Free Dragon Precinct by Keith R. A. DeCandido Page B

question?”
    “Did you see anything odd or suspicious tonight involving the elf who was staying here?”
    Now he had to choose his words carefully. “Not specifically. Just that he went up to his room and closed the door. The only odd thing was that dwarf going up the stairs and knocking on his door a couple hours later. Thought that was odd, I tell you.”
    “Why is that?”
    Be careful, don’t let him know what you know, because then he’ll know it and all will be lost! “He’s a dwarf. Dwarves and elves don’t usually mix, you know?”
    “True. Aside from when you saw him go upstairs, had you seen the elf at all during the evening?”
    “No,” he lied.
    The bearded man asked a few more questions. He tried to answer them as best he could without giving anything away.
    He couldn’t afford to give anything away. Not until it was all finished. Then it would be done. Yes, all done. Then all the debts would have been paid and he could get on with what he wanted to get on with.
    “Good sir?”
    “Hm?” He looked up to see the bearded man looking at him expectantly. “What is it?”
    “You haven’t answered my question.”
    “I’m sorry, what was it?”
    “How long did the dwarf spend in the room?”
    “Oh, I’m honestly not sure. Some kind of ruckus was raised, but I honestly don’t know how long it was.”
    “You don’t recall when the last time-chime was?”
    “I’m afraid I don’t pay them much heed, really. I don’t even notice them, to be honest.” Besides, time has become so fluid…
    “Understandable.” The bearded man leaned forward and spoke in an almost confidential tone. “I have to confess, I’m barely aware of them myself. So you spent the entire evening in the dining area?”
    “Yes. The stew wasn’t bad at all.” Then he smiled. “Actually, the stew was terrible, but the ale was good, so that made the stew better, too.”
    They both laughed at that. The bearded man—who looked so much like the old man it was almost frightening—then thanked him, told him to contact a guard if he remembered anything else, and departed.
    He went back to his room after that. His work wasn’t nearly complete yet.

Four
    M anfred sighed as he walked his post on the streets of Unicorn Precinct, wishing that the Guard would approve the concept of a summer-weight uniform.
    Humidity was a near constant in Cliff’s End, but this morning, the moisture content was almost unbearable—especially to someone covered shoulders-to-boots in leather armor. He just knew he was going to have all manner of entertaining rashes and such when he changed out of his armor—which he intended to do the second he got off shift. As it was, he was already starting to itch in spots he would not be able to scratch for another eleven hours at least.
    If I’m lucky, today will be another quiet day. And if I’m even luckier, Lieutenant Tresyllione will be at the Chain again tonight.
    With a smile, he thought back on how she took care of that jackass from Goblin. She was a joy to watch, turning her back on Nulti and still taking him out. Of course, Manfred and the other three had to move to a different table—Nulti tended to carry an odor around with him even when he wasn’t completely drunk and dripping wet with ale—but it was worth it to watch that amazing woman in action. True, she was not the most traditionally attractive person in Flingaria, but most of those who were used glamours in any case. To find someone as odd-featured as that yet who was sufficiently comfortable in her own skin to not make any of the easily available adjustments— that turned Manfred on.
    Now, if only I can get her to see that, and how I feel about her….
    To Manfred’s irritation, neither of his desires were likely to come to fruition today. Sergeant Arron had said at roll call that all the day-shift detectives had big cases, so unless a body fell, they would have to deal with any hard cases themselves. And since Lieutenant Tresyllione