have been important.
Mention of our mutual friend meant Hisvin, of course. And asking me to convey his thanks was Evis’s way of letting me know he had something brewing with the Corpsemaster-something so private he didn’t want it spoken, even in Avalante.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, he’d told me to keep Toadsticker handy.
My sword was a gift from Evis himself, last year. Its steel holds a charm against the halfdead.
Which makes his mention of my need of it doubly worrisome.
Trouble among the Houses? Trouble within Avalante itself?
Or perhaps one of the other dark Houses had decided to throw in with the invaders from Prince.
Which would make Evis and I prime targets for all sorts of unpleasantness.
I cussed. Mills stirred. I was going to keep Toadsticker handy, all right. To the point of bathing and sleeping with the hilt in my hand.
I dropped Mills off in front of his flophouse. He yawned and waved and vanished in the shadows.
My driver thumped the roof, wondering where to go next.
“Cambrit,” I said. “Take a couple extra turns. Make it a long trip.”
“You got it.”
I settled back, shut the curtain and sat in the dark all the way there.
I managed to get in and out of my office without suffering a beating. When I emerged, I carried a bag stuffed with clothes and shoes and shaving gear, and Toadsticker was on my belt.
Hillbillies under a hex I could risk. Halfdead with murder on their minds was another matter entirely. My door was built to keep out drafts and rain, not monsters.
I knew I could bunk at Avalante, if I wanted. And the idea did hold some appeal. But it would be hard to work a case from a walnut-paneled guest room, and I did have a case to work.
I bade my driver to just take turns at random while I tried to put together a plan. I’d have to sleep at some point. I’d need a place to change clothes. Darla’s was out, since the last thing I wanted to do was drag her into trouble involving the Houses. Ditto for just picking the lock on Mama’s door and sleeping there.
I’d need a hotel, then, until this mess was over or Prince’s cannons loosed damnation on the walls.
I sighed as I felt my pockets grow lighter yet again.
But I was in no hurry. I gave the cabbie Mary’s address, and on a whim included Lethway’s office building, and told him to take the most circuitous route he could imagine.
He did a good job of it. I watched the windows and the darkened, empty streets. If anyone was following us, they were doing it on foot, and if they were following us on foot they were quite the runner, because we kept a breakneck pace the whole way.
Of course, a couple of halfdead could pace us without breathing hard, but it doesn’t pay to entertain such pessimism when there’s not a damned thing you can do about it.
We passed by Lethway’s dark office building just as the Big Bell pounded out Curfew. At first glance, it appeared to be deserted, shut up for the night, but then I saw a bit of light under the blinds, and I realized the windows were shuttered and closed-not truly dark.
And then there were the three carriages parked out front. Their teams were steaming with fresh sweat in the glow of the street lamp. So there were people inside, doing whatever it is mining outfits do in the wee hours when the rest of Rannit sleeps.
From there we made for Mary’s neighborhood, finally reaching it an hour later. I liked the street immediately, even in the dark. There was a cheerful, wholesome quality to it, even though the homes were small and could have used a bit of paint and some new shingles here and there.
Mary’s house showed light in all the windows. I had the driver take us by slowly while I opened the window and listened.
I heard a snatch of laughter that was not Darla, but was female and untroubled. I was about to tell the driver to head out when the unmistakable yapping of Mr. Tibbles sounded from within Mary’s house.
I called us to a halt. The yapping of a tiny dog rang out loud and clear.
And if Mr. Tibbles was yapping away in Mary’s house, then Tamar wasn’t far away.
I cussed and told the driver to wait and did my best to hide Toadsticker under my coat as I made for Mary’s door.
Her porch light flared as I cleared the last five porch steps. Darla met me at her door. From the laughing and talking in the background, I didn’t think anyone but Darla even knew they had a visitor.
She lifted a finger to her lips,
“I cannot tell you how glad I am to see you,” she said. “Tamar is here.”
“I heard Mr. Tibbles.” I forced away my scowl. It wasn’t Darla I was angry with. “Half of Rannit can hear Mr. Tibbles. Why isn’t she hiding?”
Darla grabbed my arm and hauled me inside. A kiss may have taken place. There were no witnesses to the event.
“She got spooked, hon. She swore somebody was watching her. So she sneaked out and went to my house.”
“But you weren’t there.”
“No. But she knew I’d only be one of two other places.”
“So she spent the evening gallivanting around Rannit. Carrying a tiny barking dog, just to make sure everyone everywhere noticed her. Brilliant. Wonderful.”
Darla hugged me tight.
“I know. But she was afraid. She’s here and she’s safe.”
“Nobody here is safe as long as she’s here.” I managed to peek out the door. The street was still empty and quiet. “This isn’t good, Darla. It isn’t good at all.”
Tamar and Mary came rushing into the room. At the sight of me, Mary squealed and charged back the other way, and Tamar and Darla laughed.
“You’ve seen her in her nightgown,” said Tamar. Mr. Tibbles yapped at me from the crook of her elbow. “Good thing Darla is here, or you’d have to marry her, you know.”
“Miss Fields.” I took off my hat and hung it on a hook by the door. “It’s a good thing Darla is here for you, too, or I’d be forced to raise my voice. What made you think charging around town after dark was a good idea?”
She didn’t flinch. “I was being watched, Mr. Markhat. I’m sure of it. So I wrapped Mr. Tibbles in a towel and I stole a maid’s wrap and I sneaked down to the kitchen and then I walked out with a bag of trash, and I’m not sorry.”
Mr. Tibbles indicated his agreement by baring his teeth and growling.
I sighed and pulled one of Mary’s kitchen chairs around and sat on it.
“Tell me why you think you were being watched.”
“I peeped through the curtains sometimes. The same man was on the same corner all afternoon. He didn’t even move to the shade when the sun got hot. I know all of Daddy’s men, Mr. Markhat, and the man I saw wasn’t one of them. I left everything in my room. If they go in they might think I’m still somewhere in the hotel. Was that a smart thing to do, Mr. Markhat?”
I nodded. It was, actually. People seldom just walk away from their things, even when clinging to them puts them in peril.
“Still. You took an awful risk. Why didn’t you go home?”
“Because Father would have just sent me back there, Mr. Markhat. Or to another hotel. I’m tired of hiding. My wedding is just days away. Now then. Have you found Carris yet?”
Darla hid a grin.
“I’m close,” I said. “After tomorrow night, I hope to know who has him, or at least know more about them.”
Tamar nodded but did not smile.
“The caterers have been paid in full,” she said. “They need to know when to start icing the cake.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Darla shot me a look. “But you can’t stay here that long.”
