Free Metal Fatigue by Sean Williams Page B

squinted to see better, but the movement didn't return.
    "Do you want to check it out?"
    "Do we have to?"
    "No." For once, he was glad to play devil's advocate. "Maybe it's time we called it a night."
    "Well and truly." She didn't move on, however. "But I suppose we'd better have a look. Fuck ."
    Roads followed her past the van and through the cordon to the address next door. The building was narrow, two storeys high, and had obviously been much better-kept in years gone by; its stonework was now chipped and scarred, its glass for the most part broken. Like 114, it had a small yard and fence, with a flight of steps leading to its front door. From the street, its interior looked abandoned, and didn't welcome potential visitors.
    Barney knocked once on the door, waited a second, then shouldered it open. Dusty silence greeted them, but both sensed the presence of an occupant, somewhere in the building.
    "Squatters?" proposed Roads. Individual property ownership had been abolished in the first decade of the Dissolution, with housing dispensation resting in the hands of the Mayoralty. After the difficult years, however, the number of houses had gradually exceeded the number of tenants and the rules had been relaxed. Squatters presently had the right to move into any building, provided only that the building was officially listed as unoccupied. It was entirely possible that someone had moved into the house next door to 114 without registering the move with the Mayoralty.
    Barney shrugged in answer to Roads' question. "Could be. Doesn't explain why they didn't respond when I came here earlier, though."
    "I don't know. You can be fairly intimidating when you're short of sleep." Roads ignored the look she cast at him, and indicated the stairs. "Shall we?"
    The first floor was empty. Roads' shout of "Hello?" echoed dully from stained walls and ceilings. He was about to suggest that they try the second floor when the sound of stealthy movement came from the stairwell.
    He and Barney took positions out of sight on either side of the stairs, pistols at the ready. The slight sound became the creaking of steps as someone descended slowly into view. Roads peered at the indistinct form, obscured by the shadows: small in both height and mass, most probably female, hair long and in curls; clothing dark-coloured and loose-fitting. Her hands appeared to be empty.
    The silhouette of the woman stopped on the last step. "Hello?" she called, softly. "Is someone there?"
    Roads nodded to Barney in her hiding place. She holstered her pistol and stepped into view. "Hello," she said. "My name is Officer Daniels. I'm with RSD."
    The woman visibly started at Barney's appearance. "What do you want? I haven't done anything."
    "No-one is suggesting you have." Barney motioned for the woman to come down the stairs.
    She shook her head. "There's someone else here with you. A man; I saw him. Where is he?"
    Roads stepped forward. "We're investigating an incident that occurred next door," he said. "Part of that investigation includes checking neighbours for possible eyewitnesses. I don't suppose you saw anything?"
    The woman glanced between them before asking: "When?"
    "Last night, early this morning."
    She shook her head. "I wasn't here then."
    "But you live here?"
    "I came up here for the view."
    "Why?"
    The woman hesitated. "Because I was curious." She stepped down from the stairs. In slightly better light, Roads could finally make out the details of her face. She was older than her slight figure suggested, maybe early thirties. Her dark brown hair and eyes, full lips and olive skin suggested a distilled European ancestry. The way her hand gripped the bannister behind her betrayed her tension.
    "Will you tell me what happened?" she asked. "Next door, I mean. What sort of 'incident'?"
    Roads met her stare evenly. "If I tell you, will you tell me why you want to know?"
    The woman hesitated again, but only slightly. "You first."
    Roads passed the buck to Barney, who