by Mark Eller
"I see," Temondare said. "I also see that we need to discuss this league. Has it occurred to you, Mistress Turner, it is a very bad idea?"
"It will restrict trade instead of expanding it," Stublinska added. "It will have others looking at the internal affairs of our countries. Our rivals will judge matters which are none of their concern. We in Iram see nothing but trouble coming from this plan. It would be good if Mister Turner removed his support."
"Iram is a country famous for its weavings if I am not mistaken," Melna broke in. "Its wool is desired by every weaver because Iram has specialized in raising sheep for centuries, second only to Scotsdale. " She laid one finger against the corner of her mouth. "Then again, isn't wool, timber, and fish the only products coming out of Iram? As I recall, the land is mostly coastline and cliffs. Am I forgetting anything?"
"No," Stublinska said flatly. "Not a thing."
"I think I am," Melna insisted. She rubbed her chin for a moment and then forced herself to smile brightly. "That's right. Iram outfits privateers. It's Iram's national past-time, and aren't the warehouses of Halimut Iram's favorite clearinghouse? Really, Mistresses, I'm surprised Nefra isn't here with you. " She gave them a meaningful look. "Or am I? There have been several deaths in the Nefran contingent recently."
"You have a big mouth," Temondare supplied. "We'll show you what happens if you don't play by our rules. " She gestured to the two remaining attendants. "Hurt her."
Melna fastened her eyes on the two and tried to set arrogant evil into her features. "Yes, several Nefran's did die. Ask yourselves, who did the killing?"
A delighted shout came from her bedroom. "Hey, look what I found! I got a necklace that will--Bloody Lady!"
The voice released a high pitched scream, and the woman came stumbling out of the room, one hand clutched within the other, both clasped to her breast. Her eyes wore shocked surprise.
Melna held her pistol with no memory of how it got there.
"My hand," the injured woman whimpered. "My fingers. They're gone."
"You saw how well my husband used one of these," Melna lied in a calmly reasonable voice. "He is little more than an amateur. I am six times better."
The injured woman, pale faced and weak-kneed, stumbled toward her employers. She stopped, staring in horror as a finger sailed through the air to land at her feet. One by one, two more followed.
"We were only here to talk," Temondare said. "We are diplomats, not barbarians. "
The woman who had been rifling through the drawer stood as still as stone. Another of the retainers supported the injured woman.
Melna allowed a mocking tone to enter her voice. "You thought to use the diplomacy of knives. You came to intimidate and bully a small girl who isn't as good as she should be. You came to steal. Well, go ahead. I won't stop you. I promise you won't die more than once."
"We're leaving," Stublinska said. She gestured toward the door. The retainers started for it.
"I'll kill the first person who leaves. . ..," Melna snapped.
Stublinska's expression was calm, but her forehead glistened with sweat. "What do you want?"
"Clean up after yourselves. Deal with your mess."
And there she stood while the three severed fingers were picked up from the carpet and carefully folded into a handkerchief. Once the task was completed, they asked her permission to leave.
"What" Melna asked,"have you learned?"
Uncomprehending, they stared at her, but that was all right. She had not expected an answer.
"Don't fuck with the Turners" Melna said. "We're a damn sight meaner than you could ever dream of being. Now leave."
They left, carefully closing the door behind them. Melna thought about ordering them to come back, but she let the thought go. It might be asking too much to insist they clean up the blood. Besides, she was too busy throwing up to worry about bloodstains on a carpet she did not own.
Straightening, she wiped her mouth clean with her sleeve and headed for her bedroom, being careful where she set her feet along the way. "Miss Homes. You can come out now. They're gone."
She reached the doorway and stopped. Making a perfect circle in the center of her perfectly made bed was the diamond and sapphire necklace. Not a soul was in the room.
Chapter 23
"What the hell is going on!" David Flintlow demanded.
Jerry watched Amel run nervous fingers through her hair. Jerry rather liked the change in his usually superior sister. She was not the self-assured woman she had been just a few weeks earlier.
"I don't know, Daddy," Amel said. "I don't know why they changed their tactics. I never thought they'd question the cabbies."
David Flintlow's glare rested on Amel with the weight of a pyramidal block. His frown covered more than just his mouth, spreading across every wrinkle and blemish on his face. The sight made Jerry glow inside. He had seldom seen his father come across something he could not control within days.
"I thought," David said,"you said this would take care of the Turner problem. I thought you said we would get rid of this ridiculous lawsuit and make money while doing so. That is what you promised me, Amel. Do you remember?"
"Father, I--"
David's raised hand stopped her. "I lay this entire matter at your door. It was you who embezzled Turner's money. It was you who came up with this scheme."
Amel's face hardened. Placing both her hands on Flintlow's desk, she leaned forward. "Wait a minute, old man. I followed the policy you set down, and I wasn't the one who came up with this hare-brained scheme. It was a family decision. There's been no problem with the person I hired. The problems come from this end of the operation, the Londanary end. My end, is still secure."
David studied Amel calmly. His frown relaxed into a curious expression.
"Remove yours hands from my desk. " His voice was gentle indifference.
Suddenly pale, Amel straightened, took a step back, and pulled her offending hands tight against her belly.
"You do not speak that way to your father," David said gently. "I taught you better."
"Father--"
"Never mind for now. We will speak of this later. Jerry and I have private matters to discuss. Please leave."
She cast a worried expression toward Jerry. He gave her a smile and a wink, their secret sign to assure her he would sooth their father's ruffled feathers. Amel's nod was almost imperceptible. She abruptly turned and left, taking care to close the door gently behind her.
David's gaze remained on the door for several seconds after her exit. When he turned his eyes to Jerry, they were flat, expressionless, soulless. His father was many things Jerry admired, but the Flintlow children never made the mistake of thinking their father was a caring person. The family existed only as a reflection of his warped image.
"We have troubles," David finally said. "This could ruin the family."
"Yes, sir," Jerry agreed, wondering if he should point out that Mamma Gwen had provided the original idea for the kidnapping. The thought was brief. Staying loyal to his mother provided more benefits than anything Amel could give him. Gwen's plans assured only part of the family would fail.
"I have reached a decision," David continued. "Only two people outside the family know we are involved in this matter. One is the Vel woman. The other is the assassin your sister hired. If we eliminate them along with the Turner brat, our noses will be clean."
Jerry shook his head. "You are wrong."
His father's eyes went expressionless once more. "Explain."
"Vel has been central to our recruiting. She did a lot of talking to bring people in. There's a small chance one or two of those know more than they should. We need to remove the entire core group.
David frowned and nodded. "This matter has fuzzed my thinking. You are correct. Our numbers might be as high as a dozen."
"Fewer, I think," Jerry said,"but not by many. Do you want me to take care of it?"
"Yes and one more thing."
Jerry raised an inquiring ey
ebrow.
"The only connection between the Turner account and us is your sister. We need Amel to write a confession. The embezzled money should be found in her private effects."
Jerry smiled doubtfully. "How do we convince her to hang herself?"
David leaned forward. His brows furrowed, and for the first time in his life Jerry saw a trace of regret run across his father's features.
"We cannot," David said. "Amel is not that loyal. Kill her and forge the note."
A small laugh broke past Jerry's lips.
"Do you find this funny?"
"It's good to know I come by my nature honestly," Jerry said. "In fact, I got myself a double dose. You and Gwen make a pair."
"We did," David admitted. "Once, but she's grown soft."
"I'll take care of it," Jerry promised. "Amel has a history of abusing drugs. It won't surprise anyone if they kill her. " He turned toward the door. David's voice stopped him.
"I'll need another vice-president for the bank."
"No, thanks," Jerry said, opening the door. "I'll stick with murder. It's safer."
Amel caught him before he took a dozen steps from the closed door.
"What did he want? Have you settled him?"
Jerry gestured for her to follow. "He's still a little hot, but I settled him down a bit. In a day or two he won't be worried about you."
Amel sighed. "Thank the Gods. Jerry, he frightens me sometimes."
Jerry smiled. "You ought to thank me instead of the Gods."
"I owe you."
"Yes," he agreed. "You do. It's time to pay some of what you owe."
"What do you want?
"Bring Emily to my room."
"But she belongs to father! Susan is yours."
Jerry gave his sister a knowing look. "Do what I ask and I'll protect you. Defy me and you won't like it."
"I-I'll bring her."
"Good. " Jerry suddenly felt light-headed from an adrenaline high. He was almost done taking orders. In two weeks the reign of David Flintlow would be over. "And Amel, stay after you bring Emily. The girl has claws. I want you to hold her wrists."
* * *
Julia Tremont was worried. At one time her worries would have been wrapped around her mother's ability to purchase their next meal. Mister Turner had taken those worries away. Times were good, and it was because of her, of Julia. That's what her mother said. Everything they had was because of her first visit with Mister Turner. Since then times had been good, until recently.
Julia was worried again and frightened. Two mornings earlier she found Zisst waiting on her doorstep, not surprising or a concern as it had happened before, but she later learned of the murders and kidnapping.
"Perrdeet," Zisst said from her runabout's back basket, one of his favorite places. Sometimes, when they rode, he pressed his damp nose against her butt. Her mother had asked her about those stains the previous day, but she wasn't too very interested so Julia remained silent instead of lying. She figured nobody should know she had Zisst since Zisst hadn't trusted anyone at the manor enough to stay with them. Zisst belonged to Mister Turner. Julia wouldn't give the animal over to anyone else.
Rumor said Mister Turner was back so she was returning Zisst, but Julia thought she might be bringing Mister Turner something even more valuable because of what she overheard while waiting to cross a street corner.
The gate lay open when she reached it. Four women stood guard.
"Ride on," one said when Julia stopped before them.
Julia shook her head. "I need to see Mister Turner. He knows me. I come here a lot. He won't be mad at you."
"Mister Turner has no time to deal with children," the guard said.
"I-I have information for him."
"Ride on."
Julia looked at the woman, silently begging her to see just how important it was for her to speak to Mr. Turner.
The guard nodded down the street. "Move on."
"Perteet?" Zisst inquired from his basket.
Of course. Julie hauled Zisst into view. His nose quivered, and then his body squirmed. He tried to wiggle out of her grasp. Julia leaned over to set him on the ground.
"Fleerrrrr," Zisst said, and it ran toward the guards.
"Hey."
Two guards gave chase. Zisst squealed, shifted direction, and raced up a tree. Finding a perch on a high branch, he peered down and chittered.
Another guard grabbed Julia.
"What do you think you're doing?" the woman demanded. Julia paid her no mind. She kept her gaze on Zisst.
Zisst's body shuddered, its colors changed, and Julia smiled because she had already won. Just to be sly, she nodded toward the tree so the guard holding her wouldn't miss the show.
The guard looked up just in time to see Zisst spread newly grown bat wings. Leaping from the tree, Zisst soared toward the house.
"Lord and Lady," the guard who had first spoken to Julia cursed. "Bring her," she snapped to the woman holding Julia and then raced for the house. The other two guards followed.
The word of the day seemed to be pandemonium. Zisst's entrance into the manor through an open window set up a pure furor. Uniformed people and people who looked like they belonged in uniforms took off in every direction in an attempt capture the animal, except for those who ran back outside to guard the gate. Within half a minute, the foyer and great room were empty except for Julia and the woman holding her.
"I need to see Mister Turner," Julia told the woman. "I have to tell him something."
"You'll see more than the Mister," the woman snarled. "Some people will ask you a few questions after we kill your animal. I won't mind--"
"Miss Tremont. " The voice came to Julia as a clear bell of hope. Miss Bayne approached. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see the Mister. I have an idea of how to find Autumn. Please stop them Miss Bayne. I brought Zisst back, and now they're trying to kill Mister Turner's pet."
"His pet," the guard exclaimed. "By the Lord, don't tell me we're trying to murder his pet."
"Remove your hands from the child. " A young woman followed behind Miss Bayne. Her face was somehow exotic and a little dusky, but something in her eyes appeared unforgiving. "Child, give me your information. I will see it reaches Mister Turner."
Julia cast a questioning look toward Miss Bayne and received a reassuring nod. Julia bit her lip and talked.
* * *
"It's possible we're searching the wrong city," Missy said later. "It's most likely a dead end, but I don't think we should ignore it."
Aaron held still while Zisst snuggled in his arms. His fingers trailed through silken fur. Of late, Zisst no longer changed form on a whim. Age had caught up to it. Because of this most recent change, Zisst would be laid up for the next two or three days.
"It isn't much," he agreed. "An overheard conversation between cabbies on a street corner."
"Still," Missy pointed out,"it's something. We didn't know before that several cabbies recently left town. We now know the names of two of them, and we know one has a sister in Londanary."
Aaron looked down at Zisst. The morphic animal gazed lovingly back at him. Zisst had saved his life once. Aaron owed the animal. Even more, he loved it.
"Cabbies have been leaving Galesward for a while," Aaron pointed out. "We knew that much already."
"But the thinning almost stopped about two months ago," Missy said. "Up until just before Autumn was kidnapped. I'll admit it isn't much, but it's more than we had before."
"We had the Flintlow's before," Aaron said. "We had them and about two dozen other people and groups who have some reason to hate me. "
"Melna said we should look to the cab drivers," Kim said. "She doesn't always show sense, but she is one of the smartest people I know. This needs to be looked into."
"Oh, we'll look into it," Aaron agreed. "I just don't have much hope anything will come of it. I'll put a few detectives on this. The Lord and the Lady know I've enough of them hanging around."
Kim shook her head. "I will look into it. You stay here and direct the rest of the search. See to your injured and keep surrounded by these guards. Keep all the investigations going. I think there is more here than just this kidnapping, so we cannot let our guard down."
"But I need you here."
"No," Kim said. Stepping forward, she grabbed his chin between her fingers. Her grip was firm but not cruel. "You are too emotionally involved. You are not thinking clearly. I swear to you, Aaron Turner, this is right. I feel it in my bones."
Pulling Kim's hand away, Aaron looked toward Missy. Missy was focused on Kim. Her eyes had the glazed look she sometimes wore when her Talent worked. Her expression was both tense and serene. Her neck was bent slightly back, and her frame was taut so her breasts pushed forward. Aaron remembered the feel of those breasts, and he remembered Missy's kiss.
"I feel it in her," Missy said. "Aaron, Miss Kim is so sure of this her emotions vibrate."
Her eyes narrowed and then widened. "Oh. " Her face froze, and her cheeks gained a slight blush. Aaron felt his own face grow red. Missy's Talent could be damned inconvenient. Jerking his eyes off her, he fastened them back on Kim
"Pull as much money as you want and go hunting."
Kim's smile turned predatory. A cruel cast grew around her lips. "I'll find them. I can promise you that much."
* * *
Aaron pulled the shades on his windows. He didn't need to look to know women and men were stationed on guard outside. Other guards stood at his doorway. More were planted throughout the rest of his wing, and even more were located throughout the entire manor. His life had turned into a trapped hell. His employees were murdered and his daughter missing.
He pulled back his covers, making sure he didn't disturb Zisst from where it curled at the foot of the bed.
Alone. Again.
A knock sounded at his door.
He ignored it, but the knock sounded again, and then the lock turned.
The door opened. He heard Missy speak a word to one of the guards before she stepped inside and hung a key on a hook, closing the door behind her. Turning to Aaron, she shrugged a robe from her shoulders and walked up to him. Beneath the robe she wore nothing.
