master delivered the actual Shadow elsewhere.”
“Say I find your gimcrack. How do I collect my four thousand?”
“I have taken rooms at the Falcon’s Roost. You may contact me there.”
Ugh. The Roost is a downscale sleaze pit not far from the Benbow. You don’t have to fight off the hookers and grifters to get in or out, but its main clientele are ticks on the belly of society who perform unsavory services for those who shine from the Hill.
A man with more than four thousand nobles would be able to afford better.
Rock indicated his dagger, now resident on the edge of Singe’s desk. “May I?”
“Knock yourself out.”
He collected the blade, moved past me as though to leave, then turned and said, “I am going to search . . .”
Penny hit him from behind with a pot. “Supper’s ready, guys.”
I told her, “Keep your wrists a little looser. You don’t want to end up with a serious sprain.”
She gave me the fisheye but joined Singe in helping me go through Rock’s pockets. We didn’t find anything, so we chunked him out on the stoop, minus one deadly knife.
That became a trophy on the same shelf as the cherrywood box.
Then we convened in the kitchen.
I SETTLED AT THE TABLE AGAIN. SINGE ASKED, “WHO WAS AT THE DOOR?”
“Scithe. He thought we should know the prisoner died without talking. And wondered a lot about how a home invader ended up with a quarrel in his forehead.”
“A good man. Has a sense of justice. Are you surprised about that thing dying?”
“He was lucky to hang on as long as he did.”
Penny asked, “What next? How about we go back to the Benbow? After Dan scared Bottle . . .”
“You got his name?”
“He was cute.”
“Don’t I have worries enough?”
Singe snickered. Penny ignored all annoying parentish behavior. “How’s the soup, old man?”
A little spicy. “Excellent. You paid attention when Dean showed you how.”
“Thank you.” She managed to sound surly while looking pleased.
Singe said, “My turn,” and pushed back from the table.
Penny grumbled, “That’s just sick spooky, the way she hears and smells stuff.”
Singe came back with a folded letter closed with wax and a Benbow seal. “That was the blond child. Still with very little scent.”
The letter was addressed to Mr. Garrett in a bold hand. “What did she say?”
“Nothing. She handed that over and walked. She can’t be human.”
I chewed some air, thinking. “Was there a clay smell? Anything like that?”
“No. But I will consider the implications.”
“What is it?” Penny asked, being the only one who couldn’t read over my shoulder.
“A request that I join a Miss Grünstrasse for a late dinner and a bottle of TunFaire Gold.” Which is the city’s finest vintage.
Penny asked, “Do I have time to clean up?”
I didn’t get to explain that the invitation was just for me.
There was going to be a revolution around here. Or maybe a counterrevolution.
SAILOR RECIDE SKEDRIN HAD BEEN A JUNIOR PARTNER IN A VESSEL RUMORED to be a smuggler. His ship and crew deserved a look. But, “I was too honest with Scithe. He’ll have Specials poking every shadow on the waterfront.”
We were about to go, even Penny surreptitiously armed. She suddenly decided to head upstairs.
She said, “My brother let me send Dollar Dan. Dan won’t be noticed down there.”
A rat on the wharves? Not hardly. He wouldn’t draw a second glance.
“We set? Penny! Come on!”
“Gah! I just came here to relax!”
Singe swung the door open but didn’t step out.
It was raining. Hard.
Penny thundered downstairs with umbrellas, hats, and canvas coats.
THE BENBOW HAS BEEN THERE FOR AGES. IT PUT ME IN MIND OF A CHERRYCHEEKED, dumpy little grandmother of a sort I’d once had myself. It was warm, smelled of hardwood smoke and ages of cookery in which somebody particularly favored garlic. It had settled comfortably into itself. It was a good place occasionally disgraced by the custom of a bad person.
The right side, coming in from the street, was a dining area, not large, empty now. Most guests preferred taking their meals in their rooms. To the left stood a fleet of saggy, comfortable old chairs and divans escorted by shopworn side tables. Three old men took up space on three sides of a table there, two playing chess while the third grunted unwanted advice. There was no bar. Management preferred not to draw custom from the street.
The stair to the guest rooms lay straight ahead, guarded by a persnicketylooking little man with rodentlike front teeth. His hair had migrated to the sides of his head. His appearance begged for him to be called Bunny or Squirrel.
He rose from beside a small, cluttered table, gulping when Penny took off through the dining area.
His voice proved to be a high squeak.
Penny paid no attention.
Bunny sputtered. Then he recognized Singe for what she was. His sputter went liquid.
I presented my invitation.
“Oh. Of course. I didn’t actually expect you.” He threw a despairing glance after Penny, then another at Singe. It pained him to say, “Please come with me.” There is a lot of prejudice against ratfolk.
Miss Grünstrasse occupied a suite taking up the west half of the third floor. I huffed and puffed and wondered if I was too old to start exercising. Bunny got his workout by knocking.
The blonde opened up. She stepped aside. For all the warmth she showed she could have been baked from clay. Her eyes seemed infinitely empty.
Singe went first. I followed. The door shut in Bunny’s face. The girl threw the bolt, moved to the left side of the sitting room. She stood at parade rest, but with hands folded in front. She wore a different outfit without the coat. Her sense of style had not changed.
“Ah. Mr. Garrett. I was not sure you would respond. I do appreciate the courtesy. Indeed, I do.”
I did a double take.
“Sir? Is something wrong?” Fury smoldered in the glance she cast Singe’s way.
“Sorry. Just startled.” In low light she resembled my prospective grandmother-in-law, one of the most unpleasant women alive.
This one was huge and ugly and smelled bad, too.
The smell was a result of diet and questionable personal habits.
Her accent was heavier than Rock’s, with a different meter.
“Come, Mr. Garrett. Be comfortable. Let us chat while Squattle prepares dinner.” She spoke slowly. Each
