The Finger

Coaldrake only has three fingers on his right hand. The middle one is missing.

Have you ever lost a finger?

It isn't pleasant,particularly when a dog is involved. He is self conscious about it: terribly. In a way, that if it had been a congenital birth defect he might not have been. He catches glances towards his hand, and always feels a little guilty, as though it is somehow his fault, that his lack has caused someone to feel uncomfortable.

His clenched fist always looks peculiar. It hurts when he punches people, the middle knuckle often cracks and bleeds. He uses his fist a little less, perhaps, than most garden variety detectives, well, he would like to think so, at any rate. He credits his success to that approach.

The dog is still alive. Maybe that says something about Coaldrake: that he never lobbied for it's destruction, that it's still getting about. He'd like to think that it does. He'd like to think that he does not bear it any bitterness and that makes him somehow a better more considerate person.

The loss of a finger can define you. It's interesting how an absence can define you.

Try not to look at his hand. You've read the file.