Part 20 (1/2)

”There is, you come in here pus.h.i.+ng me around.”

I steeled myself to jump in, though I suspected Playmate would be all right. The shoe might be on the other hoof. The bad guys might need help before the straw settled.

Playmate is all religious. He preaches turn the other cheek. But he takes an eye-for-an-eye att.i.tude when it comes to professional sc.u.m.

Teacher asked, ”Where's Garrett?”

Playmate didn't answer.

The wide loads moved in. Playmate met one with an invisibly fast straight jab to the schnoz that rocked the man's head back like it was about to pop off its stump. He plopped down on his back of beyond with a stunned, goofy look.

The second thug took a punch to the chest. Pure amazement filled his face. This didn't happen when you educated civilians.

Playmate collected a hammer. He showed it to Teacher White. Teacher took note. ”Time to move along, boys.”

Good thing, too, because I was just about to jump down and make life really harsh for Teacher.

Then I saw what I would've jumped into.

Spider Webb and guys named Original d.i.c.k and Vernor Choke showed up to help the wide loads leave. They hadn't made a sound there under the hayloft.

Vernor Choke had been born to his name. I didn't know the story on Original d.i.c.k. I wouldn't hang the moniker on anybody, but that didn't mean his mother hadn't.

I climbed down half a minute after Spider Webb exited, the last of the crew to leave.

Playmate observed, ”Once again there's proof that just knowing you is a bad idea.”

”What was that all about?”

”They're looking for some guy named Garrett. Said they followed him here. They didn't say why. They seemed pretty determined, though.”

I put on my best baffled face. Without faking. ”I don't get it. They've been following me around long enough to see that I can't tell them what they want to know.”

”And what would that be, Garrett?”

”Huh? What would what be?”

”What do they want to know?”

”Well, h.e.l.l!” I had no real idea. ”Maybe just a closer look at my pretty face.”

They did did know that I couldn't find Chodo or Harvester. Didn't they? know that I couldn't find Chodo or Harvester. Didn't they?

”Oh, sure. That's got to be it, Garrett. How did that get past me?”

32.

I gave Teacher and his crew fifteen minutes to hurry off to some far place where they could get out of the wet and forget hara.s.sing a handsome but ignorant investigator. Playmate supported my tactical view.

”I couldn't figure out what they really really wanted,” he admitted. ”They changed stories three times. The bottom line, though, was that they really, really, wanted,” he admitted. ”They changed stories three times. The bottom line, though, was that they really, really, really really wanted to lay hands on a guy named Garrett.” wanted to lay hands on a guy named Garrett.”

”Thanks for not giving me up.”

”Grat.i.tude noted in the Book of for Whatever That's Worth.”

”I am a handsome young man.”

”Duly noted in the Book of Natural Fertilizers. Why don't you get out of here so I can get some work done?”

Some folks are obsessed with being productive.

”I can take a hint.” I left messages for Saucerhead and Winger, in case he saw them before they got the word somewhere else.

The rain wasn't heavy, but it was steady. It wasn't one to please the farmers. They want their soakers in the springtime.

A voice husked, ”Garrett.”

I was a block from Playmate's. I was hunched over, wis.h.i.+ng I had a poncho. The ones we'd used in the islands hadn't kept us dry, but they did keep us from being wounded by the larger raindrops.

”Spider.” I hit Webb alongside the head with my stick, then spun and got Original d.i.c.k in his namesake. I wove easily past a wide-eyed Vernor Choke, smacked Teacher White between the eyes, and slid behind him while he wobbled. My stick lay across his throat. I lifted him a little.

Spider leaned against a wall, trying not to get dragged under by a concussion. Original lay curled up on the cobblestones in a smear of his own puke, fighting for air. Choke put on a show of dancing around looking for an opening. Teacher complained, ”You broke my nose! I got blood all over my new jacket!”

They hadn't expected me to explode.

I hadn't brought enough explosives. I whispered, ”Teacher, how about you tell me why you guys keep d.o.g.g.i.ng me?” Then the big boys responded to all the whining.

I popped Teacher again, from behind, with immense enthusiasm, then faked right and ran left, headed for Playmate's place.

One of the brunos grabbed Vernor Choke and flung him like a bola. And Choke did the job, what with all those legs and arms trying to latch on to something as he flew by. I took several solid thumps before I got untangled. Seeing double, I had legs too watery to run.

Where was the Watch when a little interference might be useful?

Following Welby Dell, who was disguised as a handsome investigator by a cute illusion you can pick up for next to nothing on the black market.

I was too busy hurting to care. I got in a good whack at a kneecap. The other wide body kicked me in the ribs. Then somebody hit me from behind with that bucket of rocks than which he was dumber.

33.