by James Wisher
“I want to live. The guy you want is Alec Shazar, a big time gem merchant. He smuggles the blood rubies in along with this regular merchandise and no one’s he wiser. It’s a sweat deal.”
“Not for you,” Griff said.
Gabriel hadn’t heard a word after Alec’s name. Gods above, why did it have to be Morgrin’s mentor? There had to be half a dozen gem dealers big enough to handle smuggling blood rubies.
Griff elbowed him in the side, knocking the dismal thoughts out of his head. “You okay?”
“Fine.” Gabriel turned to the old man. “How about you? Want to tell us who you’re buying for?”
The servant sniffed. “My master will have me out before the day is done.”
Gabriel laughed. “Do you think your master will risk getting involved in this to save you? You’ll be replaced by the end of the day not freed.”
The servant looked away without a word.
“Suit yourself,” Gabriel said. “Let’s run them in.”
They made it back to headquarters with their prisoners without anyone trying kill them which suited Gabriel quite well though he would have rather faced a dozen sell swords than the conversation he would have to have with Duncan.
They processed the prisoners without trouble, turned over the coins and drugs to the desk officer, and retired to the desk they shared. Gabriel sat down with a weary sigh.
“When do we go after the gem merchant?” Griff asked.
“Tomorrow.”
Griff raised an eyebrow. “Why the delay? You’re usually eager to get after them.”
“This is a special case. My adopted brother works for the gem merchant. I can’t kick his door down without speaking to Uncle Duncan first.”
Griff blew out a breath. “I don’t envy you that conversation.”
“I’m going for a walk, perhaps inspiration will strike. See you tomorrow.”
Griff nodded. “Good luck.”
Gabriel wondered the streets for the better part of an hour but inspiration kept itself well hidden. At last he gave up and headed home, determined to get it over with.
It was an hour until sunset when he got home. One of the new servants, a young woman whose name he couldn’t recall and who had no domestic skills to speak of beyond the fact that she giggled at the least provocation and had a body that made his aunt’s face turn red whenever she was in the room, hung up his cloak.
“Thank you, dear.” Gabriel unbuckled his sword belt. “Is Uncle Duncan home?”
“No, sir but you have a guest.” The new servant, Domino he remembered at last, said in her high, cheerful voice. “Lady Amanda’s waiting for you in the lounge.”
“Thank you, Domino, and please call me Gabriel.”
She looked away and her cheeks flushed. Gabriel smiled. She was a sweet girl, unlike the last slut Duncan hired. She lasted all of two weeks until Aunt Jolie caught her half naked in bed with Morgrin. When Uncle Duncan had told him the story he could hardly keep from laughing.
Gabriel hung his sword up on a peg near the door and went to the lounge. He found Amanda seated on a small couch reading. She looked up when he entered and he was struck all over again by how beautiful she looked.
“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting long.”
Amanda set her book aside. “Not at all, I didn’t know what time you’d get home, so I came over as soon as classes ended.”
Gabriel sat beside her and she snuggled up under his arm. The tension melted out of him. “I’m glad you came by.”
Amanda looked up at him. “Bad day?”
“The worst is yet to come I’m afraid.”
“Want to talk about it?”
Gabriel told her everything that happened ending with the discovery of Morgrin’s mentor being a drug smuggler. “I’m not sure what’s worse, having to tell Uncle Duncan or having to deal with Morgrin’s reaction to me arresting his mentor. We’re not close as it is, but now he’ll hate me.”
“It’s not your fault his mentor is smuggling drugs, surely Morgrin will understand.”
Gabriel’s smile was bitter. “No, he’ll think I arrested the merchant on purpose to hurt him even though he has nothing to do with it. Sometimes I don’t think his mind works quite right.”
“I don’t know,” she said. “Most noblemen imagine they’re the center of the universe, why should Morgrin be any different?”
The front door opened and he kissed Amanda on the forehead. She squeezed his hand. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
Gabriel got up and went to the entryway. Duncan was hanging up his cloak. The older man’s head drooped in a way he’d never seen before. “Bad day, Uncle Duncan?”
“Not the best I’ve ever had.” Duncan managed a weak smile. “You?”
“Mine wasn’t the best either, in fact if you have a moment I need to talk to you.”
“I know that look, Gabriel.” Duncan closed his eyes and sighed. “We’ll talk, but not until after dinner.”
“Of course.” Gabriel put a hand on his adopted father’s shoulder. “You looked tired.”
“I’m getting old.” Duncan grinned. “Now you know why I sleep in so often.”
Dinner was quiet with both Duncan and Gabriel absorbed in their respective problems. Amanda did what she could to lighten the mood with stories about the girls from her school, but the attempts fell flat. Aunt Jolie looked bored by it all.
When they finished eating Gabriel escorted Amanda to the door. “Good luck,” she said.
He kissed her. “I’m afraid I wasn’t good company tonight.”
Amanda smiled and he helped her on with her cloak. “I understand. I hope he takes it all right.”
“Uncle Duncan may play the part of a bumbling nobleman sometimes, but he’s strong. He’ll be okay.”
Amanda’s carriage rolled up to the door and he helped her in. When she’d gone he went back inside and found Duncan in his den with a glass of brandy. He looked up when Gabriel entered. “Did your young lady leave?”
“Yeah, we weren’t a very cheerful party tonight.”
“No, I guess we weren’t at that.” Duncan held up a second glass. “Drink?”
Gabriel shook his head. He’d never gotten a taste for the stronger liquors Duncan favored. He sat down across from Duncan. “You want to go first or shall I?”
Duncan shrugged. “Mine’s no big deal. I spent the afternoon listening to the merchant’s council complain about the increase in bandit activity. Of course they want me to do something, but no one wants to pay more taxes so I can afford to hire more men to patrol the roads. It’s an old argument, but they feel the need to rehash things every so often. Your turn.”
Gabriel took a deep breath and said, “Earlier today I caught a man dealing blood rubies and in exchange for avoiding the death penalty he offered his supplier, a gem merchant.”
Duncan groaned. “It’s not who I think it is?”
“Alec Shazar.”
“Damn it all to hell, are you sure?”
“Nothing’s for sure until we raid the man’s business but I can’t imagine the supplier lying when his life is on the line.”
“Nor can I. Have you told your brother yet?”
“No, I was afraid he might warn his mentor we were coming, and we’re not on the best terms anyway so I thought you should tell him.”
“You’re probably right. What do you have planned?”
“I was hoping you could ask Morgrin to join you for lunch tomorrow and we could move in while he’s gone. I rather not have him there when I arrest his mentor.”
“Yes, that would be a problem. According to the law you’d have to take Morgrin in as well and that wouldn’t do. All right, I’ll firmly suggest he join me for lunch tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Uncle Duncan. I hope we’re wrong and the search turns up nothing.”
Duncan nodded, looking ten years older.
* * *
About an hour before noon Gabriel and Griff camped out at a tavern a
cross from Shazar’s Gem Emporium. Duncan said Morgrin was to meet him at high noon for lunch. Once he left they would move in and raid the shop. On the way out that morning Gabriel had borrowed a pewter cup and a skin of white wine. If they had to he planned to check every ruby in the shop to be certain there were no drugs. Gabriel kept a close eye on the door through the tavern window, waiting for Morgrin to leave.
“If this guy’s smuggling blood rubies,” Griff said. “Why would he take Morgrin on as an apprentice?”
“Because it adds to his cover. Who would ever suspect someone with the Lord Mayor’s son as an apprentice of doing anything illegal? And, if someone did find out they’d be reluctant to do anything for fear of angering Uncle Duncan.”
“Yeah, but if Morgrin found out he’d be in real trouble. What’s to keep the kid from telling his father or you for that matter?”
Gabriel shook his head. Griff didn’t know Morgrin at all. “Duncan and Morgrin don’t get along very well and he and I mix like oil and water. We’ve disliked each other since we were kids and Duncan adopting me didn’t help things any.”
“Speak of the devil.” Griff pointed across the street. Morgrin shut the door behind him and turned toward the mansion.
“Good, we’ll give him a five minute head start then head over.”
Gabriel was eager to raid the shop and get out before Morgrin returned. The wait seemed to drag on but at last he said, “Let’s go.”
They left the tavern and walked across the street. Gabriel pointed toward the rear of the shop, Griff nodded and went to cover the back door. Gabriel took a steadying breath and walked up to the front door. The sign said closed for lunch but it was unlocked. Gabriel went in without knocking.
Earth tones and wood paneling decorated the inside of the shop. Skylights illuminated the interior and display case placed around the room held fine rings and necklaces. A dark haired man with a trimmed and oiled beard emerged from the back of the shop.
“We’re closed, come back in an hour,” the man said.
“Alec Shazar?” Gabriel tapped the lion patch on his shoulder. “I’m not here to shop. I’m Gabriel Kane of the city watch and I’m here to search your shop for contraband.”
“This is an outrage!” Alec yelled and stomped around. “I have wealthy friends. You’ll be busted out of the watch so fast you won’t know what happened. If you leave right now I might, might mind you, be inclined to forget this insult.”
Gabriel crossed his arms. “Are you finished?”
Before he could reply there was a crash in the back room. A few seconds later Griff emerged with a skinny young man in tow. “Caught this one trying to sneak out the back,” Griff said.
Gabriel shot Alec a glare. “Not a bad idea, you throw a fit so your accomplice has a chance to sneak out the back. I’m somewhat offended that you thought I was too stupid to cover the back door.”
“Twerp had this on him.” Griff tossed a leather pouch to Gabriel.
Gabriel tipped the pouch up and four glittering rubies rattled out on one of the display cases. “Well, well, what have we here?” He set the pewter cup beside the rubies and poured two inches of wine into it. Do you want to admit your guilt now or do I have to test these?”
Alec looked away.
“Suit yourself.” Gabriel dropped one of the stones into the wine where it dissolved and colored the water pink. “Well?”
“I have nothing to say to you,” Alec said.
“Well, I tell you what I told Johan, getting drawn and quartered is an ugly way to die, but if that’s the way you want to go it’s up to you.”
Gabriel poured the wine and dissolved blood ruby on the floor. The skinny helper wrenched free of Griff, fell to his knees, and licked the spilled wine. Gabriel and Griff stared at him. The instant Gabriel looked away Alec ran for the door. Gabriel reversed course and leapt, catching the fleeing merchant around the ankles. Alec crashed to the floor.
Gabriel dragged him back to the middle of the shop, drew his sword, and laid it on the merchant’s neck. “Try that again and I’ll save them the trouble of executing you.”
“I don’t want to die.” It came out as more whimper than statement.
Gabriel took his sword away. “Tell me everything and I’ll do what I can to see they don’t kill you.”
“Okay, besides Johan I have three other dealers, each covers a quarter of the city.”
Alec gave a detailed description of each dealer and Gabriel felt confident they’d have no trouble rounding them up. “Good, now where do you get the drugs?”
“Every other month I meet my supplier at a bend on the river four days ride north of the city. They’re river pirates. I’m allowed two guards and I pay them with black onyx, five pounds per trip.”
“Onyx, those aren’t especially valuable gems. Why do they want onyx?”
“How should I know?” Alec’s, voice carried a hysterical edge. “These aren’t the sort of people you question. They said pay in onyx and that’s what I do.”
“All right when we get to headquarters you can show me exactly where you meet and when. Let’s go.”
Griff had his prisoner under control and the four of them left the shop. They hadn’t gone more than a few feet past the door when Morgrin appeared around the corner, way earlier than he’d expected. Short of running for it there was nothing to be done. Morgrin spotted them and made a bee line in their direction.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Morgrin asked. “I insist you release these two this minute.”
“I can’t do that,” Gabriel said. “They were using the business to smuggle blood rubies into the city.”
“Liar! I know you’re jealous of me but this is too much. I’ll see you pay for this.” Morgrin stormed off back the way he’d come.
Gabriel shook his head. He couldn't do anything about Morgrin now or maybe ever.
“You’ve made an enemy,” Alec said.
“I’d worry about myself if I were you,” Gabriel said.
They marched their prisoners back to headquarters and processed them. Griff took the skinny one to the cells while Gabriel and Alec went to the interrogation chamber. Gabriel sat Alec in a chair then dug out a map of the area. He plucked it down on the table. “Show me.”
Alec studied the map then pointed to a bend on the river north of the city. “Right there.”
“Good. When are you due to meet them again?”
“The day following the full moon.”
“Ten days, okay walk me through the transaction.”
“There’s a beach at that river bend where we meet, me and my two guards. The pirates anchor their ship and the captain and I trade drugs for onyx.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it,” Alec said.
“I’ll talk to Lord St. Jaques about reducing your sentence.” They left the chamber and Gabriel had a handy Watchman take Alec to the cells.
Gabriel and Griff spent the rest of the day rounding up the three remaining dealers, With Alec’s information it went off without a hitch. It was late evening when they finished up.
“Good luck with your stepbrother,” Griff said.
Gabriel offered a weak smile. “There isn’t enough luck in the world to help with that. See you tomorrow.”
Gabriel trudged home through the gloomy dusk. Duncan had probably heard everything from Morgrin by now, not that it mattered, done was done, he had to live with it now. He’d barely gotten through the door when Duncan appeared. “How’d it go?”
Gabriel shrugged out of his cloak and undid his sword belt. “We caught him with the drugs in his shop. Morgrin showed up as we were leaving. He screamed at me and ran off. Have you seen him?”
Duncan shook his head. “We had an argument and he stormed off halfway through lunch. I was afraid he’d run into you. I guess I was right.”
“It took longer than I expected, if we’d hurried—”
Duncan raised a hand to stop him. “Forget it; Morgrin would have lear
ned what happened eventually. Tell me what you learned.”
“Alec gets the drugs from some river pirates. He meets them every other month the day after the full moon at a bend in the river about four days ride north of the city. He’s due to meet them in ten days. If you have a company of soldiers I can borrow I can round up some pirates and maybe get the merchant council off your back.”
“That would be welcome. You have a plan?”
“Alec and I are about the same height. If I wear a loose fitting cloak I might pass for the merchant long enough to get the pirates off their ship. If the men were ready that would be enough.”
“The first ranger company is recovering after a long scouting mission. I think this would be right up their alley.”
“I need a couple days to collect the gear I’ll need then I’ll be good to go.”
They parted company and Gabriel went upstairs to sleep. He lay awake for a long time wondering if Morgrin would ever speak to him again. He didn’t think so. Gabriel sighed in the dark. He didn’t like Morgrin, but he hated to lose another brother.
Chapter 16
“Gabriel, this is sergeant Orn, he commands the first ranger unit.” Duncan introduced the commander of the ranger unit assigned to accompany Gabriel on the pirate ambush. “Sergeant, this is Lieutenant Gabriel Kane, he’ll be leading this mission.”
“Sir.” Sergeant Orn snapped a crisp salute.
Tall and lean, sergeant Orn was typical of the twenty men standing beside their horses waiting to ride for the ambush site. All the rangers wore leather armor and carried long swords belted at their waists, a quiver of arrows and an unstrung bow hung from their backs. Every one of them had a lean, hungry look that said they’d devour anything that got in their way.
“The men are provisioned and ready to ride,” Duncan said.
“Thank you, my lord.” Gabriel kept things formal since they had an audience. “Do you have any last minute orders?”
“Just this, come back safe.” He clapped Gabriel on the shoulder, climbed up into his carriage, and started back to the city.
“Sergeant, set your riding order and let’s get going.”
