59

I wasn’t in a real good mood. I didn’t turn cartwheels when Colonel Block waved his clowns off and told me, “Cheer up, Garrett. It’s all straightened out.”

“How can you put these clowns on the street if they can’t recognize a pass put out by their own beloved captain?” What, me worry about getting off the Hill? I had passes and paper from a troop of heavyweights.

“The fellow who reads and writes doesn’t normally opt for a career in law enforcement. And you’ll have to admit that you refused to provide any good reason for being where you were found.”

“Where I was found? I was—”

“Detained, then.”

“And with way too much enthusiasm. I did try to cooperate. They wouldn’t let me talk.”

“I will.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll let you explain. To your heart’s content.”

A wise guy. I admonished myself to be careful. Quietly. “I was just trying to do what the Firelord hired me to do. I’d heard a rumor the Rainmaker was hiding out on the Hill.”

Block offered me a try again look. I wasn’t snowing him. His agents would have relayed any such rumors. “What happened in that house, Garrett?”

“You have me at a disadvantage, Captain.”

“It’s Colonel, Garrett. As you know. And that’s true. I do have you. If I wanted, I could send you over to the Al-Khar to be held for questioning. It’s entirely possible for somebody to fall between the cracks there, same as in the Bledsoe.”

The Al-Khar is TunFaire’s city jail. “Why you want to be like that?”

“Mainly because I don’t like to be jerked around. I have an eyewitness who saw two men climb a drain-spout. One of them was dressed exactly like you.”

“Without so many rips and tears, I’ll bet. Doubtless a daring youth out pretending to swash a few buckles. An amazing coincidence.”

“Witness summoned the local patrol. Patrol went looking around and found a house showing multiple signs of forced entries. Inside they found lots of corpses and plenty of people willing to fight. I wouldn’t accuse you of stretching any rules, Garrett. Not you. You’re not that kind of guy. But I’d bet that if I wanted to spring for a cut-rate diviner, I could place you inside that house. Hm?”

I admitted nothing.

“Give me a hint, Garrett. Who were those people?”

I could discern no obvious profit in keeping my yap shut and sliding farther out of official favor. “Some were the Rainmaker’s people.”

“Was that so hard?”

Of course it was. Guys like me aren’t supposed to cooperate with guys like him, especially if doing so would save some headaches. In my racket, you’re supposed to be troll-stubborn. Apparently, dumb is supposed to help, too. “The others answered to the Combine. I’ve heard that a long time ago Cleaver had some part in the death of Chodo’s brother.” I doubted Block was hearing much that was news.

“I see. And Chodo pays his debts.”

“Always.”

Block had stayed seated, fortified behind his desk. Now he picked up a folded document bearing a fancy seal, tapped it against his desk top. “How bad will it get, Garrett? We in for a gang war?” That wouldn’t look good on his record.

“I doubt it. You know Chodo’s rep. Cleaver had to hire his muscle out of town. After this fiasco, he’ll have not friends left. His dearest boyfriend is gonna ask ‘Grange Who?’ ”

Block kept tapping that document. It looked more legal by the minute. He mused, “So many people interested in Grange Cleaver.” He waved that paper. “Including mine, now.” As if only then realizing what he held, he said, “This just came in. One Grange Cleaver is to be found and brought before the Court of Honor of the Magistry of Manpower Procurement. There’s no record of him having performed his obligated service to the realm.” You had to be there to get the full effect of Block’s seditious sneer and sarcastic tone.

I grunted. Hadn’t I thought maybe Cleaver was a dodger?

“I’m not going to strain myself trying to round up dodgers. Get out of here, Garrett.”

I patted myself. Yep, I’d gotten back everything that was mine. Block’s crew were almost honest. I started to take his advice.

“Wait!”

Damn! I knew he’d change his mind. “What?”

“You still seeing Belinda Contague?”

He knew too much about me. “No.”

“Too bad. I thought you might suggest to her that her dad recall that it’s to be kept off the Hill.”

“Oh.” A slightly more than gentle hint that he wanted all that passed along. “I don’t think there’ll be a problem again.” Since all of Belinda’s thugs dumb enough to get involved up there were no longer with us.

I got out.