Part 33 (1/2)
”Did you find hiot that little shop at the end of the jetty, the sign of an anchor and two crossed oars He's a chandler”
”Did you talk to him?”
”No,” said Jonathan ”I watched from a distance to make sure the shop was open, then caular duties Andout that this man was back in the city”
Jonathan left and Ja a better choice, he picked the bold one and made his way to the shop Jonathan had described
As he reached the shop with the sign of the shi+p's anchor over two crossed oars, James's mind raced as he debated what to say He hesitated for aa tiny bell to ring
Aon white, turned as James entered He was heavy-set, but not fat His brow furrowed a little and he said, ”I' sir Can your business wait until ?”
James said, ”Is your name Donald?”
The man nodded, and he leaned upon the counter Behind hidom: barrels of nails, tools, coils of rope, anchors, and other fittings
”I' to see if there was any reaction
The man displayed none Finally he said, ”I know the royal purchaser, lad Now, if he didn't send you, tell et off my feet”
James smiled The man wasn't remotely daunted by his mention of the Prince, as James had suspected he wouldn't be ”Actually, my business is ain, no reaction
”Your naht whitening of the man's knuckles upon the counter, but otherwise he was ied ”What list?” he asked evenly, his light blue eyes fixed upon James
”A list of people s? I heard of them Well, as you can see, I'ot on such a list”
”Where have you been these last five weeks?” asked Ja family up the coast I left ith several people I'm surprised no one told the constables I ay for a month”
”I'm surprised, too,” said James ”Perhaps you could tell ed ”A couple of lads at the local tavern I mentioned it to several shi+ps' purchasers And I told Mark the sailht before I left”
James nodded He was certain the sailmaker had been told at the last minute, and that the other men he claimed he had also told would turn out to be difficult to na a on, it was not unreasonable tothe dead”
”I suppose so,” said the chandler ”Have you stopped the killings?”
James said, ”For the most part There's still some bloody work down in the sewers, thieves and the like, you kno that goes”
”Not a place for honest s are as they were,” said James, ”before the ood to kno, if you have no et hoain, I'm sure”
The man followed James to the door, and as it closed Jalimpse of the man's face James considered He was alht Man
The Mockers would return, and there would be a continuation of the struggle with the Crawler and his hthawks deeply wounded, the mayhem in Krondor would subside for a while