“It was you, who sent the message about the immortals, wasn’t it?” I said. “To get me to the Ball of Forever, in time for King of Skin’s murder.”

“I have made certain advance arrangements, yes,” said Walker. “My wedding present to you. I thought you deserved a decent last case to go out on, as a private investigator. Good-bye, John.”

“Good-bye, Henry.”

He smiled, and disappeared. Gone, just like that. His real wedding present, even if he didn’t know it; a chance to say good-bye properly.

I went back to Suzie. Everyone else was leaving, heading for the buffet and free champagne at the Adventurers Club, talking happily with each other while the Sea Goat sang something loud and cheerful and completely inappropriate. Suzie came up to me and leaned against me.

“I thought that went well,” she said, after a time. “Who were you talking to, in the shadows?”

“An old friend of the family,” I said. “Are you happy, Suzie?”

“Yes. It’s not a feeling I’m familiar with; but I think I could grow to like it. As long as you’re with me, John.”

“Forever and ever and ever,” I said. “But right now, I need you to go and take care of the reception. There’s something I have to do first.”

I felt the need to walk the streets of the Nightside, for a while. Wearing a suit, and not my white trench coat. Because I was Walker now. And while some things never change . . . some do.

SOMETHING FROM THE NIGHTSIDE

AGENTS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS

NIGHTINGALE’S LAMENT

HEX AND THE CITY

PATHS NOT TAKEN

SHARPER THAN A SERPENT’S TOOTH

HELL TO PAY

THE UNNATURAL INQUIRER

JUST ANOTHER JUDGEMENT DAY

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UNCANNY

A HARD DAY’S KNIGHT

THE BRIDE WORE BLACK LEATHER

GHOST OF A CHANCE

GHOST OF A SMILE

THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN TORC

DAEMONS ARE FOREVER

THE SPY WHO HAUNTED ME

FROM HELL WITH LOVE

FOR HEAVEN’S EYES ONLY

DEATHSTALKER

DEATHSTALKER REBELLION

DEATHSTALKER WAR

DEATHSTALKER HONOR

DEATHSTALKER DESTINY

DEATHSTALKER LEGACY

DEATHSTALKER RETURN

DEATHSTALKER CODA

SWORDS OF HAVEN

GUARDS OF HAVEN

BLUE MOON RISING

BEYOND THE BLUE MOON

DRINKING MIDNIGHT WINE

A WALK ON THE NIGHTSIDE