Part 31 (2/2)
”And we just let him rent it?”
”The Reeve agreed to it, from what I hear,” Hewi said. ”Better than letting it sit empty. Claremonte's paying an astronomical fee for use of the building and grounds, and the city needs the money.”
”I'm surprised Tamas didn't have the place burned down,” Adamat said.
”I'm not. It's part of our cultural heritage. Over four hundred years old. Many of the walls and ceilings are works of art in and of themselves. I think Tamas knows better than to destroy all that out of spite.”
Adamat conceded to himself that the commissioner had a point. He noted that even the walls of the cavernous kitchens, as they pa.s.sed through them, were covered in bright murals.
”Still,” Hewi added, ”Tamas had most of the art and furniture removed to the national gallery. Some of it was sold to pay off debts, from what I heard. The rest will be put on display for the public. Laudable, I think.”
”Though it would have been far safer to destroy every vestige of the n.o.bility.”
”Right. Seems Tamas is something more than simply pragmatic. Who would have thought?”
They left the kitchens and went up the servants' stairs to the main floor. Adamat had heard that the pa.s.sageways behind the palace were a labyrinth all to themselves, but this was his first time experiencing them. They ducked around so many corners, led by one of Claremonte's servants, that Adamat imagined that men without his Knack could very well get lost. He frequently stopped to urge SouSmith along so that the boxer didn't get distracted gazing at all the art.
They pa.s.sed by dozens of rooms, each one seemingly bigger than the last, with more ornate gold-work trim and colorful frescoes. Marble-faced fireplaces took up entire walls in some rooms. Curtains were drawn in most of them, casting the rooms into shadow, and what little furniture was left had been covered in white sheets to keep the dust off.
The servant stepped aside suddenly and gestured to a doorway.
Hewi and her officers went inside. Adamat paused momentarily, wondering if there was any significance to Claremonte's having them use the servants' halls and entrances instead of the immense, echoing hallways and full-length doors. Letting them know they were beneath him, perhaps?
Adamat glanced at SouSmith to rea.s.sure himself and then went in.
”Welcome, welcome!” Claremonte's voice bounced off the vaulted ceilings. The room was about thirty feet by forty. Unlike the others they'd pa.s.sed, this one was decorated entirely in silver-metallic paint on the walls, ornate silver-plated trim. Even the dual fireplaces were a marbling of light and dark gray that matched the walls. On the ceiling was a mural showing some ancient hero making a deal with a two-faced celestial being.
Brude. Fitting that Claremonte would pick a room watched over by Brudania's two-faced patron saint.
Claremonte wore a fine robe over silk pajamas, though it was well past nine in the morning. He lounged lazily in a wingback chair beside one of the windows overlooking the garden and held a cup in one hand, newspaper in the other. He stood as they approached, repeating his welcome.
”I'm sorry I'm not yet dressed, Commissioner. It was a late night last night, working on a campaign speech for a meeting I'm having this afternoon with the Society for City Gardens.”
Hewi extended a hand. ”Thank you for allowing us to come by on such short notice.”
”No trouble at all. Oh, Inspector Adamat. Good morning to you, sir.”
”Good morning,” Adamat said stiffly. He felt a drop of sweat snake its way down the nape of his neck.
”How are your lovely wife and children?”
Adamat forced a tight-lipped smile. This had been a terrible mistake.
”I wasn't aware you knew the inspector,” Hewi said. ”Or that you've met his family!”
”The inspector was among those who greeted me upon my arrival to the city,” Claremonte said, a magnanimous smile on his lips. ”And I only know his wife by reputation.”
To other men, Claremonte's smile may have been gracious. To Adamat, it seemed full of mockery. Claremonte extended his hand to Adamat.
”Pardon if I don't shake,” Adamat managed.
”Of course.” The words were almost a purr. ”Hewi-may I call you Hewi? Hewi, I can only a.s.sume that you've come to ask me about the unfortunate incident with Ricard Tumblar yesterday.”
”That's true,” the commissioner said.
”I want to a.s.sure you that I had nothing to do with it.” Claremonte moved back to his chair by the window and dropped gracefully into it, sending his robe fluttering. ”Can I offer any of you some breakfast? Eggs? Coffee? Biscuits?”
”Nothing, thank you,” Hewi said. ”You understand that we'll need to look into your records? This case will be very high-profile and you are running against Mr. Tumblar for First Minister of Adro. You have the means and the motive.”
”I understand. Your men are welcome to my records and to question my employees. As long, of course, as it does not interfere with my campaign.”
”We'll do our best to keep the investigation discreet.”
”Many thanks.”
Adamat let his eyes search the room once more, trying to find anything he had missed-and trying to get his emotions under control. No good inspector could allow himself to be ruled by emotion.
There were three other chairs aside from the one Claremonte sat in, but he hadn't offered his guests a seat. The sun blazed through the window, casting long shadows on the floor and inside wall and making it hard to look directly at Claremonte. Strategic placement, or happy coincidence?
Something about that bothered Adamat. He couldn't quite place what it was.
Strategic placement, Adamat decided. A man like Claremonte didn't do things by accident. Which meant his pajamas were meant to say something as well. Presenting casual indifference? Disrespect?
”Lord Claremonte,” Adamat said, interrupting something Claremonte had been saying. ”Can you give us any reason why you wouldn't want Ricard dead?”
Claremonte seemed taken aback. ”Why, several. For one, attacking Mr. Tumblar and failing to kill him will only raise his public sympathy.”
”Or expose your opponent's weakness.”
”Perhaps, but he's very well liked. For another thing, if he had been killed, his Second Minister would have stepped forward to run in his place. And I have no desire to run against a war hero like Taniel Two-shot. Not with all these rumors going around that he's killed a G.o.d and what other nonsense. He's got a cult of wors.h.i.+p among the people almost as deep as his father's.”
But would he step up, Adamat wondered. He decided not to voice the question, lest it give Claremonte any ideas. ”So you think you have the best shot of winning with Ricard alive?”
”Yes. Alive, and in one piece.” Claremonte shook his head sadly. ”Regardless of who is to blame, some of the public will surely blame me. I would rather the whole event never have happened. I'm in a very good place right now-public perception is high and supporters are flocking to me in droves. I've just landed an incredible endors.e.m.e.nt. The election is just over a month away, and anything like this bombing that could destabilize public perception can only work against me.”
”May I ask who will be endorsing you?”
”You'll find out with the rest of Adro in a few weeks. He's my trump card, if you don't mind the saying. I don't want to let out the word too early.”
”I see. I'm sorry to have interrupted, Commissioner,” Adamat said, lapsing into silence.
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