Part 5 (1/2)
”Somebody tried to kill me.”
He grunted, unimpressed.
”You should see the other guy.”
He grunted again. He has no respect for my way of life, though it keeps him full of bread and beans.
”Not a scratch on him. Even though I had Morley and six of his guys there lending a hand. We would've turned it around, though, if the Watch hadn't shown up.”
That was for Singe's benefit. She'd come to the kitchen to find out what was up. She had a kitten in her paws, petting it. The baby cat didn't mind the incongruity.
I asked, ”Think you could pick up a day-old trail using this?” I tossed her the green egg.
”Gak! Underwater. What was it? A bear or an ogre?”
Singe has a talent.
Ratpeople are blessed with an exceptional sense of smell. Some can embarra.s.s a bloodhound. Singe stands out of that crowd.
As noted, she's a genius. For a ratwoman. And has more courage than ten other ratpeople put together. Excluding only her brother.
Even the most daring and wicked ratfolk get scared around humans. The sorcerers who created them saw no need to take that timidity out.
”He was human. From one of the far fringes of the species.”
”What did he do?”
”He tried to kill me. With an old-fas.h.i.+oned sling. Using that egg for ammunition.”
”Bathing would not appear to be one of his human vices.”
I told Dean, ”That tongue gets more wicked every day.”
Dean scowled. He can't shed all his prejudices. Singe bounced, though, pleased by the compliment. She has one great character flaw. She tries hard to be human.
She's smart enough to know they'll never let her be.
”Why a day-old trail?”
”I don't have time today. I have Chodo's birthday party to do.”
”Who are you taking? Tinnie?”
”n.o.body.”
”Can I go?”
”No. I'm not taking anybody. It could get ugly fast. I don't want anybody getting hurt.” Not to mention that she wouldn't be welcome. Virulent prejudice can be ignored only at great peril. Particularly by persons of goodwill.
Singe knows that on the practical and emotional levels. She doesn't let on when she gets her feelings hurt. She thinks that by revealing her feelings, she'd belittle my effort to save her some pain.
I know. But it works for us.
I asked, ”Anything stirring on the undead front?”
If the Dead Man hates any one thing enough to almost let it get his blood pumping, it's being lumped with the undead. Vampires, zombies, and whatnot are all predators. He insists that he isn't.
”Not a sign,” Dean said. ”Looks like he's down for a while this time.”
That wasn't good news. I could use some advice. Like maybe the top ten ways of surviving Chodo's s.h.i.+ndig, barring the obvious: Don't show up.
When you have no choice about hiking the valley of the shadow, you need to brainstorm ways to cover your a.s.s. I got busy.
I had options. I had connections. Some might even be useful.
Singe's brother, for example.
I recalled a conversation with Morley about the truth of what I mean to Belinda Contague. Not the business meaning. Not the former-lover meaning, nor the outright-fear meaning. The symbolic or fetis.h.i.+st meaning to the secret, frightened little girl hidden way down deep inside Miss Belinda. The little girl who, Morley believed, wanted me for the daddy she hadn't had when she was coming up because her real daddy was Chodo Contague, hardly a paragon as a parent.
I've rescued the woman, one way or another, from the deepest s.h.i.+t several times. Morley says she's chosen me as the bellwether of her personal fortunes because of that. That she'll never let me be hurt because the little girl needs Daddy Garrett out there in case another terror closes in.
”Singe. I've got an idea. Maybe a dumb one. Come in the office and help me brainstorm.”
”What's up?” she asked, hissing like a sack of rattlers as she forced the contraction.
”You think your brother might help us with something? If we offer him an appropriate fee? I know! I know! But you had the same mother. Humans figure that makes him your brother.”
John Stretch-real name, Pound Humility-is the boss of the ratpeople in my part of TunFaire. He's top rat partly thanks to me. He's Singe's half brother from an earlier litter. They have a stronger relations.h.i.+p than most related ratfolk. He tried to rescue her from my clutches one time. She spanked him verbally and told him to go the h.e.l.l away-she was happy right where she was.
”I do not know. He suspects that you took advantage of him last time.”
”I understand a pride problem. You know better than me if we can do business.”
”What do you want him to do?”
”This party tonight. He could help me with it. If he really talks to regular rats.”
Singe considered. We both knew John Stretch could get inside the minds of regular rats and use them as spies. He had admitted it in front of us.
”You want him to go over to the place where Chodo Contague's birthday party is going to happen.”
”Yes.” But now my idea was growing up. ”If we could hide him close by, he could stay on the job right through the party and warn me so there wouldn't be any ugly surprises.”
”You might not be able to meet his price.”
”I'm not hurting for cash.”