I told Zeck Zack, "You see? It's dangerous to wander the streets alone."

"I will put it to them. They are going to be very irritated with both of us. They have gone to a great deal of trouble to make the woman available. But, perhaps, for that reason they will accede to your petition."

I did my eyebrow trick. My petition? "Right. Check it out. You know where to find me."

He extended a hand. "The instructions? They will have to be changed."

I gave them back. He left, giving me a couple of dark looks.

"He wanted me to come to the meet all by myself, on the lonesome," I told Morley. "Just me face-to-face with ‘them,' whoever ‘they' are."

"Whoever, they have him peeing down his leg. And he has a reputation for being a tough bastard."

"I noticed he had a case of nerves. What's up?"

"The place is being watched. Somebody followed me out and back. I didn't give it a good scout because I didn't want them to know they'd been made, but I spotted two more. I figured that's iceberg."

"Damn! The works. A whole crew. And now they know I'm dealing with Zeck Zack."

"Spilled milk. Who do you figure for it?"

"That army bastard. I don't know why. Vasco or the striped-sail crowd wouldn't have the resources. The centaur doesn't need to know every breath we take. He hopes he has us on the hook."

"Maybe the major needs a closer look."

"Maybe. Though I don't even know his name. And I'd rather not. I'd just as soon get on with the job I'm getting paid to do."

Morley nodded. "It's getting thick. I find myself looking forward to the trip home—in my more insane, impatient moments."

I slouched in my seat. "I guess we spend the day on in-and-out, getting a scout on how many and how good they are. We can make like we're getting ready for another trip out of town. We can eat the food on the way home if the meet goes down and I get what I need."

"We'll have to work a way for all of us to shake them, too."

"Yeah. This thing couldn't get any more complicated if you hired three wizards to knot it up."

35

I was wrong, of course. It could get more complicated. And it did.

Morley, the triplets, and I spent the day running the bird dogs, and scoped out both daytime and nighttime routines for shaking them, though it looked like there would be at least twenty of them on us around the clock. It isn't hard to shake watchers when you know they're around, especially in a city as crazy as Full Harbor.

Morley had gone out for supper. I was having mine with Dojango in the common room. His brothers were in our quarters, where they felt more comfortable.

Dojango wasn't a bad sort to pass the time with, if you made allowances. He knew more crude stories than anyone I'd ever met, though he didn't deliver them very well. Actually.

Further complication waltzed through the door.

"Saucerhead Tharpe!" I groaned.

"And Spiney Prevallet," Dojango said of the guy who was the last of the four to enter. "Doris! Marsha!" He could put a snap in his voice when he wanted. It carried over the common-room noise.

The two in the middle need no introduction. My old flames, Tinnie and Rose. Tinnie stomped past Saucerhead, who was giving the grolls the once-over and not liking what he saw. I said, "I see the Venageti didn't get you. And I thought their sailors had an unfailing eye for the finest."

She halted in a widespread stance within slapping range, but her fists settled on her hips. "You're a brass-balled son-of-a-bitch, Garrett. You know that?"

"Yeah. I've heard that talk, too. And it's true, so don't think you can flatter me. Have a nice trip? How long you been in town?" I kept one eye on Rose who looked as vicious as an entire pack of wolves circling in for the kill. Saucerhead and Spiney, with better sense and no emotional investment, put their hands in their pockets and kept them there. "Had supper yet? Sit down. My treat. It isn't the Unicorn Gambit, but the food sticks to your ribs."

"You... ! You... !" Tinnie stammered. "Don't you sit there and act like you didn't do anything. Don't treat me like one of your flapping old army buddies, you bastard." The fire was fading from her eyes. She had become conscious of the silence surrounding us, of all the staring eyes and knowing smirks.

"You're not being very ladylike," I noted. "Sit down, my one true love. Let me ply you with food and spirits."

"Bought with Uncle Willard's money?"

"Of course. It's a legitimate business expense." A smile flirted with her lips despite her determination to be angry. She plopped into the chair Morley usually inhabited.

"Dojango, would you scare up enough seats for the rest of our guests?"

He looked at me like I was crazy, but he did it. "You're lucky you got here when you did. An hour from now this place will be standing room only. Hello, Saucerhead. I paid your fee against your account at Morley's place. All right?"

"Yeah. Sure. That's what I wanted. How you doing, Garrett?" He was embarrassed to be seen in the company of two real live women. What was it going to do to his reputation?

"Not so good. I've fallen right into the middle of the damnedest thing I ever saw."

Civilized behavior begets civilized behavior. Rose decided to play the game and was the perfect lady as Dojango held her chair. "Rose," I said. "You're looking lovelier than ever."

"It must be the sea air. And a change of diet."

I looked at Tinnie. "Not roots and berries, I hope."

Tinnie winked.

I faced Spiney Prevallet. "Mr. Prevallet. I've heard of you but don't think we've ever met."

"Garrett. No, we haven't. I've heard of you, too." And that was all he had to say for the evening. It was enough to set my teeth on edge. His voice was neutral but as cold as the bottom side of a coffin.

If Morley and Saucerhead are the best at what they do, Spiney Prevallet is crowding them. And he's said to be less squeamish and less choosy about the jobs he takes.

The landlord himself came to take orders. Men like him have a sixth sense. He wanted to size up the trouble before it happened. I smiled at him a lot.

"You've had trouble?" Rose asked. She sounded hopeful.

"A little. More, you'd say I've been trouble. Everybody I talk to turns up dead."

That got their attention. I gave them an edited and censored account of my adventures. Somehow, I forgot to mention Zeck Zack.

I was still talking and wondering how to get rid of them, in case the centaur showed, when Morley walked in.

He never batted an eye. He walked up behind Rose, who had her back to the door, and trailed his fingertips lightly up the side of her neck. "A miracle. I would have sworn the pirates would have—"

Tinnie cut in. "Garrett already used that line. Only with him it was Venageti sailors."

"Then add plagiarism to his list of sins." Morley placed a small box on the table before me. "That four-legged wonder of a cook sent you this kelp salad. Since you've already eaten, maybe you should save it for a snack."

I peeked despite his warning. Kelp salad, all right. "He gave it to you?"

"To bring over. He knew we had company and didn't want to intrude."

"I don't have much use for kelp, but since he went to all the trouble... "

Morley kept stroking Rose's neck and shoulders. He nodded once to Tinnie, ignored Spiney and Saucerhead completely. If, as I suspected, the kelp concealed Zeck Zack's instructions for making the meet, we had a problem. I expect that had Morley's undivided attention.

"Did you bribe Master Arbanos somehow?" I asked Tinnie.

"That little water rat? He did exactly what you told him to. He handed us over to Uncle Willard personally."

"I'm sorry I missed that."

"You're going to get your chance to take part in a reenactment."