gc.shadowslinger-第24节

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s。〃
　　The　extortionist　extended　cupped　hands。
　　Shed　had　not　expected　it　to　be　this　easy。　He　dumped　the　coins；　grabbed　the　man's　wrists。
　　〃Hey！　What　the　hell？〃
　　A　hand　clamped　over　the　man's　mouth。　A　face　appeared　over　his　shoulder；　mouth　stretched　in　a　grimace　of　effort。　The　extortionist　rose　to　his　toes；　arching　backward。　His　eyes　widened　in　fear　and　pain；　then　rolled　up。　He　slumped　forward。
　　〃All　right。　Perfect。　Get　out　of　here；〃　Shed　said。
　　Hastening　footsteps　faded　quickly。
　　Shed　dragged　the　body　into　shadow；　quickly　covered　it　with　wood　scraps；　then　dropped　to　hands　and　knees　and　began　collecting　coins。　He　found　all　but　two。
　　〃What　are　you　doing；　Mr。　Shed？〃
　　He　jumped。　〃What're　you　doing？〃
　　〃I　came　to　see　if　you　were　all　right。〃
　　〃I'm　fine。　We　had　an　argument。　He　knocked　some　coins　out　of　my　hand。　I　can't　find　them　all。〃
　　〃Need　help？〃
　　〃Mind　the　counter；　girl。　Or　they'll　steal　us　blind。〃
　　〃Oh。　Sure。〃　She　ducked　back　inside。
　　Shed　gave　it　up　a　few　minutes　later。　He　would　search　again　tomorrow。
　　He　got　antsy　waiting　for　closing　time。　Lisa　was　too　curious。　He　was　afraid　she　would　look　for　the　missing　coins　and　find　the　body。　He　did　not　want　her　disappearance　on　his　conscience；　too。
　　Two　minutes　after　he　closed；　he　was　out　his　back　door　and　heading　for　his　wagon　and　team。
　　The　tall　being　was　back　on　duty。　He　paid　Shed　thirty　pieces　of　silver。　As　he　was　maneuvering　to　leave；　though；　the　thing　demanded；　〃Why　do　you　e　so　seldom？〃
　　〃I'm　not　as　skilled　as　my　partner。〃
　　〃What　has　bee　of　him？　We　have　missed　him。〃
　　〃He's　out　of　town。〃
　　Shed　could　have　sworn　he　heard　the　thing　chuckle　as　he　went　out　the　gate。
　　
　　　Chapter　Twenty…Two：　JUNIPER：　RUNNING　SCARED
　　
　　A　long　time　had　passed　and　nothing　had　happened。　The　Taken　were　not　pleased。　Neither　was　Elmo。　He　dragged　me　into　his　quarters。　〃Were　the　hell　did　Raven　go；Croaker？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　told　him。　As　if　he　were　the　only　one　disturbed。　I　was　scared　and　getting　more　so　by　the　day。　〃I　want　to　know。　Soon。〃
　　〃Look；　man。　Goblin's　done　everything　but　torture　people　trying　to　pick　up　his　trail。　He　flat　vanished。　He　got　wind　of　us　somehow。〃
　　〃How？　Will　you　tell　me　how？　We've　been　here　half　our　lives；　it　seems　like。　And　nobody　else　down　there　has　noticed。　Why　should　Raven　be　any　different？〃
　　〃Because　we　were　around　looking　for　him。　He　must　have　spotted　one　of　us。〃
　　〃If　he　did；　I　want　to　know　that。　You　hike　on　down　there　and　light　a　fire　under　Goblin's　ass。　Hear？〃
　　〃Right。　Whatever　you　say；　boss。〃　Though　he　manded　the　advance　party；　technically　I　outranked　Elmo。　But　I　was　not　about　to　press　for　prerogatives　at　the　moment。　There　was　too　much　tension　in　the　air。
　　There　was　stress　throughout　Duretile；　and　I　did　not　understand　most　of　it。　I　remained　on　the　periphery　of　the　Taken's　study　of　the　black　castle。　Just　another　messenger　boy；　a　foot…slogger　bringing　in　data　from　the　city。　I　hadn't　the　slightest　notion　what　they　had　discovered　by　direct　examination。　Or　even　if　they　were　studying　the　castle　directly。　They　could　be　lying　back；　afraid　they　would　alert　the　Dominator　to　their　presence。
　　One　of　the　men　located　me　in　Elmo's　quarters。　〃Whisper　wants　you；　Croaker。〃
　　I　jumped　a　foot。　Guilty　conscience。　〃What　for？〃　I　had　not　seen　her　for　weeks。
　　〃You'll　have　to　go　see。　She　didn't　say。〃　He　sneered；　hoping　he　would　see　an　officer　in　the　soup。　He　figured　I　was　in　trouble。
　　He　figured　that；　so　did　I。　I　dawdled　as　much　as　I　dared；　but　eventually　had　to　present　myself。　Whisper　glared　at　me　as　I　entered。　〃You　people　haven't　found　a　damned　thing　down　there。　What　are　you　doing？　Dogging　it？　Taking　a　vacation？　Well；　say　something。〃
　　〃I。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Do　you　know　the　black　castle　stopped　growing　after　our　raid　on　the　Crater　group？　No？　Why　not？　You're　supposed　to　be　finding　out　these　things。〃
　　〃None　of　the　prisoners　accounted　for　the。　。。。〃
　　〃I　know　that。　I　know　none　of　them　knew　who　the　main　body　supplier　was。　But　that　supplier　must　have　known　them。　He　packed　up。　There　have　been　just　two　bodies　delivered　since。　The　latest　just　last　night。　Why　didn't　you　know　that？　Why　have　you　got　people　in　the　Buskin？　They　seem　incapable　of　learning　anything。〃
　　Oh；　she　was　in　a　mood。　I　said；　〃Is　the　deadline　close　or　something？　The　way　I　understood　it；　we　wouldn't　be　in　trouble　if　only　a　few　bodies　were　delivered。〃
　　〃True。　As　far　as　it　goes。　But　we've　reached　a　point　where　a　handful　might　make　all　the　difference。〃
　　I　bit　my　lower　lip；　tried　to　look　properly　chastised；　and　waited。
　　She　told　me：　〃The　Lady　is　pressing。　She's　very　nervous。　She　wants　something　to　happen　up　here。〃
　　So。　As　always；　the　shit　rolls　downhill。　The　normal　course　would　be　for　me　to　go　out　and　tromp　on　somebody　below　me。
　　〃Half　the　problem　is；　we　don't　know　what's　going　on。　If　you　claim　you　know　what　the　castle　is；　how　it's　growing　and　so　forth；　how　e　you　don't　go　over　and　kick　it　down？　Or　turn　it　into　grape　preserves　or　something？''
　　〃It's　not　that　simple。〃
　　It　never　is。　I　tend　to　overlook　political　ramifications。　I　am　not　politically　minded。
　　〃Maybe　once　the　rest　of　your　pany　gets　here。　The　city　will　have　to　be　controlled。　The　Duke　and　his　inpetents　couldn't　manage　that。〃
　　I　stood　there　looking　expectant。　Sometimes　that　will　con　people　into　telling　you　more　than　they　plan。
　　〃The　city　will　go　up　in　flames　if　it's　not　buttoned　up　tight　when　the　truth　es　out。　Why　do　you　think　the　Custodians　are　so　determined　to　keep　the　Catabs　thing　hushed？　Several　thousand　citizens　have　relatives　who　went　into　that　monstrosity。　That's　a　lot　of　people　who'll　get　very　irate　about　the　souls　of　loved　ones　being　lost。〃
　　〃I　see。〃　I　did　a　little。　It　took　a　certain　willing　suspension　of　reason；　though。
　　〃We're　going　at　this　from　a　different　angle；〃　she　told　me。　〃I'm　taking　charge　of　your　investigations。　Report　to　me　daily。　I'll　decide　what　you're　going　to　do；　and　how。　Understand？〃
　　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃　Only　too　well。　It　was　going　to　get　that　much　more　difficult　to　keep　her　and　Raven　apart。
　　〃The　first　thing　you'll　do　is　set　a　watch　on　the　castle。　And　if　that　doesn't　shake　something　loose；　I'll　send　Feather　down　there。　Understand？〃
　　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃　Again；　only　too　well。
　　I　wondered　if　Whisper　suspected　we　were　working　at　cross…purposes。
　　〃You　can　leave。　I'll　expect　you　back　tomorrow。　With　something　to　report。〃
　　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃
　　I　went　straight　back　to　Elmo；　fuming。　He　should　have　faced　her；　not　me。　Just　because　I'd　sort　of　taken　over。
　　I　was　with　Elmo　barely　long　enough　to　tell　him　what　had　happened　when　a　messenger　came　from　Bullock。　He　wanted　to　see　me　right　away。
　　Bullock　was　another　problem。　I'd　bee　convinced　he　was　smarter　than　he　put　on；　and　was　almost　as　sure　that　he　suspected　we　were　up　to　more　than　we　admitted。
　　I　eased　into　his　cubicle　in　the　secret　police　headquarters。　〃What's　up？〃
　　〃I've　made　a　little　headway　on　the　Catabs　raid。　Result　of　pure　stubborn　footwork。〃
　　〃Well？〃　I　felt　pretty　curt　about　then；　and　he　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃Just　had　a　face…to…face　with　my　boss；〃　I　told　him；　which　was　as　near　an　apology　as　I　cared　to　e。　〃What　have　you　got？〃
　　〃A　name。〃
　　I　waited。　Like　Elmo；　Bullock　liked　to　be　coaxed。　I　was　in　no　mood　to　play　that　game。
　　〃I　followed　up　your　notion　about　rented　wagons。　Turned　up　the　name　Asa。　A　wood…gatherer　named　Asa　was；　probably；　working　through　the　hole　I　showed　you。　A　man　named　Asa　spent　a　number　of　old　coins；　but　before　the　raid　on　the　Catabs。　A　man　named　Asa　worked　for　Krage　before　he　and　his　men　disappeared。　Everywhere　I　go；　it's　Asa…this　or　Asa…that。〃
　　〃Anything　to　connect　him　with　the　black　castle？〃
　　〃No。　I　don't　think　he's　a　principal　in　anything。　But　he　must　know　something。〃
　　I　thought　back。　Bullock　had　mentioned　this　name　once　before；　referring　to　a　man　who　hung　around　the　same　place　as　Raven。　Maybe　there　was　a　connection。　Maybe　I　ought　to　find　this　Asa　before　anybody　else　did。
　　〃I'm　headed　down　to　the　Buskin；〃　I　said。　〃Direct　orders　from　her　holiness。　I'll　have　Goblin　round　the　guy　up。〃
　　Bullock　scowled。　There　had　been　some　ill　will　when　he　found　out　that　we　had　put　men　into　the　Buskin　without　consulting　him。　〃Ah　right。　But　don't　play　any　more　fast　shuffle　with　me；　eh？　Your　people　and　mine　aren't　after　the　same　things；　but　that's　no　reason　to　undermine　each　other；　eh？〃
　　〃You're　right。　We're　just　used　to　doing　things　different。　I'll　see　you　when　I　get　back。〃
　　〃I'd　appreciate　that。〃　He　eyed　me　in　a　way　that。said　he　did　not　trust　me　anymore。　If　ever　he　had。　I　left　thinking　the　pany　and　I　were　into　it　deep。　Trouble　on　every　hand。　Juggling　with　too　many　balls　in　the　air。　Only　we　were　juggling　knives　with　poisoned　edges。
　　I　hustled　on　down　and　looked　up　Goblin；　told　him　about　our　escalating　troubles。　He　was　no　happier　than　Elmo　or　I。
　　
　　　Chapter　Twenty…Three：　JUNIPER：　INTERROGATION
　　
　　Shed　had　no　more　trouble　with　extortionists。　Somebody　did　tell　the　Magistrate　that　he　had　killed　Wally。　The　Magistrate　did　not　believe　it；　or　did　not　care。
　　Then　Bullock's　sidekick　turned　up。　Shed　nearly　dropped　a　valuable　piece　of　crockery。　He　had　felt　safe　from　that。　The　onl