Free Uncertain Allies by Mark Del Franco Page B

night—did he take the bait?”
    “Could be. He was a long-timer. Not very talented, though. Maybe that’s why he ended up dead,” he said.
    “Or maybe whoever killed him didn’t want what he knew going anywhere else,” I said.
    “Well, that strategy might backfire. Dwarves are used to being taken advantage of, and when they are, they disappear. Notice many around lately?”
    “Are you saying this blue essence is related?” I asked.
    “I’m saying not everyone missing is lost. Know what I’m saying?”
    “Is that why you didn’t come into Yggy’s?” I asked.
    Banjo made a cutting gesture. “Nah. That place feels bad lately. Too many refugees from bars that burned down or something. It’s not the same.”
    “It’s Yggy’s. It’s never the same,” I said.
    He picked up a large bottle of massage oil and dropped a few bills on the counter. “Yeah, well, change isn’t always good.”

8
    I grabbed lunch at the Waybread the next afternoon. The place was cheap and didn’t attract many locals, which was fine by me. From the size of the lunch crowd, though, the restaurant wasn’t attracting much of anyone. Between the police clampdown and the media scaring the public about the Weird, neighborhood businesses were suffering.
    As I ate a burger, I mulled over the conversation with Banjo. While it was obvious that he had concerns about being seen in public, Yggy’s had always had a strange collection of patrons. Banjo’s not wanting to be seen there said more about him not wanting to be seen at all than it did about the bar. On the other hand, he knew this blue essence seemed to be targeting dwarves, so I couldn’t say I blamed him for being cautious.
    Dwarves always looped me back to Eorla. The clans were secretive, had their own rules, and, like Banjo, were not keen on talking to Celts. Eorla had asked me to check out the blue essence. It stood to reason she might know more than she said. We were friends but not always confidantes.
    I left the Waybread with a satisfying bloat in my stomach. I didn’t get nearly the gym time I should, but hiking everywhere I needed to go helped. The Rowes Wharf Hotel made for a good jaunt to work off some grease. When I entered the lobby, a cluster of Eorla’s house guards surrounded me. They said nothing, maintained a discreet distance, and escorted me to her meeting room. The extra security hinted that something more was going on. When the guards left, Rand let me into the room.
    Eorla rose from her worktable and kissed me on each cheek. “Thank you for coming.”
    “After what you did, how could I not? You left the Guildhouse so quickly, I didn’t have a chance to thank you properly,” I said.
    She made a dismissive gesture. “When you are privy to political scandal, it’s easy to make investigations go away.”
    “Still, you didn’t have to do it. Why did you?” I asked.
    “Ryan macGoren needed to see that I have my resources. Besides, what he attempted to do to you was wrong, never mind everything else,” she said.
    “Maeve might not take kindly to your helping me.”
    She shrugged with a smile. “All the better. My sources tell me that she is already nervous about me.”
    I inhaled and held the breath a moment. “Eorla, I have to be blunt. If you’re going to ask me to leave Bergin Vize alone, I can’t promise that.”
    She nodded. “Ryan called me to that meeting to hear his bribe. I think he truly expected you to take the deal. There was no downside for you. By formally committing you to apprehending Bergin, he thought he would drive a wedge between us.”
    “You know I want Vize taken into custody,” I said.
    She placed her hand on my forearm. “Despite my personal feelings, Connor, I understand your motivation and accept as it as valid. I may not pursue Bergin or encourage you to do so, but I would be foolish to think I can protect him from everyone. He’s done what he’s done and will answer for it one day. That is the Wheel of the