“Shit,” Sim said, getting up from the street. That wasn’t quite as planned. He rushed over to Orna, looking for the other driver. The man was limp in the street.
“Had to kill him,” Orna said, standing up. “He went for the knife.”
“Shit,” Sim said again. He walked over to the cart. “What happened?” he said.
“Looks like this driver may have been a bit more seasoned. Or maybe he was expecting trouble after all,” Jarn said. He tied the reins off and checked on the driver. “Maybe I hit him too hard,” he said. He rolled him off onto the road.
“Where’s Lom?” Sim said. “He should have come down by now. “Lom!” he hissed. There was no reply. He tried again, louder.
“Maybe something’s wrong,” Jarn said. “Maybe they were expecting something after all.”
“Let’s get out of here then. We’ve got what we came for anyway. If he’s not fallen off the roof or been captured he knows where to go. Though if he fell asleep I’ll kill him myself.”
“What about the crates back there?” Jarn said, indicating back up the road.
“Broken. We don’t have time for picking all that up. We’ve got enough and the message is clear.”
*****
“What the hell are they doing?” Daeholf whispered to Trimas and Zedek as they watched the people below moving into place in the gloom.
“They seem to be taking up ambush positions,” Trimas replied.
“But for whom?” Zedek said. “Not us, clearly.”
“Something is going on here,” Daeholf said.
“Do we intervene?” Zedek said.
“How?” Trimas said. “We don’t know who is going to do what to who. Or going to try anyway. Whose side do we intervene on?”
“We’ve already started,” Zedek said, indicating the limp body beside them.
“That was unavoidable to preserve our position,” Daeholf said. “And we originally thought he was a lookout for a raid on us.”
They all sat quietly, watching and listening, waiting for events to unfold.
“I hear something,” Zedek whispered.
“Cart,” Daeholf said, looking along the narrow street. “Heavily laden, maybe two drivers. Hard to be sure in this light.”
“That’s what they’re here for then,” Trimas said, looking. “Robbery. What do you think they’re jacking?”
“No idea. Though if it was valuable, I’d have expected more guards. Or someone ahead scouting and we’ve not seen anyone,” Daeholf said.
“Maybe they just don’t expect to be stopped,” Trimas said. “Smuggling via stealth?”
“Could be,” Daeholf said.
“So do we break the ambush?” Zedek said.
“Again, on whose side?” Trimas said.
“The ambushees of course,” Zedek said.
“We don’t know what they’re carrying,” Daeholf said. “Travelling at this time of night is suspicious. I think smuggling is right. And we’re already in enough trouble with the watch as it is.”
“It’s not our fight,” Trimas said.
“Unless they make it so,” Daeholf said, looking at Zedek and nodding at him.
Zedek nodded. “Why is it we seem to spend so much time watching people fight each other from rooftops though?” he said.
“It’s probably our thing,” Trimas said. “Now, shh. We don’t want to give ourselves away.”
Someone down below started singing in a woman’s voice, apparently drunk. The cart stopped a short distance from the sound.
“Amateurs,” Daeholf muttered. They watched as one of the men got down from the cart and was taken prisoner by the supposedly drunken woman. Trimas chuckled quietly to himself. They watched as the second driver sprang into action to break the trap, sending the cart suddenly along the road, cargo rattling and crates spilling over the side. It didn’t get far before it stopped again, one of the ambushers taking out the other driver.
“They’re not very good at this are they?” Trimas muttered.
“They got the cart I suppose,” Daeholf said.
“They’re leaving the other crates in the road,” Zedek said as the ambushers moved off with the cart.
“They don’t seem to be missing their friend either,” Daeholf said. They watched the cart go.
“I think we should go look,” Zedek said. “I want to see if we were right not to get involved.”
“We can’t leave the dead man up here,” Trimas said. “And it’s not far from dawn. If they were coming they probably would have done so by now.”
Daeholf looked down at the corpse, then the back street. It wasn’t the road they’d been expecting to watch but they’d chosen their vantage point well. He frowned. Trimas was right. They’d been sat up here all night. They were cold and tired and it didn’t look much like the extortionists were coming back yet. Maybe news of their release had got around and they’d not felt the need for a sneak attack. Yet.
“Help me with him,” he said, indicating the corpse.
“Can’t we just roll him off?” Zedek said. “It’s hard enough keeping our footing up here anyway.”
“That might be a bit louder than we want,” Trimas said. “Head or feet?” he said to Daeholf.
“Your turn for the bleeding end,” Daeholf said. “Feet,” he said, grabbing the corpse’s feet.
“Since when?” Trimas said.
“Since last time. And I’m already at this end anyway.”
Trimas sighed and grabbed the body’s shoulders and between the two of them they struggled the body down onto the street without too much noise whilst Zedek kept lookout.
“Still clear,” he said as he clambered down to join them. They set the body in the gutter and walked down the street, cautious, looking for trouble. It was all quiet as they got to the first crate.
“Broken,” Trimas said, poking it with his foot.
Zedek bent down and lifted the top off. “Spears?” he said, confused.
“Looks like it,” Daeholf said, joining him. He reached in and grabbed one of them. “Army grade too,” he said, examining it.
“Really?” Trimas said, glancing along the street in both directions before he bent to look too.
“Not here,” Daeholf said. “Let’s get them back to the shop and look at them properly.”
“There’s another crate a bit further along,” Zedek said.
“If I get the body, can you two carry the crates back?” Daeholf said.
“You sure that’s wise? You really want to bring illicit weapons back to where we’re staying?” Trimas said.
“You want to leave them in the street?” Zedek said.
“You have a point,” Trimas said. “Let’s drag the other crate over and stack it on this one. We can manage them.”
“Can’t see any more,” Daeholf said, looking along the street in both directions.
“Let’s hope no one misses them,” Zedek said.
“Someone will certainly miss them, let’s hope instead no one comes looking for them where we are,” Trimas said.
“Let’s get on with it,” Daeholf said. He moved over to the corpse. “Maybe I should have taken the head on the roof,” he muttered as he struggled the body onto his shoulder. Trimas jogged over to the second crate, picked it up with a little effort and carried it across to the first one.
“Show off,” Zedek said as he put the lid back on the first crate.
Trimas put the second crate on top of the first, stacking them. “Can you manage one end?” he said to Zedek.
“If it means not having to swap with Daeholf and carry a corpse, then yes,” Zedek said. He reached down and lifted with a grunt. “Let’s make this quick,” he said with effort.
Between the three of them they got the two crates and corpse to the back room of the butcher’s shop just as dawn started to crack the sky. They opened the two crates and examined the contents.
“Spears and crossbows,” Zedek said, looking before sitting down.
“Who t
he hell smuggles spears?” Trimas said.
“They’re effective weapons,” Zedek said.
“But also easy to make,” Daeholf said, frowning.
“For somewhere wood is at a premium maybe?” Zedek said.
“Maybe. But where?” Daeholf said.
“Southern Empire?” Trimas said, musing. “Parts of it anyway. There’s money to be had.”
“From here? That’s a bloody long way to sail through very dangerous waters. And I can’t believe someone is going to try and overland these that far without being noticed,” Daeholf said.
“Yes, but who else?” Trimas said.
“Maybe they’re for the rebels?” Zedek said.
“What rebels?” Trimas said.
“Maybe some survived the war. Maybe they’re waiting to go again,” Zedek said.
“Doubtful,” Daeholf said. “Besides, why not make their own locally? It’s not hard.”
“Empire probably has a lockdown on any smiths in the area,” Zedek said. “Any rebels would need to outsource.”
“I suppose it’s possible,” Trimas said. “I’m not convinced though. That’s still quite a long way from here. There’s bound to be closer sources.”
“So we have an enigma then,” Daeholf said.
“A partial one anyway,” Trimas said. He reached into the second crate and drew out a crossbow stock. “These would be valuable anywhere.”
“If highly illegal for almost everyone,” Daeholf said.
“You sure this stuff is army grade?” Zedek said.
“Yep,” Trimas said as he drew out the bow portion of his weapon and started to fit it.
“Is that a good idea?” Daeholf said.
“It’s not like we’re going to get into any more trouble,” Trimas said. “Two crates of illicit imperial army weapons are enough to get us hanged as it is. Assembling a crossbow isn’t going to make this any worse. Besides, you two have bows, I’m feeling a little left out.”
“Hanged?” Zedek said.
“Definitely,” Daeholf said. “Empire takes a very dim view on this sort of thing. Which means there is probably a lot of money in it. Which is why the cart was robbed.”
“And makes the lack of security on it insane,” Trimas said, still fiddling with the crossbow.
“Or rather brave,” Daeholf said.
“We’ve had enough of a run in with the watch as it is,” Zedek said. “Maybe we should hide these.”
“Why don’t we do that whilst Daeholf disposes of the body?” Trimas said.
“Why me?” Daeholf said.
“I’m sure it’s your turn,” Trimas said. “Besides, you’ve already got his blood on you, no sense in the rest of us getting dirty.”
“Fine,” Daeholf said. “You get the next one though.”
“Of course,” Trimas said.
“We giving up watching for the night then?” Zedek said.
“Sun is on the way up,” Trimas said.
“And we have work soon,” Zedek said.
“I guess we sleep in shifts during the day but stay handy in case we get a visit. Back on the roof again after.”
“Another night on the roof in winter. Lovely,” Trimas said.
“If you’re going to complain, you can dispose of the body,” Daeholf said.
“No thanks,” Trimas said.
Daeholf sighed. “I’ll take the first watch in the shop today if you don’t tell the butcher where his tools have been.”
*****
“Sergeant Elena?”
Elena looked up from her desk. A watchman she didn’t recognise. And one who didn’t look all that happy to be talking to her.
“There’s been another one. I was told to bring the news to you.”
“Damn.” Though she had been expecting it. “Thank you,” she added.
The watchman shrugged. “What I was told.”
“Do we know who it is?” Elena said, politely.
“Ah, yes. One of the city’s executioners.”
“Shit.” That was bad. Very bad. Another high profile target. And this one was looking like a bit of a message. Executing the executioner.
“As you say,” the watchman said.
“Where did it happen?”
“Alleyway near his home.”
“What was he doing in an alley?”
“I don’t know, I’m just here to bring you the news.”
“Okay, I assume the body is still there?”
“No, it’s been moved to the coroner.”
“What do you mean it’s been moved? How long has it been?”
“I don’t know. Maybe a couple of hours since he was found?”
“Why did no one tell me?”
“I’ve been sent to tell you now,” the watchman said, looking at his feet.
Elena tried to swallow her anger. It wasn’t going to help. What was done was done. She might have a look at the scene later but by now there probably wouldn’t be much useful to see. “The body is at the coroner you said?”
“Yes,” the watchman replied.
“Okay, thank you. That will be all,” Elena said. She tried to smile, though it looked a little forced. The watchman nodded and walked away quickly.
It probably wasn’t deliberate she told herself. It probably was just incompetence. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt that much. She’d not been able to pick up anything useful from the previous scenes, there was no reason to expect this one would be any different. That there would be a case-breaking clue there. She gritted her teeth. Too late now. Another visit to the coroner it was then. Maybe he’d have something useful for her. Or maybe it would prove to be just another random murder. Bad as that sounded, in a way she hoped it was. If the Night Walker hadn’t been the one to kill the executioner, she might have a chance of hanging onto her job a little longer.
Setting herself, she made the trip across to the coroner. Once again he seemed pleased to see her. That might have been a bad sign.
“Our man again?” Elena said reluctantly.
“Oh, yes. Certainly,” the coroner replied, almost happy. Damn.
“The usual knife wounds?”
“Yes, but there’s something else you should see.” With a little difficulty, he rolled the man over onto his front, exposing his back.
Elena looked closely. Knife wounds. As she had now come to expect. But … what was that, high up the man’s back? It looked a little different.
“You see it?” the coroner said.
“There’s a hole. Different stab wound? Does this show him making the initial attack from the back?”
“Well yes and no. Or rather no and yes.”
“It’s not a stab wound?” Elena said, trying to work out what he meant.
“Not as such, no. Arrow, actually.”
“He shot him in the back?”
“Exactly.”
“From far away?”
“I have no idea. You’d probably know more about that sort of thing than me.”
“Are you sure it was an arrow?”
“I found a piece of the arrowhead in the wound.”
“A piece?”
“Yes. Broke off when your man tried to extract it.”
“I see. So did it kill him?” Elena said, indicating the corpse.
“From the location, I don’t think so. Not straight away anyway.”
“So taken down with an arrow and finished off with a knife then?”
“It looks something like that, yes.”
“Interesting,” Elena said, thinking fast. “And the killer extracted the arrow too.”
“Could this be the clue you’ve been waiting for?”
“Possibly. Do you have the piece of the arrowhead?”
“Of course. Just a moment.” The coroner turned and rummaged amongst a selection of pots. “Here you go,” he said, handing a small spike to her, one that had clearly been snapped off something bigger.
“So where did you come from?” Elena said, taking the piece and looking at it in
her hand, willing it to reveal something useful.
“Barbed arrow,” the coroner said helpfully. “That’s one of the barbs.”
“Yes, but why a barbed head? Surely if you were looking to kill someone a broadhead would make more sense. If they weren’t wearing armour anyway.”
“Can’t help you there. I can only give you the what, not the why.”
“Maybe it wasn’t supposed to kill him, just disable him and be hard to extract,” Elena said, frowning.
“It would make sense given what we have here. But like I said, I’m not here to speculate really.”
“No, of course. You’ve been very helpful. Thank you for your time.”
“No problem. Hope you catch him.”
“Do you mind if I keep this?” Elena said, now holding it between thumb and forefinger.
“Please. I’ll note it in my report but I don’t need it anymore,” the coroner replied.
“Thank you. So was there anything else unusual?”
“No, everything else seems to fit the pattern.”
“Well if you do find anything, please let me know.”
“Of course. It will all be in my report.”
“Thanks,” Elena said, dropping the piece in her pocket. She smiled at the coroner before making her way out.
So. An arrow wound. That was new. Maybe the break this case needed. But what to do with it. Maybe it would be useful if she could get some more information on the arrow itself. It was the only real trace that the killer had left behind so far, little trace that it was. She did know what to do with it however. She did know someone that had some practice making weapons. And maybe even with a little luck, Regis might be there and she could see how he was getting on outside of home. With renewed purpose, she set out at a swift pace in the direction of her cousin.
It didn’t take her long to get there. People tended to get out of the way of those in a watch sergeant’s uniform, regardless of their size or sex. Particularly those looking as intent as she now did. She heard the noise from a distance from the door. It brought back some memories, unbidden, of her playing around the forge when she’d been young. She hoped that it brought Regis similar comfort.
The noise at least meant that it would be easy to find the smith — though getting him to notice her may be more of a challenge. She opened the door to a blast of heat. That was one thing she didn’t miss, even on these winter’s days. Her cousin noticed the sudden draught and stopped hammering to look over. A huge smile cracked his face when he saw who it was. Elena returned it warmly. One of the few people in the city these days it seemed that had genuine regard for her and her brother. Maybe she should come here more often.
Knives of Bastion (An Empire Falls Book 2) Page 18
