L. E.Modesitt - Imager’s Intrigue

“You got word about the explosion at the Banque D’Excelsis in District Three, the one just off the Midroad?”

“You’re following up?”

“We got a tip that one of the clerks might be involved. The only problem is that he drowned before the explosion. I was talking to his family and friends…”

Bolyet nodded. “You’ll keep me informed?”

“Of course, but I have to say it’s not looking very promising.”

“You do have a way of making the unpromising promising, Rhenn.”

I shrugged. “I’m just telling you. I will let you know if something turns up.” I paused. “Have you heard anything about Cydarth pushing to become Commander?”

Bolyet laughed, sarcastically. “He’s never said anything to me, but it’s no secret that’s what he wants. He’s mentioned it to some of the lieutenants, including Yerkes. Yerkes doesn’t think I know that. Alsoran mentioned it to me, just before he left to come back to Third District. Good man, Alsoran.”

“I know. I was fortunate to get him.”

“No…Cydarth let you have him because he didn’t understand how solid Alsoran is. He thought that Alsoran would be in effective because he doesn’t speak unless he has something to say.” After a moment, he asked, “Anything I should know?”

“You might watch out for elveweed among the wealthier students at Jainsyn’s.”

“That’s in Third District.”

“It is, but half the students come from Fifth District,” I pointed out. “I thought you might like to know, given the subcommander’s directives.”

“What about things I can do something about, Rhenn?”

I had to think for a moment. “Well…that’s a problem. There’s someone running around setting explosions, but I don’t know who or why, except that whoever it is happens to be an expert. There’s the stronger elveweed, but I only know it has to be grown under glass or in the south of Solidar, and I have no leads on who’s behind that.” I shrugged. “I don’t know what else.”

“What about the banque case?”

“Explosion, but no one stole anything. The only tip we got was that a drowned clerk had embezzled funds. The records show he did.”

“That stinks worse than a week-old mackerel in midsummer.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Someone thinks he was framed,” Bolyet said.

“I suspect they do, and what exactly can I do, except watch and try to run down leads?”

He shook his head. “As if we didn’t have enough else to do.”

I decided against eating in Fifth District and caught a hack back to Third District station. On the way back, my thoughts went back to the picture Lacques had drawn. The side that had been a young man resembled the miniature I’d seen of Kearyk, but the other side suggested something very different. Yet…even with that insight, I didn’t know what else I could do.

Once I reached the station, I headed for Alsoran’s study. He was about to leave.

“Do you have a moment?”

“I do. I was just going to change the night rounds. Joran is going to fill in for Severyn.”

“How is he?”

“The slash he took from putting down the brawl at Semplex is finally healing.”

“Good.” I followed him back into the study, but didn’t sit down. “I followed up on the business with Kearyk. He had a lover, not a woman, and the lover thinks Kearyk was drowned. The clerk was terrified of water. But one other thing came up. The lover’s a street chalker, and he claims he went down to headquarters to tell them Kearyk had to have been drowned on purpose. Merolyn dissuaded him and offered a veiled threat. So when I talked with Captain Bolyet I asked a bit about Cydarth, and…” I looked to Alsoran.

“From the way you referred to the subcommander, sir, I thought you knew. He’s been trying to get all the lieutenants behind him for years. I guess he figured most would become captains. He wasn’t real pleased when you forced Warydt into a stipend, you know?”

“His displeasure was rather obvious, but I didn’t know that was part of the reason. I just thought he didn’t like the amount of control I had over Third District.”

“No, sir. He doesn’t. He’s just waiting for your last term to end.”

Or until he could find a way to oust Artois.

“What are you going to report on the bank explosion?” Alsoran asked.

“I’m not going to report anything for a bit. We’ll leave the case open for now. If nothing turns up in a month or so, I’ll report it as a failed robbery. I don’t know what else I can do.”

“It wasn’t ever intended to be a robbery, was it?”

“I strongly doubt it. They want someone to look into things at the banque, matters that involve the dead clerk…maybe more.” I shrugged. “Without proof, though, I don’t know what else we can do.”

Alsoran nodded.

The rest of the day was held to a mugging, two thefts, another wagon smash, another elver death, and a husband beating his wife so badly she might not live. All in all, close to a typical Vendrei.

When I reached NordEste Design and Seliora opened the door, I could tell something had happened from the look on her face.

Her first words confirmed it. “Haerasyn stole all of Odelia’s jewelry and all their golds. He ran off. No one knows where.”

I couldn’t say that I was surprised. “I hope it wasn’t too much.” I stepped inside the foyer and closed the door behind me.

“The jewelry bothers her more than the golds. One of the brooches came from Grandmama’s mother.”

“He’s likely already fenced or pawned it. Or he will soon. If someone gives me a description, I can circulate it to the goldsmiths who handle pawned goods. They’d hold it, but Odelia would have to pay…”

“Aunt Aegina would pay…”

And that was how the occupational events of the day ended, not that we didn’t have to get on with returning home, feeding and getting Diestrya ready for bed, and all the other details of domestic life.

Because it was my turn for Samedi duty at Third District, I got up in the darkness before dawn, made my way to the exercise facility, and endured Clovyl’s tortures…and the run, which was always a relief of sorts, after strenuous exercise, practice in hand-to-hand combat, and defense against weapons. Seliora was still asleep when I returned. I was grateful for that, because we hadn’t gone to bed that early. She’d needed to talk about how upset Odelia had been.

I actually had to wake Seliora after I showered and shaved, not that we had time for anything besides a quick embrace, because Diestrya was already awake, and we struggled through the rest of the morning routine, including a hurried breakfast. Because of the consternation created by Haerasyn’s thefts, by the time we finished eating Seliora had decided that she and Diestrya would spend the day with her family, and I’d join them after I finished at Third District.

“You already told your family, didn’t you?” I asked.

“I told Mother we would, unless you had other plans.” She gave me a sideways smile.

I just shook my head as I rose from the table. “I can probably be there by fifth glass.”

“We won’t eat until sixth.”

“I’ll try not to be late…but it is Samedi.”

“Can you do something about the brooch and the other jewelry?”

“I can circulate the word among the goldsmiths in Third District and ask them to pass it to others.”

“Do you think it will work?”

I shrugged. “It just depends.”

“It would be nice, but we won’t count on it.”

That was the best attitude, unhappily.

Before long, we hurried out the door, leaving the house to Klysia, who would soon be leaving it even emptier, since she had most of the weekend off and to herself. The duty coach ride to NordEste Design was uneventful, except when Diestrya saw a pair of matched tans, and began to chatter about “pretty horsies.”