The Thief Who Pulled on Trouble's Braids by Michael McClung Read Free Book Online Page B

Hells, for all I knew, she might be on a first name basis with Lord Morno himself.
    I took one last glance back at her. Still the aging beauty, but something had gone out of her over the course of a few minutes’ conversation. She sat as rigid as ever, but one manicured hand was white-knuckled, throttling a silk napkin.

 
     
    Chapter Eight
     
     
    It remained for me to find a safe place to stow the idol. I wasn’t going to be taking it along on my reconnaissance of Heirus’s villa, and I damn sure wasn’t leaving it at home. I could think of no better place than at Holgren’s.
    I stopped by a butcher’s, and bought scrap and bones for Bone. He was still my responsibility, and I didn’t want to press Holgren’s generous impulses too far. Then I found a hack willing to take me as far as Daughter’s Bridge, and walked the rest of the way.
    When I knocked, Bone’s deep, thumping bark started up. This time Holgren answered the door himself, with Bone trying to butt past his legs. Holgren wore a sheepish grin. I suspected they had been rough-housing. Bone grinned and drooled and thumped his tail against the doorsill. I patted his head. It was like patting fur-covered rock.
    “Hello, Amra. What have you got there?”
    “Treats for the beast.” I passed him the packet from the butcher. “And I brought that thing we talked about yesterday.”
    “Excellent. Come in, come in. It’s a hot day. Would you like wine?”
    “That would be nice.” I entered and sat down on the dusty sofa.
    “Inspector Kluge came around this morning.”
    “How did that go?”
    “Oh, fine. He was asking after someone named Marfa. I told him she was my sister, come to give me a dog. Some chitchat followed, a few questions about Corbin. I couldn’t help him, and he left it at that.” He passed me a glass. It was a crisp Kirabor. Not cheap.
    “Sorry to bring the law to your door, Holgren.”
    He waved it away. “I’m glad you brought him. The dog, that is.”
    “So you and Bone are getting along all right?”
    “I’d forgotten how enjoyable it can be to have a companion. I haven’t had a dog since… for a long time.”
    “Well I’m glad you two have hit it off. Though I could have used him around last night.”
    “Oh?”
    I told him about my visitor. He shook his head.
    “I’ve no idea what it was, I’m afraid. I’ve never heard of anything that fits the description. Grohl are humanoid, and a rather ghastly grey color, but they bleed red like you and I, and don’t have any protrusions around the head or hands. And they wouldn’t come within fifty miles of a human habitation for any reason other than to burn it to the ground.”
    “Whatever it was, I’m pretty sure it was after this.” I unwrapped the toad and passed it to him. “I think my burglar can track that statue, somehow. I don’t have any proof. I just can’t think of any other reason it would be trying to sneak through my window.”
    “There’s no telling, really. You could very well be right.” He held it, and a strange look passed over his face. He set it down on the table and wiped his hand on his vest in an unconscious gesture.
    “There’s something more to this than meets the eye, Amra. Something distasteful. Something dangerous, I think.” He looked up at me. “Have you noticed anything? Anything unusual?”
    “Other than monsters crawling through my window? No. It’s unusually ugly, but other than that, no. Not really.”
    “No strange urges? No odd thoughts crossing your mind? No sudden sickness?”
    “No, nothing like that. Except—”
    “Except?”
    “Nothing, really. Just bad dreams and headaches the past couple of days. When I sleep. I keep hearing whispers, and breathing. I think it’s just the heat.”
    “Maybe so, maybe no.” He frowned and stared at the idol for a time. “There is something about it. Something old. Ancient. And unclean. It looks post-Diaspora, but feels far older....” He trailed off. His mind was somewhere