Free Tomorrow, the Killing by Daniel Polansky Page B

free of trouble.’
    That was certainly what I wanted, though I was unprepared to speak for anyone else. ‘Who’d make trouble for her?’
    ‘The world is a dangerous place.’
    ‘I sometimes have that inkling.’
    ‘Rhaine is . . . an impressive young woman. But she’s out of her element, as would be obvious to any cutpurse who happens upon her.’
    ‘So you’re concerned that she might be mugged on the way to market?’
    ‘This conversation would go much quicker if you stopped pretending to be a fool. Roland Montgomery was murdered by powerful men, men who feared his crusade would bring them to ruin. I don’t imagine they’ve forsworn violence in the twelve years since his death, and I’m quite certain they’d happily send Rhaine to meet her brother, rather than see her make them any trouble.’
    ‘On that at least, we very much agree.’
    He nodded firmly. ‘I called you here today to let you know that the Association stands ready to assist you in your task.’
    ‘And what exactly is it you think you can help me with?’
    ‘Have you met Rhaine?’
    No point in being honest. ‘I haven’t yet had the pleasure.’
    ‘She can be rather . . . single-minded in her thinking.’
    ‘I’m getting that impression.’
    ‘The point being, if you do find her, I’m not at all certain she’ll listen to what you have to say. And if she doesn’t, if you can’t get her home, I’d like you to come back and tell me.’
    ‘What would you do that I couldn’t?’
    ‘We’re not entirely lacking numbers. The very least I can do is detail a few men to look after her. The greatest tragedy of my life was my failure to keep Roland safe. By the Firstborn and all his kin, I won’t make the same mistake with Rhaine.’
    Prevarication is not an easy thing to do competently, for all that most of us get plenty of practice. We blink, look away, scuff at suddenly discovered flecks of grime. And that’s just with little things – ‘I was at the bar with Seinfreid all last night. I’ll have those five coppers for you tomorrow.’ Try lying for your life sometime, feel how tight your collar wraps around your throat, that desperate itch on the palms of your hands. Even people who are professionally dishonest usually don’t have any particular talent for it, getting by on balls and vigor.
    To do it right, I mean to do it really well, you’ve gotta believe. You’ve gotta wrap your arms around it, hold it with both hands, take it as a lover. You’ve gotta build the rest of yourself around this false core, till it’s as automatic as breathing. Till if someone shook you awake in the middle of the night your first words would confirm white as black. Credit where it’s due, Pretories had it down to a two-step. If I hadn’t known otherwise, I’d have trusted him. It was impressive, in a certain amoral way.
    But then, I wasn’t exactly an amateur when it came to deceit. ‘If it’s all the same, I think I’d like that glass of whiskey now,’ I said.
    ‘Of course,’ he smiled, and poured me a few fingers.
    I drank it slowly, making a show of my concern. ‘I didn’t want this gig, Commander,’ I said.
    He nodded sympathetically.
    ‘I’ve got my own work in front of me, and it doesn’t include sprinting after a self-destructive heiress.’
    ‘I don’t imagine.’
    ‘But the general needed something from me, and I told him I’d do what I could.’
    ‘You’re an honorable man.’
    The bullshit was waist high and rising. ‘The point being, I’m happy to let someone more competent take over, if I thought they could handle it.’
    ‘Go on.’
    ‘I’ve made some inquiries into Rhaine’s whereabouts.’
    ‘And?’
    ‘Nothing yet, but something will shake out. In truth, I don’t imagine finding her to be the problem. Convincing her to return – or protecting her if she won’t go – that’s going to be the sticky part. And I wouldn’t turn up my nose at help, if it comes to that.’
    ‘We’ll be here to