She shrugged, kept staring at Easterman like he was a genius revealing the secrets of the universe. Maybe she understood him. She was a little bit twitchy herself.
I gave up and more or less went to sleep on my feet, paying Just enough attention so nobody walked up and bopped me with a battle-ax without me noticing. I stayed only because Winger wasn't ready to leave. I couldn't leave her with this spook. He might hold a virgin sacrifice, figuring, hell, she used to be and maybe that was close enough Also, she knew something I wanted to know.
Easterman finished having his fit. "Well, sir. Well," he said, not the least embarrassed. "Do we have an understanding, then?"
‘His people did manage to be embarrassed But they covered it and didn't walk out. I suppose he paid very well indeed. He'd have to.
He looked puzzled. As much as he could with all that fat to mask expression "I thought I made myself crystal clear, sir."
"If you made a lick of sense somewhere, I missed it in the smoke."
"Garrett!" Winger cried
Easterman smiled again. I think that was a smile back in there "Very well, sir. In words even you will understand, then. I want that book. I mean to have that book. I get what I want. Those who help me to obtain it will be well rewarded. Those who attempt to thwart me will not be so fortunate. Is that clear enough?"
"I got it." I returned his smile. "I'll pass the word to Chodo Contague and the Serpent if I run into them I'm sure it'll set them to shaking in their boots so bad they'll scurry out of the way so you'll have an open field." Threat and counter. All very friendly, with knives held behind our backs.
Winger started apologizing for my barbarism. The more I saw of her, the more I couldn't figure her out.
"No matter, child. No matter. The man has an image to maintain. As we all do, of course. As we all do. Very well, sir. I think our business is quite concluded We understand one another. I was about to dine. Will you join me? I do set a fine table."
I pleaded press of business. I didn't warn to see what kind of table this creep set. Could be hazardous. Wasn't lunch time, anyway.
"Very well, sir. As you will. I hope to be seeing you again soon, in circumstances profitable to us all. Plague."
He gestured at the cadaverous old man. "Escort our guests, if you will."
The old man bowed, then led me and Winger to the castle gate. I kept a sharp eye on the old boy. I didn't need to get pushed through any secret doors. I tried making conversation about his boss. He wasn't having any. Maybe that wasn't smart for a guy in his position.
Winger took up the slack. "I'm disappointed in you."
"I'm disappointed in me a lot, too. What did I do to break your heart?"
"That guy is a ripe fruit."
"A whole orchard."
"Worked right . ."
"I couldn't take the clown. He could probably tell me something I need to know, but d like to hold his toes in a fire for a while."
"Garrett!"
"You got yourself tied in with a loony, Winger. He'll get you killed. I'll take your word you weren't working with those guys who chased me a while back. But I noticed some of them were there, hanging around in the background. You better keep your eyes open." I had a feeling they'd been dogging her since Easterman hired her. A character like him would use a tactic like that.
I had no sympathy for Fido. I didn't owe him squat. And now I had an idea who'd done Squirrel. I'd pass it on next time I saw Crask or Sadler.
We got out of that bughouse. I didn't look back. "Winger, you know anything about the book?"
"Only that it's supposed to be about so by so and weigh fifteen to twenty pounds. The pages are brass."
"Brass. Brass shadows. It's what the dwarves call a book of shadows. Each page has a character described on it. Whoever reads the page can become the character written there."
"Say what?"
We were safely away, without any tail I could spot. I led her to the steps of a public building. They still consider public buildings public here For now. Subjects gather on the steps. Sometimes they live there in good weather We could plant ourselves and talk without getting bashed over the head and told to move along by the hired thugs who police the 1-fill's streets. "Think about it, sweetheart."
"About what? 1-low?"
"Say a guy has a dream. No matter how crazy the guy or how insane the dream. Eh? Then all of a sudden he gets a real chance to grab it. Eh?"
"You lost me, Garrett."
I didn't think she was that slow. I played it out, explained a little more about what the book was supposed to be. "That creep Fido wants to be a wicked wizard more than anything in the world. But he doesn't have the talent it takes to trip over his own feet. He's so bad at what he wants it's almost easy to feel sorry for him. Almost. But I can't when it comes to the Book of Shadows. A nut like him gets it . .
Her eyes widened. "Oh."
"Oh. Yeah. You got it. But he doesn't have the book. Yet. We know that for sure because he's so crazy he'd be taking his wicked-wizard act all over town if he did."
"Let me think about this, Garrett."
"You know him better than I do."
"I said let me think." Her face furrowed up exactly the way Saucerheads does when he concentrates. I had a feeling she was like Tharpe in ways other than size. She'd be one of those who think slow but steady, sometimes getting there more surely than those of us who are quicker of wit.
After a while I said, "He must have been in touch with Blaine sometime. Else how would he know about the book?"
"Yeah. Blaine did offer to sell it to him, I think. But something happened. He backed off."
"And got killed for his trouble.
"My fault, probably I found Blaine for Lubbock."
"Huh?"
"I told you, I'm a manhunter. He wanted Blaine found, I found Blaine."
I glimmed Easterman's hangout. It wasn't far away. Not far enough. Somebody was up top trying to lure a flying thunder-lizard down. I guess Fido wanted to catch him his very own dragon.
"But he didn't get the book."
"I guess not. I don't know why. Unless Blaine spotted me and guessed who I was."
Curious. Blaine hadn't had the book when they'd killed him, logically. But he'd had it earlier, and had tried to use it, because he'd been Carla Undo when he'd stumbled into my house. The Serpent couldn't have it any more than Fido did, else she wouldn't be trying to kill me. She'd be headed out of town.
Gnorst? I'd seen no evidence he was even looking. I'd guess he didn't have it, either.
So where the hell did it go?
Why should I care? Tinnie was going to be all right.
I asked, "You think anybody ought to have that kind of power?"
"Me, I could handle it. But I don't know nobody else I'd trust."
"And I don't know about you."
"How much you pay me not to find it?"
"What?"
"I come to the city for the money, Garrett. Not to save the world."
"I like a straightforward thinker. I like a girl who has her priorities straight and knows what she wants. I'll give you a straight answer. Not a copper. You don't have a glimmer where it is."
"But I will I find things real good. Tell you what. When I find it, I'll give you a chance to outbid Lubbock."
"And the Serpent? You maybe ought to think about that some. While you're at it, think about what happened to Blaine."
"That's no problem."
"Look, Winger, it's stupid not to be scared. There's some bad people in this town. And you got some of the baddest looking for you. On account of Squirrel. If they catch up with you, you can kiss your tail good-bye." I mentioned it because once again I'd glimpsed somebody who looked like Crask.