Shadow Chaser by Alexey Pehov Read Free Book Online Page A

frozen to death.”
    “I’m almost frozen solid, too, but that man’s definitely in there!”
    “We wait for another half hour, and if he doesn’t come, I’m clearing out of here,” I said firmly.
    Bass sighed mournfully.
    “Maybe I should go and check?”
    “That’s all we need, for Kra to give you a good thrashing. Stay where you are.”
    The frost was licking greedily at my fingers and toes, so I stamped my feet and clapped my hands, trying to warm myself up at least a little bit. Several times Bass wanted to go into the tavern to check how the owner of the three gold pieces was getting on, but every time, after wrangling with me for a while, he stayed where he was.
    “Maybe the guy’s had too much to drink?” my friend asked uncertainly; I could feel my fingers turning to icicles.
    “Maybe…,” I replied, with my teeth chattering. “I don’t want anything anymore except to get warm.”
    “There he is!” Bass suddenly exclaimed, pointing to a man who was walking out of the tavern. I studied him critically and gave my verdict: “A goose.”
    “I told you so,” my friend said with a sniff. “Oh, now we’ll really start living!”
    “Don’t be in such a hurry,” I said, watching our future victim’s progress. “Did you see where he keeps his money?”
    “His right pocket. That’s where his purse is.”
    “Let’s go.”
    We tried to behave so that he wouldn’t take any notice of us. Trying to get into his pocket just then would have been asking for trouble. There weren’t many people about, there was no way to approach him without being noticed; all we could do was wait for a convenient moment.
    “Are you sure he’s drunk two jugs of wine?” I hissed, keeping my eyes on the stranger.
    “Why?” Bass hissed back.
    “He’s walking very steadily. Not at all like a drunk.”
    “There are different kinds of drunks,” Bass disagreed. “You could never tell if my old dad was drunk or not, until he picked up a log and started chasing after my mother.”
    Meanwhile the man was wandering through the winding streets of the Suburbs without any obvious goal, like a hare circling through the forest to confuse his tracks. We kept our distance and tried not to let him see us until he reached the Market Square. There were plenty of people there, and it was quite easy for us to move up close behind him.
    I gave Bass a quick nod, and he darted off to one side.
    I tried to breathe through my nose, match the rhythm of the man’s steps, and stop trembling with nerves. My fingers were chilly and not as nimble as usual. I would never have taken the risk if the man hadn’t had three gold pieces in his pocket.
    Someone pushed me in the back and for a second I found myself almost pressed up against the man, so I accepted this gift from the gods and lowered my hand into his pocket. I felt the purse immediately, and grabbed it, preparing to scram, but just at that moment the stranger grabbed hold of my hand. “Got you, you little thief!” he hissed.
    I gave a shrill squeal and tried to break free, but the man was a lot stronger than me, and my hand didn’t even shift in the grasp of his bearlike paw. The thought flashed through my mind that I was in for really big trouble now.
    Bass came dashing up out of nowhere and gave the big lunk a smart kick on the leg. He howled and let go of me.
    “Let’s get out of here!” Bass shouted, and legged it.
    Without bothering to think, I followed him, clutching the purse. I could hear the furious guy dashing after us.
    “Thieves!” he yelled. “Stop those thieves!”
    We wormed our way through the crowd and dashed out of Market Square onto a narrow little street. But that damn lunk was right there behind us all the way.
    It was hard to run, the fur coat kept getting tangled round my legs, and the tramping feet of our pursuer kept getting closer and closer. Bass was showing me a clean pair of heels and the distance between us was gradually increasing. I groaned in