He hadn't shown much talent for that yet.
Block left a man with Genord in the unlikely event Gerris opened his heart. We were headed for the relative sanity of Block's quarters. Relway had disappeared. Block asked, "You need to check on Crask and Sadler?"
"I don't think so. Long as they're locked up tight I'm happy. They shown any signs of recovering?"
"Unfortunately."
"You be careful with them. And don't forget there's people outside who're worried about them."
"I have some ideas about those two. Assuming somebody really does want them out. Or dead." He gave out a mock-evil laugh.
I suggested, "You're gonna use them as bait in some stunt, don't forget brother Genord." Like he needed reminding again, already.
"He's already moved, I expect." Block played with the evil laughter again. "We're going to get them, Garrett."
"I don't doubt it. I just hope I have some friends alive when it happens."
"They get to Hell before you, they can have the place all fixed up. A keg in every room. Platoons of panting females."
"That's your idea of Hell?"
"Oh. You won't get to touch."
"I don't get to do that now."
Block made like a man playing a funeral flute. "I've heard about your bad fortune."
"My reputation is entirely the product of Mrs. Cardonlos' imagination."
The name seemed to startle Block. He asked, "What's your next step?"
"Back to North English's manor. I'm almost convinced that he isn't behind any of this. Though clever actors have fooled me before. Do you think he's a born-again believer in The Call's mission?"
"I try not to judge the sincerity of his type. Nor that of people off the Hill. I keep an eye on what they actually do."
"You said there was pressure from up there... "
"It'll slack off."
"Thought a lot of Hill types support The Call."
"Only if it's successful. They don't want to be caught out dangling in the wind if North English's gang goes batshit and fucks up completely."
It was getting on toward the hour of the wolf, the coldest, cruelest time of night, when despair rises up and gnaws the bones of even the strong. And also the hour when the worst trolls and ogres are out. When it's plain common sense for a lone human investigator with too many enemies not to be wandering around alone. "You got a cell I can borrow for a couple hours? Just till the sun comes up?" I would nap my way into whichever future successfully conquered the city.
"There's probably one around here with your name on it, reserved. But for now you can use the cot in mine. I won't bother you. I'm up, I might as well work. Maybe interview a few of our clients." Block understood the hour of the wolf, too. There was no better time to question somebody who was chained up in a mass of filthy straw, shivering in the cold, desperately outnumbered by the rats and lice.
"Thanks. Get somebody to waken me at the crack of dawn." Before he could cut me down with a wisecrack, I said, "I ought to see the damned sun come up once before I die."
I found the cot and stretched out. Wow! Two naps in the same night. This was pure luxury. And there wasn't one damned talking bird within miles.
93
The somebody who wakened me wasn't one of Block's regularly sanctioned gangsters. The somebody was Pular Singe. I almost whooped as I popped up, startled. "How the hell did you get in here?"
I scared her. I had to calm her down before I could get any sense out of her. She lisped much worse when she was frightened and her hearing went north. In time I learned that she'd just walked into the Al-Khar, following my scent. There'd been nobody on guard. She hadn't thought anything of that.
"Did you see any bodies?"
"No."
"Damn! I hope that means they were ready for an invasion and just ran away." Because that was what a lack of guards meant. Somebody unfriendly had gotten inside but hadn't found anybody to kill. Not right away. I suffered no overwhelming impulse to find out if Block and Relway were all right, though, "Why are you here?" I had myself together now. I started easing her toward the nearest street door. Seemed a stroke of strategic genius to get ourselves far away from whatever big trouble was afoot.
"Reliance sent trackers after everyone following you, Garrett. He believed they would run to their masters as soon as they knew you had shaken the one with no scent. I teamed with two others to follow that thing. It can be done. I learned."
We were at the door. I thought I heard Block's fake evil laughter from deep inside the jail. "How'd you manage that?"
"By sight. This creature is not smart. It does not look back. It does not see those who are not people. That is why others were able to follow it. Even Fenibro is smart enough to look back sometimes. We took turns being closest. It is easy to track one another."
"Hmm." The ratpeople were working real hard to put me in their debt. I had a bad feeling about that. People who do that sort of thing always want something back. Usually something that involves me having to work.
There was enough light out to see. A modest fog had come in off the river. I understand that happens frequently but I'm seldom up early enough to see it.
For some early is late. Singe was uncomfortable being out after daybreak but she stuck with me, valiantly trying to communicate everything Reliance's people had found out about my personal road show. I must say, I appreciated the unflagging interest of all the friends I'd made recently. Even though they were watching one another as much as making sure that they knew every little thing I found interesting.
Only Max Weider wasn't watching me. But Relway was doing Max's share as well as his own. He had a whole crew on my backtrail.
Where did he find them all?
That fact that he could round up that many people fanatically devoted to law and order was as scary as the fact that our Marengo North Englishes and Bondurant Altoonas could find all the friends they wanted.
Human folks were flooding the streets now, starting their day. Many were the sort who worshipped Marengo. They did not like what they saw when Singe and I strolled by.
It constituted a little lesson on what it means to be a ratman.
Singe's courage was not up to a prolonged test.
Mine wasn't much less feeble.
Singe told me, "I cannot remain with you."
"I understand. Before you go, though, tell me, did your people track the scentless one to others like it?"
"It went to a place where others of its kind waited."
"Ah! And where might that have been? How many of them were there?"
"Three and the one we followed. We did not understand the language they spoke. Nor could I get very close. They were alert. They were very troubled."
"You did get close enough to listen?"
Singe made a dramatic effort to respond with a nod. "We are often closer than you think."
I hugged her with one arm. She barely came up to my brisket. Somehow, she seemed bigger when we were just walking, talking. "You are the bravest child I've ever met."
Did you know rats purr? I'd heard cats and raccoons do it, but never... Singe did.
I tried to be stern. "You can't take risks like that. These creatures are extremely dangerous. They think nothing of murder. I'd hate myself if you got hurt."
Singe's purr grew louder. I could hear Morley and Belinda mocking me now. I cautioned myself not to let Singe make too much of my praise.
"Where're they hiding?"
She had trouble explaining. Ratpeople don't think in terms of street names and addresses. Not that we have the latter anywhere but on the Hill. Mostly you locate yourself as being so many doors some direction from an outstanding landmark. Like, say, a tavern. Most of those draw their names from signs easily recognized by the illiterate. The Merry Mole. The Gold Seam, for dwarves. The Palms for people overburdened with wealth and self-opinion.