The Domino Pattern

on it’s pure fire control. I’d settle for calming things enough that the Filiaelians and Shorshians don’t put Pellorian Medical on eternal blacklist.”

“Not much of a payoff for all the time and money you’ve put into this thing,” I sympathized.

“Hopefully, my bosses will understand,” Kennrick said grimly. “Frankly, I’m more worried about Dr. Witherspoon than I am about myself.”

“Really?” I asked. “Why?”

Kennrick gave me a sideways look. “Nothing,” he said. “I shouldn’t even have mentioned it.”

“Well, now that you have, you might as well give us the rest of it,” I said.

He grimaced. “I suppose it doesn’t really matter now. The fact of the matter is that Master Colix had some work done while the contract team was on Earth. Medical work.”

“You mean the throat job?” I asked.

He stared at me. “You knew about that?”

“We were told he and his seatmates were chattering up a storm,” I said. “What does Dr. Witherspoon have to do with it? He wasn’t the surgeon, was he?”

“Good God no,” Kennrick said. “But he was the one who talked Master Colix into having it at Pellorian instead of waiting until he got back home.”

“Why did he do that?”

“Which he?” Kennrick asked. “Master Colix or Dr. Witherspoon?”

“Both,” I said.

“Witherspoon wanted to show the contract team how competent Humans were at surgical work. Master Colix liked the idea of getting the work done for free.” Kennrick grimaced. “Free. It only cost him his life.”

“Those freebies will get you every time,” I murmured. So Kennrick was also thinking that Colix’s demise had to do with the dishonor of his Gibber Operation. Interesting. “Any of his colleagues in particular take offense at his decision?”

“None of the other three Shorshians liked it, I can tell you that,” Kennrick said. “Master Bofiv, in particular, was quite vocal in his objections.” He grunted. “But I suppose he doesn’t qualify as a suspect anymore, does he?”

“Not unless his return ticket covers more options than the Spiders currently offer,” I said.

Kennrick grunted again. “Yeah. The Spiders.”

Beside me, I felt Bayta stir. This wasn’t the first time that Kennrick had mentioned Spiders in a disparaging way. Bayta hadn’t liked it then, either. “You have a problem with the Spiders?” I asked.

“That depends,” he said. “But let’s not discuss that until we have some more privacy.”

“This’ll do,” I said, gesturing to the third-class dining car just ahead.

He frowned. “Here? First class has a better selection.”

“First class is twenty-four cars away,” I pointed out. “I’m thirsty right now.”

He grimaced. “Fine.”

The bar was reasonably crowded, but we were able to snag a two-person table and a spare chair. “So what exactly is your problem with the Spiders?” I asked after we’d ordered our drinks and the server had left.

Kennrick’s eyes shifted to Bayta. “Actually, this particular conversation is probably more for Bayta than for you,” he said. “She’s the one who seems to have an in with the Spiders.”

“I’m listening,” Bayta said evenly.

“I want to ask them a favor.” Kennrick seemed to brace himself. “I wondered if they’d be willing to accept some of the responsibility for the four deaths.”

Bayta stiffened. “What?”

“Just as a formality,” Kennrick hastened to assure her. “A public relations thing. I just want something that’ll deflect a little of the blame away from Pellorian.”

“And onto the Spiders?”

“It’s not a big deal,” Kennrick insisted. “The victims’ families or organizations aren’t going to bring the Spiders to court or anything. I’m just trying to salvage something out of this mess.”

“And why do you think the Spiders should be giving you that cover?” I asked. “What have they done to deserve taking that kind of PR hit?”

“What has Pellorian Medical done?” Kennrick retorted. “Nothing, that’s what. But you can bet your pension someone’s going to try to blame us anyway.”

“Not if we catch the murderer first,” I said.

He snorted. “If there even is a murderer,” he growled. “As far as I can see, this whole mess can be explained by purely natural causes.” He looked pointedly at Bayta. “Or rather, unnatural causes.”

“Meaning?” I asked.

“Meaning food poisoning,” he said bluntly.

“How do you explain someone poisoning their food without them noticing?” I asked.

“I’m not convinced anyone did,” Kennrick said. “I’m thinking the cadmium was in the food to begin with.”

“Quadrail food isn’t contaminated,” Bayta said flatly.

“Then it must have been in the air,” Kennrick persisted. “Food and air are the only ways to get something into a person’s system.”

“Really?” Bayta said icily. “As it happens—”

“As it happens, we’ve already checked the food and the air,” I interrupted, gripping Bayta’s knee warningly under the table. “However the cadmium got into their systems, it wasn’t because of anything the Spiders did wrong.”

“Maybe, maybe not,” Kennrick said. “But they can’t tap-dance their way out from under liability for Usantra Givvrac’s death. They’re the ones who let in whatever that damn antibacterial spray was that ended up killing him.”

“People carry antibacterial sprays aboard Quadrails all the time,” I reminded him. “This is the first time in seven hundred years that it’s caused a problem.”

“Do we really know that?” he asked. “Or do we just have the Spiders’ word for it?”

He looked at Bayta, clearly challenging her to respond. I gripped her knee a little harder, and she remained silent. “Right,” Kennrick said, turning back to me. “So here’s the deal. Either the Spiders voluntarily step up to the line and accept some of the responsibility, or I’ll step them up to that line myself.”

“By spreading rumors?” I asked.

“By spreading truth,” he said. “Slanted a little, maybe. But truth just the same.”

“You could start a panic,” I warned. “With the train still over three weeks from Venidra Carvo, that would be a very bad idea.”

“Like you walking around talking about murder isn’t just as bad?” Kennrick countered.

“Yes, but I’ve got facts on my side,” I pointed out. “All you’ve got is innuendo.” I cocked an eyebrow. “And a fair chance of getting locked up somewhere if the Spiders decide you’re scaring the passengers.”

“They’d better not,” Kennrick bit out. “If they even think about—” He broke off. “Look. I’m trying to be reasonable about this. I really am. But I’m between the rock and the grinder here, and my whole future is on the line. All I want is for the Spiders to acknowledge that they might maybe have a little responsibility for what’s happened. Just enough to lift some of the weight off Pellorian. Come on—what can it hurt?”

“Okay, you’ve presented your case,” I said. “Was there anything else?”

There was a flicker of something in Kennrick’s eyes. Maybe he didn’t like being talked to like he was my underling. “No, that’s it,” he said.

“Fine,” I said. “We’ll take your request under consideration. In the meantime, I trust you’ll keep your private rumor mill shut down.”

His lip twitched. “For now,” he agreed. “But only for now. And only if there aren’t more deaths.”

“Fine,” I said again. “Nice talking to you.”

Bayta stirred as if preparing to get up. I again squeezed her knee, and she subsided. I also stayed put, and