Part 37 (1/2)

He dropped the crossbow. It discharged. The bolt whizzed away, ricocheting off brick walls.

I said, ”Go home, Teacher. Better still, go somewhere where Rory won't look for you. Lay low. The Sculdytes won't last out the week.”

”You broke my nose!”

A good pop in the snot locker has a way of clearing the mind behind. ”You're right. And if you don't want it getting uglier, disappear.”

Anger and humiliation hadn't abandoned Teacher, but his nerve had. He limped away, holding his nose, glowering.

Saucerhead hadn't said a word or done a thing. He glowered back. He was not in a good mood. He'd have bloodied somebody if he'd had the strength to do anything but keep on putting one foot in front of the other.

Teacher kept moving. Melondie and her friends buzzed him, kept him going. Singe collected the crossbow. ”d.a.m.n! This thing is heavy.”

”Dump it in the cart. It's illegal. We don't want to attract any attention.”

A sense of foreboding came over me as we approached the house. But I didn't see even one obvious watcher.

62.

The Dead Man's glee was almost malicious. He couldn't believe I'd enjoyed such complete success. But, boy, was he eager to capitalize.

Singe and I got our captives, our cargo, and Tharpe inside as fast as we could. Dean even lent a hand. Then he grabbed the cart's tongue and took off downhill. I gawked.

I sent him. He was doing nothing useful. Come inside, please sent him. He was doing nothing useful. Come inside, please.

Uh-oh. He was being polite. That's never a good sign.

You will find yourself dealing with the Watch if you do not cease dallying immediately.

Now he was seriously impatient.

With cause. We were about to be visited by Captain Ramey List and his shadows. Both henchmen now wore complete new uniforms.

I got in and closed the door. Old Bones told me, Something big is happening. Captain List is the only body the Watch can spare for a stakeout Something big is happening. Captain List is the only body the Watch can spare for a stakeout.

”There'll be a big dance with the Outfit. Going on already, I think. Because of the material we provided.” I had to get a copy to Belinda still. I'd been too sick or too busy to figure out how. ”Did you pry anything useful out of our guests?”

Absolutely. I understand much of it now. It all ties together through the people involved. None of whom are pulling in the same traces. But I see that residual weakness is about to bring on a collapse. Take a nap.

”I can last awhile. With your help.”

I do not have the attention to spare. Mr. Tharpe is injured. We will not be able to get a physician past the Watch anytime soon do not have the attention to spare. Mr. Tharpe is injured. We will not be able to get a physician past the Watch anytime soon.

I let it drop. You can't win with b.u.t.terb.u.t.t. And fatigue was about to overwhelm me.

Captain List hammered on the front door. He bellowed nonsense that would amuse the neighbors. His best effort was embarra.s.singly feeble compared with those of the Green Pants guys.

”I'll just park it in my chair. You need to know what I got from Buy Claxton. Poke around when you get time.”

Vaguely, as I drifted off, I heard Saucerhead groan.

The Dead Man couldn't read my mind and control Tharpe's pain, both. He must have been using all his mind power to control the Ymberians and deal with Captain List. List's essential nature would make him try to win himself a name.

I slept.

63.

I wakened. There was something in the air. Cooking smells. And a girlie fragrance suggesting something tastier.

Something tastier arrived with a steaming tray.

Clearly, Captain List had gone away.

An agent from the Unpublished Committee came. Captain List was needed for a secret a.s.signment that could be handled only by one of the top members of the Watch. Director Relway and Colonel Block were tangled up in obligations they could not shed. It was critical that this a.s.signment be handled immediately.

I chuckled. ”And he took the bait. Along with the hook, the line, and the pole.”

He did.

”I love it.” I felt good despite my fresh collection of bruises. ”It's got to be something that will end up with Ramey List embarra.s.sed in a big way.”

The possibility bubbled in the back of Mr. Scithe's mind.

I gave Tinnie a peck on the cheek and a suggestive leer a foot to the south, then prepared to pile into an equally beautiful omelet. ”I thought you had what I had, darling.”

”I do some. But mostly I was just tired.”

But I think it more likely that Captain List will die an heroic death.

”Really? Do they hate him that much?”

Mr. Scithe came on behalf of Director Relway, not Colonel Block. Mr. Relway, you may have noted, has simple, direct ways of handling personnel problems. This time because he sees an opportunity to end a threat to the Watch.

”Morley and Relway ought to be pals. They think a lot alike.”

One would murder the other within hours. That sort of personality does not tolerate itself well in others.

He was right, of course. ”What do we know now that we didn't know yesterday?” I gave Harvester Temisk the fisheye. He remained terrified. Chodo appeared to be napping. Even guys in wheelchairs need to sleep.

We know the Bledsoe drew the Ymberians to TunFaire. The Bledsoe is the mother lode of despair. Their nickel idols acc.u.mulate despair. The idols they installed in the Bledsoe walls are connected by sorcery to smaller companion pieces in their headquarters. Which always has been that place where you found Mr. Temisk and Mr. Contague. They plan to scatter the charged idols in areas where they intend to proselytize. You found one of the smaller sort on our guest deacon. The intent is to broadcast oppressive despair-which the priests of A-Laf will dispel, inside their temples.