I was going to like this Tate. He had attitude. Very subtle attitude.
"Already done," Singe said. "General, will you and the Windwalker add your chops? To make this exchange completely legal?"
Those two did as requested while I boggled. My little girl knew exactly what to do and was so businesslike nobody thought to demur.
She was getting scarier by the hour.
Block had on a half sneer that told me he saw me slipping to errand boy status around here.
Artifice did some shallow bows and headed for the front door armed with his ragged case and notarized receipt. Clever Garrett volunteered to let him out, fooling nobody. Including Artifice, who told me, as I opened the door, "I'm sorry. I don't have anything for you from Tinnie. She suddenly don't have time for anything. She does play stuff all morning, then works the books at night." He sucked in a bushel of air, released it in a long, sad sigh. "Man, I think she gave up. She moved her stuff back to the compound when the ratgirl wouldn't let her see you. Marmie said she heard her crying last night."
He reached out, rested a hand on my left shoulder. "I don't know what I ought to be feeling, man. She's hurting. But I think you done your part. She dug the hole. I'm supposed to be on her side 'cause she's family, but. . What I'm trying to tell you is, whatever, the family won't be as unhappy with you as you probably think. We're gonna be all right with you. Unless you do something dumb now."
I wondered if I would ever actually see Tinnie again.
"Thank you." Which surprised him.
Would we become enemies? He was trying to say no. And I couldn't see it happening. Business trumps with the Tates. These days their principal business is manufacturing the wonders that spring from Kip's mind. And bad man Garrett has an undue influence over the genius boy.
Glower and grumble some might but they would not munch any feeding hand.
It might be gods help us all, though, if Kip ever ran dry.
All assuming everything went on the way it appeared to be headed now.
Is fear of your girl's family a good enough reason to keep a relationship going?
85
I stayed on the porch waiting for Sarge and Puddle. Let's hope those two never get into a last-man-standing ugly contest. The refs would call a draw after the twenty-seventh round.
"Hey, gents. What's up?"
"We just swung by to see how Morley was doing," Puddle said. Clearly nervous.
"The Dead Man is snoozing."
"You always say that."
"And it's usually true. Even if it isn't right now, you want to see Morley, you got to come inside. Plus, it's too late. You're already inside his range."
Up the steps they came.
Clever me, I scooted in, got Morley out of Singe's office and shut that door before his boys noticed General Block. No need having them wonder why the head tin whistle spent so much time at my house, close to their boss. I took them into the Dead Man's room.
Puddle told me, "I don't like it in here wit' dat t'ing. It's creepy. But da cool air is nice."
"I'm not real fond of being in here, either. But you're right about the air. Penny, my love, can you take a second to show these gentlemen the pictures you and Bird made?"
The girl had sass enough to mutter, "I know a gentleman when I see one. There aren't any in this room."
Sarge said, "Hey, she's cute. I like dat. You wanna sell her?"
Penny stood up to it. Having Old Bones right there fired up her confidence. She said, "We don't 'make' 'pictures.' " Last word gotten, she did do as I asked.
I leaned close to Sarge, murmured, "Little known fact. I need to keep it in mind myself. The kid is Belinda's half-sister."
"Ouch!"
Not that Belinda ever showed the least indication of caring.
The boys ignored the painting of the man entirely. Had a renowned shy girl not been holding the drawings of the woman in leather I'm sure they would have paid the model some crudely enthusiastic compliments.
Morley asked, "You guys know either of these people?"
Heads shook. Sarge stated the obvious. "I wouldn't mind getting to know her. 'Specially if she's got a t'ing for old guys wit' big bellies an' not much hair."
"Get in line."
"Dat figures."
Morley added, "The man is the important one. I've seen him somewhere but I can't remember where or when. He's the boss of a gang of resurrection men. His name is Nat, Nate, Nathan, something like that."
The henchmen shook their heads. Puddle said, "We wouldn't never have nothing ta do wit' dat kinda creep."
I believed him. The street climbed right up and proclaimed itself loudly in his speech. Along with abiding repugnance.
Good to know that Morley surrounded himself with associates who had moral limits.
My interest satisfied, I left Morley with his crew and went back to Singe's office. "We need to keep the door shut for a few minutes."
I stepped back out and went to the front door, where Jon Salvation was tap-tap-tapping.
86
"I won't come in, Garrett. I don't have time. These are notes I made during my rounds of the costume shops. They should be useful."
"Thanks. How is Tinnie doing?"
"So far, marvelously. But we aren't that far along. She'll have plenty of chances to be herself before we take the show live. I'm having Alyx Weider be her understudy. The competition should keep her focused."
"If you stick with Alyx."
"I know what I want to do for the girl. Crush."
"I'm listening." I used every second to look around. I was sure we were being watched but I didn't see anyone.
Morley, Sarge, and Puddle came out of the house, breaking my concentration.
Salvation asked, "Why are you sniffing like that?"
"Still fighting the cold." I lied. I knew a man who could be invisible when he was watching. He gave himself away sometimes because he never developed a sufficiently intimate relationship with soap and water.
I smelled nothing unusual.
Salvation, jostled by Sarge and Puddle, scowled as he said, "I'll have the actors sign a copy of the play and send her that. One of the rehearsal copies. Through you, so she doesn't take it the wrong way. I'll tuck in a pass to the premiere, in my box."
"That's overkill, Jon. She'll be absolutely sure you're out to get into her pants."
"Think so?"
"I think so. Crush may not have a lot of years on her but the ones she has have been rough enough to turn her completely cynical."
"That's too bad. She seems like a bright kid."
"She is. She thinks she's a complete realist, too. I know how you feel. I feel that way. She shouldn't waste herself the way she is. But I don't think she'd reach out to grab a helping hand to be rescued."
Salvation nodded. "She wouldn't because she would expect to be pulled into something worse."
"Exactly. But keep those options open. If I see her again I'll find out what she thinks. Subtly."
Morley had been waving to his troops and eavesdropping. He said, "You be subtle with a woman, Garrett? I find that hard to picture."
"You're probably right."
"Go for underkill, Salvation. Have Garrett pass the word she can come by and watch a rehearsal sometime, if she wants. Open-end offer. No big deal if she does or doesn't. Just an option. You're not buying anything that way."
Salvation and I gaped.
Morley said, "The way it sounds, you're interested in making an act of friendship. You don't buy friendship. Close your mouth, Garrett. A pigeon will fly in there and lay eggs."
He went back inside, leaving the door ajar.
I said, "That made sense, Jon."