Free Arcadia Snips and the Steamwork Consortium by Robert Rodgers Page A

with platforms cutting over it, across it, and through it— brimming with half-a-dozen engineers and mathematicians, dressed neatly and weaving their way through the metal passages that the machine provided, taking notes and making adjustments.
    Snips gawked; William smiled.
    "This is the machine," William announced. "My calculation engine."

    "You—you built this?" Snips asked, unable to hide her incredulity.
    "Well, not by myself, no," William said. "Mr. Eddington provided much of the funding, and I’ve only been making improvements on previous designs. But I was chiefly responsible for designing the mathematical functions it performs," he added, a sliver of pride slipping into his voice. He moved forward to his office, which was located in a niche on the other side of the catwalk; Snips followed, trying not to stare at the twisting labyrinth of gears that churned beneath her.
    When she stepped into the office, the first thing she noticed was the umbrella. It was long and heavy, and as black as obsidian; it had a stylized hilt made of ivory with a butterfly forming the knob at its base.
    William set the paperwork on his desk. "So, what is it exactly that you’re investigating, Miss Snips?"
    Snips moved towards the umbrella, reaching out to touch it.
    "Hm? Oh, Mr. Copper’s death," she said blankly. "Where did you get this?"
    "I think you might be in the wrong place, then," William said. "Mr. Copper wasn’t involved in this project. Not as far as I’m aware, anyway. As for the umbrella, ah, well," he hesitated. "It was my father’s."
    "Really," Snips said, picking it up. It was far heavier than one would expect an ordinary umbrella to be.
    "Yes, yes. Actually, I’d rather not talk about it, if it is all the same," William said. "Unless it’s important to your investigation, of course. But I can’t imagine how it could be."
    "No, not very important," Snips admitted, setting the umbrella down and turning back to William. "Did you know Copper well?"
    "We had met before," William said. "I once visited his apartment, a year ago—when I first began working for the Steamwork."
    "What was he working on?"
    "To be honest, I do not know," William said. "His work was always very hush-hush. I actually didn’t see him very often around the Steamwork. He’d report in and more or less disappear. Of course, we worked on opposite ends of the building. I’m afraid I really didn’t know the fellow that well," he confessed. "Is there something else I could help you with, possibly?"
    "Sure," Snips said. "What’s your favorite color?"
    "Green," he replied instantly, then paused. "Er, what?"
    "These are important questions," Snips said, trying to sound as gruff as she could. "Are you trying to interfere with my investigation?"
    "No! Not at all."
    Snips was about to say something else, but at that moment she heard someone clearing their throat behind her.
    "Mr. Eddington," William said, managing to mix of relief and disappointment with one look. "Hullo!"
    "I believe you still have considerable work to accomplish, William. I will deal with Miss Snips," Mr. Eddington said.
    Nodding rapidly, William turned back to his paperwork. Snips tipped her hat to William and turned to Mr. Eddington, following him out of the office.
    Snips huffed. "Odd fellow."
    "I assume that you are Orwick's 'government consultant'?"
    Mr. Eddington asked as they walked over the calculating engine.
    "The one and only," Snips said, tipping her hat. "Arcadia Snips, at your service. May I ask who you are?"
    "Mr. Timothy Eddington. Chief administrator of the Steamwork." The man glared at her long and hard. "I assume you'll want to discuss the details of the case with me."
    "Sure. You got an office?"
    "This way."

    As they rounded back up the stairs and around the corner, Snips thought she caught sight of Dunnigan stepping into Mr. Eddington's office, but the administrator said nothing. Once they reached it, he opened the door and allowed Snips to enter first.
    Once