Neal Barrett Jr. - The Prophecy Machine

“If I'm a fool, then I guess I've got reason to be. I don't know what's happening here. I don't trust the Nuccis, and I surely don't trust you. If I'm not mistaken, it was you who asked the old man to give Letitia away. For spiritual rites ?”

Finn made a face. “Hooters and Hatters. You people aren't civilized here. Decent people don't go to churches like that. You're all mad is what you are!”

“I'll overlook that,” Nicoretti said. “You're clearly a bigot and you've been shaken up, you're not thinking straight. Besides, that business of you and the Newlie, that was just a joke. You two wouldn't do me any good, you're not from here. The Pastor wouldn't go for that.”

“Huh! Didn't sound like a joke to me.”

Nicoretti leaned forward, his hands on his knees. His eyes seemed to bore through the back of Finn's skull. In the flickering light of the lamp his features were shadowed, and somber as the grave.

“You call me mad, Master Finn, yet it's you that's acting less than sane. May the demons take me, what do you think you're mixing in here? Do you think you're safe up there with those two? Do you think they'll let that pretty of yours walk out of there?”

Nicoretti threw up his hands in despair. “Why did I bother? Why did I take the trouble to save your hide? You're too dense to listen, too full of pride. I should have let those idiots have their way, let them punch you full of holes. You're no good to yourself, and you're surely no good to me!”

Finn ignored the man's theatrics. The more he waved his arms about, the broader the deception, the bigger the lie, or so it appeared to Finn.

“If you did truly save me, then you had some reason, and you'll not mind telling me why.”

“I can't stand by and see a man do himself in just because he's a fool. And you've got a talent for it, Finn. You've angered the Foxers because you put yourself in their quarrel. They won't let go of that.”

Nicoretti raised a restraining hand before Finn could break in.

“They're hard-headed creatures, and your intentions mean not a whit to them. In their minds, you're an enemy as well as the Nuccis themselves.”

The doctor unwound his skinny frame, stood, and stalked about the cramped room.

“It's true you're taking blame for sins you couldn't likely help. My church has got its hats on crooked because you helped the Nuccis get away. The whole damn town's up in arms because you're staying there. Hospitality is the Fourth Deadly Sin in our religion and seventh in theirs. Sabatino and Cal are flaunting that in our face, and we're all wondering why.”

Nicoretti stopped his pacing, turned toward Finn with a questioning brow. “Maybe you could help me, Master Finn. I expect you have a guess at what's going on up there. It'd help me and others understand if you could shed a little light on that. Could you be of some aid in this?”

All this was delivered in calm and easy tones with a reassuring smile, an actor switching roles without a single change of scene, setting off alarms of every sort in Finn's head. Was this a trap of some kind? Did Nicoretti know about the madness Calabus was brewing in the depths below his house? And if he did, why then would he care? It was all a lunatic's obsession anyhow.

“I'll be honest with you,” Finn said. “I may be wrong, but I think you're trying to be straight with me. If the Nuccis are up to anything, as you say, I don't know what it is. I don't know why they took us in, except we helped Sabatino save the old man from your yellow-hatted maniacs. No offense meant.”

“Oh, I assure you, none taken, sir.”

“I must admit, I find it hard to believe they're the sort that's easily overcome with gratitude.”

“I'd agree heartily with that.” “I'd guess there are two factors here, Dr. Nicoretti. One, they take pleasure in flaunting custom, shocking the locals who clearly have no love for them. Two, I suppose you're aware Sabatino's a hopeless lecher, obsessed with my- companion, Letitia Louise. I cannot tell you how difficult it was to leave her there with him.”

“Ah, but you did, though. In spite of those fears …”

The sudden flare of interest in Nicoretti's eyes, the way his body tensed as if he might spring from a branch upon his prey, told Finn this was a topic that had best go astray.

“The Nuccis,” he said, with an irritation that was real, “have no perception of decent food. Squeen William's dishes are horrors in gray. I had to risk a visit to get us something we could eat.”

“I see you've done a shoddy job at that,” Nicoretti said, nodding at the nearly empty basket on the floor.

“Food doesn't fare too well if one has to stop and fight. I intend to replenish my supplies, if it's any concern of yours.”

Nicoretti spread his hands and smiled. “It is not my concern, as you say. And if it were the only reason you were here …”

“I said it was, did I not? I would be gone if those louts hadn't tried to do me in.” Finn answered Nicoretti's virtuous smile with one of his own. “How lucky for me your Bowser boys were about. Nearby and ready to save out-of-towners who might come to harm in some way.”

“Fortunate, indeed. I'm delighted they could help.”

Nicoretti curled his lips as if he'd tasted something foul.

“Their manners are impossible, of course. Nasty types, I'm sorry to say. Stiff-necked bastards. Do a lot of marching and strutting about, that sort of thing. Where did you get the idea for your lidard, Master Finn? Do you mind if I ask?”

“Lizard, you mean to say. People have asked me this before. I fear my answer won't suffice. When I made the very first one, ‘lizard’ was the word that came to mind. As the word ‘stone’ might well have occurred when a man first saw one lying in his path. It simply seemed to fit.”

“Well, then …” Nicoretti brought the jug of ale out again and filled Finn's cup. The stuff was still flat, warm and unpleasant to the taste, but there was clearly nothing else around.

Still, Nicoretti downed his drink with great delight.

“I will not delay you further, Master Finn. By my reckoning, you should just make it back before market closes down. Our Hatter folk have no service planned till tomorrow afternoon. However, I'd advise you to get back to your companion and your lidard before it gets dark. The Hooters, I believe, have choir tonight, and that can get rowdy sometimes.

“One more thought before we part, if I may. Let's put aside the foolery, lad. We've been lying to one another since our talk began. There is something going on in that wretched house, and it's not impossible that you know what it is. You'd be wise to tell me, but you won't. You'll play the fool until it's much too late to ask for help.

“Now, would you tell me why you're looking for a Mycer called Rubinella? A fact every farmer, every bumpkin, every clown in town knows now? I would strongly advise you to tell me, sir, before you get in something completely over your head!”

Finn was not surprised to learn his search had reached Nicoretti's ears. The man was a meddler, that was plain to see. Why, though, what was he up to? That was the mystery here.

And no matter how well he masked his emotions, he had clearly betrayed, along with open anger, a slight hint of fear-and that bothered Finn a great deal.

“I see no reason to tell you,” Finn said. “If it's true we're both liars, my answer would do you little good. I could ask, though, why you care who I'm looking for, but then you'd lie too. So what's the point here?”

The sudden flush of color in Nicoretti's face let Finn know the doctor didn't care for that.

“You'd best not be too clever, friend. A man's been known to laugh himself to death, chuckle to his coffin, giggle to his grave.”