Part 41 (1/2)

I actually liked the way his voice sounded when he called me Celyn, but I had a point to make. ”No, I just mean, they call me that for a reason. I'm good at what I do. I can help you, if you let me.”

There was silence as he stared down at the cell floor. His mouse-colored hair was s.h.a.ggy and tousled, as if he'd been dragging his hands through it. Finally he looked up and nodded. ”All right,” he said. ”I trust you. But be careful.”

I gave a half smile. Careful wasn't my usual approach, but why press the point?

”Celyn? I mean - Digger?” He looked up at me, and his face was open and vulnerable. ”You met Barris. Did you also see -”

”Koya?”

Whatever pa.s.sed across his face at the name was gone so fast I couldn't identify it. He nodded. ”How is she?”

How to answer that question? Interesting? Incomprehensible? ”Bearing up well, under the circ.u.mstances?” Whatever those circ.u.mstances actually were.

Durrel gave a slight sigh. ”Thank you. This can't be easy on her.”

”Or you,” I said pointedly. ”You know what people are saying? About you and your stepdaughter.”

He made a face, just a small wince of distaste. ”It's just gossip. Sometimes I think Talth courted it. She had a cruel streak, particularly when it came to her daughter.”

”Could Koya have killed her?”

There was that odd little fog to his expression again. ”Of course not.”

”Are you sure? You sound a little -”

”Completely.” The weight of that one word killed that conversation.

I frowned, trying to dredge up another question. ”All right, didn't you tell me it was a maid's word that had you arrested? She claimed to see you leaving Talth's room before the body was discovered?”

Nodding slowly, he said, ”Geirt. Her chambermaid. But I told you, she had to be mistaken.”