‘You got your credit card?’
Ho put his hand under his cloak, and passed a card to the Minstrel Boy. The eyes of both Nancy and the desk clerk fastened on the black-edged brotherhood credit card as he placed it on the desk and grinned.
‘Why don’t you take whatever you think ten minutes of your conversation is worth?’
The desk clerk gingerly picked up the card. He seemed almost nervous of it. Nancy watched intently as he placed it in the transfer unit. He dialled out a modest sum. He looked up at the Minstrel Boy.
‘Is that okay?’
‘If that’s what you think you’re worth, then sure it’s okay.’
The desk clerk handed the card back to the Minstrel Boy. He turned it over and then passed it to Jeb Stuart Ho. The desk clerk began to look nervous.
‘What do you gentlemen want to know?’
Jeb Stuart Ho placed the tri-di of A.A. Catto in front of the desk clerk.
‘Have you ever seen this woman?’
The desk clerk shook his head.
‘She’s never been in here.’
The Minstrel Boy looked at him sharply.
‘You sure about that?’
‘Never forget a face.’
‘You ever hear of someone called A.A. Catto?’
‘I heard the name.’
‘What did you hear about her?’
‘I heard people talk about her.’
‘What did you hear?’
‘Rich little bitch by all accounts. She came into town. Started doing the society circuit. The nightclubs, the best parties. The rumour was that she was kind of wild. Like, you know, vicious. Into pain, other people’s pain. By all accounts she keeps herself looking like a young kid. That’s about all I know.’
‘Is she still in town?’
‘As far as I know.’
‘Do you know where she’s living?’
‘I heard she had an apartment at the Orchid House.’
‘The Orchid House, where’s that?’
‘It’s the big new apartment building. The big triangular one, right in the middle of downtown. You can’t miss it.’
The Minstrel Boy turned to Jeb Stuart Ho.
‘I guess that’s about it. All you have to do is get down there,’
The desk clerk laughed.
‘It ain’t as easy as that.’
The Minstrel Boy turned back to him.
‘Why not?’
‘You’ll, never get inside the place. Not unless the lady wants to see you.’
‘Why?’
‘It’s like a goddamn fortress. That’s part of the service. Unless you’ve got a pass from a resident you’ll never get past the security. There’s a whole army of them.’
The desk clerk looked at him slyly.
‘That’s if the lady doesn’t want to see you.’
The Minstrel Boy grinned.
‘The lady hasn’t had a chance to get to know us yet.’
He thought for a minute.
‘Suppose we took an apartment in the building?’
The desk clerk shook his head.
‘Not a chance. There’s a waiting list a mile long.’
‘Can’t you jump the list? I mean, if you’ve got the credit, surely anything’s possible?’
‘Not there it’s not. Everyone who wants to move in there’s got credit. You have to pay a fortune in bribes just to get on the list.’
‘So we’d better make friends with the lady.’
The desk clerk grinned.
‘That’s the best way. Only the lady doesn’t seem to be too friendly.’
The Minstrel Boy smiled.
‘Maybe.’
He glanced at Jeb Stuart Ho.
‘My friend here can be amazingly charming when he has to be.’
The desk clerk looked across at Jeb Stuart Ho, and then back to the Minstrel Boy.
‘He doesn’t say much.’
‘That’s part of his chirm.’
There was a pause. The desk clerk looked down at the transfer unit, and then back up at the Minstrel Boy.
‘There’s nothing else you’d like to know?’
The Minstrel Boy shook his head.
‘I think we’ve had our money’s worth.’
He turned away, and looked at Jeb Stuart Ho.
‘I don’t think we’ll achieve much more here.’
‘We know now where the woman lives.’
They walked towards the door and out into the street. Nancy watched them thoughtfully until they disappeared from sight.
***
As Jeb Stuart Ho and the Minstrel Boy emerged from the Leader Hotel, back into the glittering streets of Litz, the executive paused. He looked up and down the street. An airship drifted overhead about fifty metres up, following the line of the street. Lights shone out from the gondola. The sound of laughter and a ragtime piano drifted down. The Minstrel Boy looked up into the darkness and grinned.
‘They sure know how to have parties in this town.’
Jeb Stuart Ho pursed his lips.
‘They seem to know very little else.’
The Minstrel Boy shot him a sideways glance.
‘You ought to check out a few, Killer. It’ll be an education for you.’
Ho continued to look up and down the street.
‘My education is a process that continues without the need to study such things as parties.’
‘Hell, you ought to relax.’
‘My task allows me no space to relax.’
The Minstrel Boy shook his head.
‘There’s no hope for you, man.’
Jeb Stuart Ho looked confused.
‘I’m sorry. I don’t understand you. Hope can have no influence on probability.’
The airship drifted on down the street. The Minstrel Boy watched it go. Then he looked back at Ho.
”What’s the matter with you, Killer? Why do you keep looking up and down the street like you were lost?’
‘I was computing my next move until you began to talk about parties.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Do not be sorry. All information is of value. Unfortunately parties are not particularly relevant.’
‘Was that a joke?’
‘What?’
‘Parties not being particularly relevant.’
‘I fail to understand.’
The Minstrel Boy waved his hand in despair.
‘Forget it. If you’re stuck for a next move, why don’t you pay me off?’
‘I may need you again.’
‘You may what?’
‘I may need you again.’
‘Shit! I got you to Litz. What more do you want? You don’t need me to help you knock the chick off.’
‘She might leave the city. I’d need you if that should happen.’
The Minstrel Boy began to get exasperated.
‘Okay, okay, if that happens, come and see me. Maybe we can make a deal. I might even take the job. In the meantime, pay me off. I want to have a little fun. I ain’t about to watch you hunt this chick all over town.’
Jeb Stuart Ho nodded thoughtfully.
‘How would you like to be paid?’
The Minstrel Boy grinned.
‘The way I figured it, you’ve got this credit card. Right?’
‘Right.’
‘It’s unlimited. Right?’
‘Right.’
‘All we have to do is go along to a bank and get them to issue me with a temporary card, so I can draw on your credit for a limited period, say a month. How does that suit you? That be okay?’
Jeb Stuart Ho made a slight bow.
‘If that’s what you want, I will do it.’
‘Great.’
‘There’s one thing, though.’
The Minstrel Boy looked suspicious.
‘What?’
‘Where do we find a bank?’
The Minstrel Boy laughed.
‘That’s no problem.’
He waved his hand down the street.
‘Walk in any direction. We’ll soon find one. They need a lot of banks in Litz.’
‘Are they open at night?’
The Minstrel Boy nodded.
‘Sure they’re open. They have to be. It’s always night here.’