gc.shadowslinger-第34章

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　　Shed　smirked。
　　She　misunderstood。　〃This　job　is　just　to　keep　body　and　soul　together　till　I　find　something。〃
　　〃A　million　people　have　thought　that；　Lisa。　And　they've　frozen　to　death　in　Buskin　alleys。〃
　　〃Some　make　it。　I　don't　intend　to　fail。　Where　did　you　get　the　money；　Mr。　Shed？〃　She　went　for　a　bottle　of　the　good　wine。　Vaguely；　Shed　thought　it　must　be　about　gone。　He　told　her　about　his　silent　partner。　〃That's　a　crock。　I've　been　here　long　enough　to　know　that。〃
　　〃Better　believe　it；　girl。〃　He　giggled。　〃You　keep　pushing　and　you're　liable　to　meet　him。　You　won't　like　him；　I　guarantee。〃　He　recalled　the　tall　creature　telling　him　to　hurry　back。
　　〃What　happened　to　Sue？〃
　　Shed　tried　to　rise。　His　limbs　were　limp。　He　fell　back　into　his　seat。　〃I'm　drunk。　Drunker　than　I　thought。　Getting　out　of　shape。〃　Lisa　nodded　gravely。　〃I　loved　her。　I　really　loved　her。　She　shouldn't　ought　to　have　done　that。　I　would　have　treated　her　like　a　queen。　Would　have　gone　into　hell　for　her。　Almost　did。〃　He　chuckled。　〃Went　in　with　her。　。　。　。　Oops。''
　　〃Would　you　do　that　for　me；　Mr。　Shed？〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃You're　always　trying　to　get　me。　What's　it　worth？〃　Shed　leered。　　　〃Don't　know。　　Can't　tell　till　I've　tried　you。〃
　　〃You　don't　have　anything　to　give　me；　old　man。〃
　　〃Know　where　to　get　it；　though。〃
　　〃Where？〃
　　Shed　just　sat　there　grinning；　a　bit　of　drool　trailing　from　one　corner　of　his　mouth。
　　〃I　give　up。　You　win。　e　on。　I'll　help　you　get　up　the　stairs　before　I　go　home。〃
　　The　climb　was　an　epic。　Shed　was　one　drink　short　of　passing　out。　When　they　reached　his　room；　he　just　toppled　into　bed。　
　　〃Thanks；〃　he　mumbled。　〃What're　you　doing？〃
　　〃You　have　to　get　undressed。〃
　　〃Guess　so。〃　He　made　no　effort　to　help。　〃What're　you　doing　now？　Why're　you　grabbing　me　like　that？〃
　　〃You　want　me；　don't　you？〃　A　moment　later　she　was　in　the　bed　with　him；　rubbing　her　nakedness　against　his。　He　was　too　drunk　to　make　anything　of　the　situation。　He　held　her；　and　became　maudlin；　spouting　his　trials。　She　played　to　it。
　　
　　　Chapter　Twenty…Nine：　JUNIPER：　PAYOFF
　　
　　Shed　sat　up　so　suddenly　his　head　twisted　around。　Somebody　started　beating　drums　inside。　He　rolled　to　the　edge　of　the　bed　and　was　noisily　sick。　And　then　became　sick　in　another　way。　With　terror。
　　〃I　told　her。　I　told　her　the　whole　damned　thing。〃　He　tried　to　jump　up。　He　had　to　get　out　of　Juniper　before　the　Inquisitors　came。　He　had　gold。　A　foreign　captain　might　take　him　south。　He　could　catch　up　with　Raven　and　Asa。　。　。　。　He　settled　onto　the　cot；　too　miserable　to　act。　〃I'm　dying；〃　he　muttered。　〃If　there's　a　hell；　this　is　what　it's　going　to　be　like。〃
　　Had　he　told　her？　He　thought　so。　And　for　nothing。　He　had　gotten　nothing。　〃Marron　Shed；　you　were　born　to　lose。　When　will　you　ever　learn？〃
　　He　rose　once　more；　cautiously；　and　fumbled　through　his　hiding　place。　The　gold　was　there。　Maybe　he　hadn't　told　her　everything。　He　considered　the　amulet。　Lisa　could　follow　the　trail　blazed　by　Sue。　If　she　hadn't　told　anybody　yet。　But　she　would　be　wary；　wouldn't　she？　Be　hard　to　catch　her　off　guard。　Even　assuming　he　could　find　her。
　　〃My　head！　Gods！　I　can't　think。〃　There　was　a　sudden　racket　downstairs。　〃Damn；〃　he　muttered。　〃She　left　the　place　unlocked。　They'll　steal　everything。〃　Tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks。　Such　an　end　he　had　e　to。　Maybe　that　was　Bullock　and　his　thugs　knocking　around　down　there。
　　Best　to　meet　his　fate。　Cursing；　he　eased　into　his　clothing；　began　the　long　journey　downstairs。
　　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Shed；〃　Lisa　called　brightly。　〃What　will　you　have　for　breakfast？〃
　　He　stared；　gulped；　finally　stumbled　to　a　table；　sat　there　with　his　head　in　his　hands；　ignoring　the　amused　stare　of　one　of　his　panions　of　the　Gilbert　adventure。
　　〃A　little　hung　over；　Mr。　Shed？〃　Lisa　asked。
　　〃Yes。〃　His　own　voice　sounded　thunderous。
　　〃I'll　mix　you　something　my　father　taught　me　to　make。　He's　a　master　drunkard；　you　know。〃
　　Shed　nodded　weakly。　Even　that　proved　painful。　Lisa's　father　was　one　reason　he　had　hired　her。　She　needed　all　the　help　she　could　get。　Another　of　his　charities　gone　sour。
　　She　returned　with　something　so　foul　even　a　sorcerer　would　not　have　touched　it。　〃Drink　fast。　It　goes　down　easier　that　way。〃
　　〃I　can　imagine。〃　Half　praying　it　would　poison　him；　he　gulped　the　malodorous　concoction。　After　gasping　for　breath；　he　murmured；　〃When　are　they　ing？　How　long　do　I　have？〃
　　〃Who；　Mr。　Shed？〃
　　〃The　Inquisitors。　The　law。　Whoever　you　called。〃
　　〃Why　would　they　e　here？〃
　　Painfully；　he　raised　his　gaze　to　meet　hers。
　　She　whispered；　〃I　told　you　I'll　do　anything　to　get　out　of　the　Buskin。　This　is　the　chance　I've　been　looking　for。　We're　partners　now；　Mr。　Shed。　Fifty…fifty。〃
　　Shed　buried　his　head　in　his　hands　and　groaned。　It　would　never　end。　Not　till　it　devoured　him。　He　cast　curses　on　Raven　and　all　his　house。
　　The　mon　room　was　empty。　The　door　was　closed。　〃First　we　have　to　take　care　of　Gilbert；〃　Lisa　said。
　　Shed　bobbed　his　head；　refused　to　look　up。
　　〃That　was　stupid；　giving　him　jewelry　he　would　recognize。　He'll　kill　you　if　we　don't　kill　him　first。〃
　　Again　Shed　bobbed　his　head。　Why　me？　he　whined　to　himself。　What　have　I　done　to　deserve　this？
　　〃And　don't　you　think　you　can　get　rid　of　me　the　way　you　did　Sue　and　that　blackmailer。　My　father　has　a　letter　he'll　take　to　Bullock　if　I　disappear。〃
　　〃You're　too　smart　for　your　own　good。〃　And：　〃It　won't　be　long　till　winter。〃
　　〃Yes。　But　we　won't　do　it　Raven's　way。　Too　risky　and　too　much　work。　We'll　get　charitable。　Let　all　the　derelicts　in。　One　or　two　can　disappear　every　night。〃
　　〃You're　talking　murder！〃
　　〃Who'll　care？　Nobody。　They'll　be　better　off　themselves。　Call　it　mercy。〃
　　〃How　can　anybody　so　young　be　so　heartless？〃
　　〃You　don't　prosper　in　the　Buskin　if　you　have　a　heart；　Mr。　Shed。　We'll　fix　a　place　where　the　outside　cold　will　keep　them　till　we　get　a　wagonload。　We　can　take　them　up　maybe　once　a　week。〃
　　〃Winter　is。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Is　going　to　be　my　last　season　in　the　Buskin。〃
　　〃I　won't　do　it。〃
　　〃Yes；　you　will。　Or　you'll　hear　from　Bullock。　You　don't　have　a　choice。　You　have　a　partner。〃
　　〃God；　deliver　me　from　evil。〃
　　〃Are　you　less　evil　than　me？　You　killed　five　people。〃
　　〃Four；〃　he　protested　weakly。
　　〃You　think　Sue　is　still　alive？　You're　splitting　hairs。　Any　way　you　look　at　it；　you're　guilty　of　murder。　You're　a　murderer　so　dumb　about　money　he　doesn't　have　a　gersh　to　his　name。　So　stupid　he　keeps　getting　tangled　with　Sues　and　Gilberts。　Mr。　Shed；　they　only　execute　you　once。〃
　　How　to　argue　with　sociopathic　reasoning？　Lisa　was　the　heart　of　Lisa's　universe。　Other　people　existed　only　to　be　exploited。
　　〃There　are　some　others　we　should　think　about　after　Gilbert。　That　man　of　Krage's　who　got　away。　He　knows　there　was　something　strange　about　the　bodies　not　turning　up。　He　hasn't　talked　or　it　would　be　all　over　the　Buskin。　But　someday　he　might。　And　there's　the　man　you　hired　to　help　you　with　the　blackmailer。〃
　　She　sounded　like　a　general　planning　a　campaign。　Planning　murder　wholesale。　How　could　anybody？　。　。　。
　　〃I　want　no　more　blood　on　my　hands；　Lisa。〃
　　〃How　much　choice　do　you　have？〃
　　He　could　not　deny　that　Gilbert's　death　had　meaning　in　the　equation　of　his　survival。　And　after　Gilbert；　one　more。　Before　she　destroyed　him。　She　would　let　her　guard　down　sometime。
　　What　about　that　letter？　Damn。　Maybe　her　father　had　to　go　first。　。　。　。　The　trap　was　vast　and　had　no　apparent　exits。
　　〃This　could　be　my　only　chance　to　get　out；　Mr。　Shed。　You'd　better　believe　I'm　going　to　grab　it。〃
　　Shed　shook　his　lethargy；　leaned　forward；　stared　into　the　fireplace。　His　own　survival　came　first。　Gilbert　had　to　go。　That　was　definite。
　　What　about　the　black　castle？　Had　he　told　her　about　the　amulet？　He　could　not　recall。　He　had　to　imply　the　existence　of　a　special　passkey；　else　she　might　try　to　kill　and　sell　him。　He　would　bee　a　danger　to　her　once　they　implemented　her　plan。　Yes。　For　sure。　She　would　try　to　rid　herself　of　him　once　she　made　her　connection　with　the　things　in　the　castle。　So　add　another　to　his　must…kill　list。
　　Damn。　Raven　had　done　the　smart　thing；　the　only　thing　possible。　Had　taken　the　only　exit。　Leaving　Juniper　was　the　only　way　out。
　　〃Going　to　have　to　follow　him；〃　h