‘Rumored, hell, man. Honeypeach was and is enamored of all six of them, and any twelve other men, women, or mules, anytime, anywhere. You mean Lim Terree? The one who died? You’re right about part of it at any rate. He did die while using a Furz score. Still, isn’t it farfetched to think that was the reason?’
‘Perhaps. Her motivation could be mere pique. During a big reception here in Splash One some months ago, Donatella Furz introduced Honeypeach as Gereny Vox.’
Even Justin could appreciate the humor in this. He barked, ‘So? A slip of the tongue? You have people who would report a slip of the tongue?’ He shook his head, wonderingly. Spider Geroan was the best in the business, and his success was known to be based on detailed and accurate intelligence, but could he really place credence in such tiny things?
‘Perhaps her own self-esteem is as important to her as your secrets are to you, Justin.’
Justin snorted. It was hard enough for him to imagine how an ex-erotic dancer and part-time prostitute on Heron’s World could get pregnant by an ambitious bureaucrat, bear him a son, and end up displacing the Governor’s well-bred wife to become the first lady of a not inconsiderable planet. That the same woman would be particularly jealous of her reputation surpassed belief. ‘I don’t think it’s a question of self-esteem, Geroan. It’s a matter of vanity, plain and simple. Honeypeach believes everyone on Jubal knows her and either admires or envies her or both. If they don’t, they should. She doesn’t give a damn about her past. It’s her present and future she cares about, and having people look at her is important to her. That’s why the ’Soilcoast singers are almost her private property – vanity. It’s why she makes the honorable Wuyllum keep his pretty daughter tied down – though Pm trying to talk her out of that.’ Justin licked his lips. ‘The woman wants no competition. Sometimes she has to be encouraged to allow a little.’
‘Well, we’ll soon eliminate whatever competition Furz may offer. If my men don’t catch up to her within the next two days, I’ll go after her myself. I cannot remember an occasion on which someone escaped my efforts three times. It cannot be allowed. My sense of what is fitting will not permit it to happen again.’ The words were like drops of water falling onto stone, emotionless, without particular force, and yet the will behind the voice would eat away just as the drops of water would, forever if necessary. If Geroan ever brooded, which Justin doubted, he was perhaps doing it now. ‘Just as a sop to my curiosity, Justin, how did you find out the woman is a danger to you?’
‘You have your sources, Geroan. I have mine.’ The assassin waited, unmoving, and his implacable silence made Justin uncomfortable. ‘Oh, very well. Someone got a translator program for her from off-world. The procurement clerk saw the item on a bill of lading and reported it to me. I have a short list of items that are always reported to me whenever they show up, and translators are at the top of the list. Then Donatella reported her synthesizer missing in Splash One, and the Prior there reported that fact, through channels. “Lost” equipment is something else I interest myself in, for obvious reasons. Those two facts drew my attention to Donatella Furz. Then the services man at her home Priory told the Explorer King she was excited and elated about something. And she dropped a few remarks to him that indicated more than a passing interest in the ultimate Password. Besides which, she came up with an Enigma score, and the damn thing works. Given that combination, what would you think, Geroan?’
The assassin merely stared, saying nothing for a moment. Geroan was almost incapable of surprise, but Harward Justin had just surprised him. Geroan had underestimated him. Justin’s information net had to be almost the equal of Spider’s own. The only clue that Spider had and Justin had not mentioned was the rather equivocal information that the hairdresser, Sophron, had come up with.
After Geroan had gone, Harward spent a few minutes in futile cursing. Donatella Furz led a charmed life. He had no idea how she had escaped the first two times. Both assassins had been provided by Geroan himself, but it would do no good to rail at Geroan. And though Justin would feel much more secure if she were dead, perhaps it was sufficient that she had been driven back into the ranges, out of communication with anyone on the ’Soilcoast. It was unlikely she could stir up any trouble before Ymries and the CHASE Commission would arrive. Once the hearings started, how could she do any damage?
Some other excuse would be found to round up the Crystallites. Chanty Bins could get his pet terrorist to plant a bomb or something, then the rabble Crystallites would be rounded up and put out of the way. Of course, Chanty Bins and his cronies would need a few days’ notice to get off-planet before the general roundup. They’d done a good job of setting up the whole Crystallite operation, and he might be able to use them again somewhere else….
Unless – unless he decided he didn’t want them to leave at all, which might be safer for Justin in the long run. The three of them must have accumulated a considerable credit account on Serendipity by now – four millions or more, Justin estimated from what he knew of the take at the temples. The account wouldn’t be hard to tap if he set his mind to it, particularly if Bins and his colleagues weren’t getting in his way while he did it. Four millions or more was a nice bit of lagniappe.
He considered this for some time, along with thoughts about the armed Tripsingers, without quite making up his mind what he intended to do
