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“I can see they’re real.” They had the Full Harbor reeding that discourages counterfeiters.
“Even so, take one. Have it examined.” She waited while I helped myself. “Eight hundred nobles, Mr. Garrett, and the
rest for expenses and a shopping spree before we go back to the gloom of Venageta.”
I hate it when bespoke villains show a human side.
“Come, Mr. Garrett. Let us return to the sitting room before your assistant loses her composure . . . First, though, assist me with the chest.” She reinstalled the tray. She reset the locking spells, which smelled of death. I helped swing the trunk down. She positioned it with exact care.
Being in front, I missed the smug look she swept across Singe, Penny, and Bottle.
We settled at the table.
Miss Grünstrasse began to frown and fret and smell worse, which troubled Singe. The woman started muttering. “Where is that girl? Why does she do this?”
I’d picked up enough Venageti in the war zone to puzzle that out. Miss Grünstrasse was not pleased with her wonder apprentice.
She said, “I apologize, Mr. Garrett. Eliza gets distracted.”
Eliza finally did turn up, carrying a tray with eight mugs aboard, in precise formation. She set the tray beside me. I said, “You are a treasure, Eliza.”
I might have been furniture.
I noted moisture on her shoes. Singe’s nostrils and whiskers twitched. She smelled something that hadn’t been there before.
I sniffed the beers, evidently one each of what Bunny had available. Two I passed to Singe.
Penny delivered Eliza’s pumpkin turnover. Bottle did the sauce. The girl fiddled, frowned, sniffed, tasted, then damned near smiled. She devoured the whole thing, taking dainty bites. Miss Grünstrasse was impressed. “We’ll be seeing more of those.”
Penny and Bottle began clearing away. Penny sensed a change and wanted to get a head start.
Singe began complimenting the house’s selection of drafts, pretending to get tipsy. Foreigners wouldn’t know that some ratfolk can suck it down by the barrel.
Once the kids were away, Singe began babbling about needing to get back to the house fast. We had a garderobe that a ratgirl could use. She didn’t want to embarrass herself.
Miss Grünstrasse smiled indulgently. “Please consider my offer, Mr. Garrett.”
“That’s guaranteed. I’m getting married. I could use the cash.”
“I’ll be here till the Shadow turns up.”
“I’ll have a confab with my partners as soon as we get back to the house.”
That sparked a big smile. Then, “I will be here.”
SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING IN AN ALLEY JUST YARDS FROM THE BENBOW. Senior Lieutenant Scithe was there, up late buzzing like the mother of all flies.
I stuck my nose in. That cost us a half hour spent answering pointless questions about how Singe, Penny, and I could possibly be found in the same city as a spanking new double homicide.
The victims were creatures like those who had invaded my house. The thing that had gotten Recide Skedrin got them, but they were melting slower. Similar lead pieces had gone in where the rot began.
Singe pointed with her folded umbrella.
I asked, “Lieutenant, might that busted box have something to do with this?” Said box was a ringer for the one recently added to the Dead Man’s collection, but lined with layers of metal. It had been ripped open.
“It’s got a weird feel. We’ll let the forensics wonks have a sniff.”
Singe got a sniff of her own.
