****
“You are a complete idiot if you think that Ishi would ever stoop to stealing anything, let alone hurt Lila in the attempt!” Nyoka Gordon said, her face inches from the seated American’s face. “And he would never, never have harmed Chan! If you believe that you are more than an idiot—you—you’re a jackass!”
The tall American sat in the chair in the anti-room of the ship’s brig with an impassive expression while the improbably dressed young woman harangued him.
“Your mustache is crooked,” he finally said.
“You Americans are always so smug about how you—what?” she said.
“Your mustache is crooked,” he repeated. “The force of your verbal assault has weakened the stickem you put on it.” He kept his features neutral with great effort as he appreciated her confusion when she reached up and pressed the faux face-hair more securely on her lip.
“You can’t lock Ishi up!” she said. The two of them were alone in the room, her father having gone back to his room to rest and the siblings doing likewise.
“Can I speak now?” the granite man asked, his voice calm and quiet, showing no evidence that her attack had rattled him.
“What could you possibly have to say in defense of such a vile position?” she asked.
“That I don’t believe Ishi is the criminal here,” he said. “But no one but you and I should know it.”
She stared at him, so surprised that her mouth actually hung open.
“First off,” he continued, “I don’t think, as fit as he is that he could have run that quickly from me, but beside that, I know he was not in any of the cities where the other thefts took place.”
“But then—”
“And it makes no sense that he would stage so public an attack since he could have picked any number of better moments to steal it. Or have a confederate do it. He is too intelligent a man to risk an attack the way that was done.”
“But—”
“You are starting to sound like a motor boat,” the American quipped. “If Ishi is in here, I hope the real criminal will relax. I want to take him with as little fuss as possible.”
“You know who attacked Lila?” Her expression was like a child on Christmas, wide-eyed and anticipatory.
“Yes,” he said mysteriously, “and when we apprehend him that might tell me what I want to know about the other robberies.” He stood up and went to the door of the room. “Right now I have one quick stop to make at the purser’s to confirm something then we have to get the sergeant-at-arms and take a trip down to the steerage class.”
When she looked at him curiously he added, “Coming, Charlie?”
The Adventures of Dr. Shadows, Book 1: The Eye of Darkness Page 7
