gc.shadowslinger-第18部分

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nge。　I　rated　it　too　close　to　call。　Outside；　I　asked；　〃Would　he　have　told　us　if　he'd　been　paid　in　old　coin？〃
　　〃No。　Not　until　he　looked　into　it；　at　least。　But　he　hasn't　seen　any　old　money。〃　I　wondered　why　he　thought　that。　I　didn't　ask。　These　were　his　people。　
　　〃He　might　know　something。　Thought　I　saw　a　glint　in　his　eye　a　couple　times。〃
　　〃Maybe。　Maybe　not。　Let　him　stew。〃
　　〃Maybe　if　you'd　told　him　why。　。　。　。〃
　　〃No！　That　doesn't　get　out。　Not　even　a　rumor。　If　people　thought　we　couldn't　protect　their　dead　or　them　after　they　kick　off；　all　hell　would　break　loose。〃　He　made　a　downward　gesture　with　one　hand。　〃Juniper　like　that。　Crunch。〃　We　walked　on。　He　muttered；　〃All　hell　would　break　loose。〃　And　after　another　half…block：　〃That's　why　we've　got　to　get　these　guys。　Not　so　much　to　punish　them。　To　shut　them　up。〃
　　〃I　see。〃　We　strolled　back　the　direction　we　had　e；　planning　to　resume　tavern…hopping　and　to　see　a　moneylender　named　Gilbert　when　we　reached　his　territory。　〃Hey？〃
　　Bullock　stopped。　〃What？〃
　　I　shook　my　head。　〃Nothing。　Thought　I　saw　a　ghost。　Guy　down　the　street。　。　。　。　Walked　like　somebody　I　used　to　know。〃
　　〃Maybe　it　was。〃
　　〃Nah。　Long　ago　and　far　away。　Long　dead　now。　Just　because　I　was　thinking　about　him　a　little　bit　ago。''
　　〃I　figure　we　got　time　for　half　a　dozen　more　visits。　Then　we　head　uphill。　Don't　want　to　hang　around　here　after　dark。〃
　　I　looked　at　him；　one　eyebrow　raised。
　　〃Hell；　man；　it　gets　dangerous　down　here　when　the　sun　goes　down。〃　He　chuckled　and　gave　me　one　of　his　rare　smiles。　It　was　the　genuine　article。　　For　one　moment　then；　I　liked　him。
　　
　　　Chapter　Fifteen：　JUNIPER：　DEATH　OF　A　GANGSTER
　　
　　Shed　had　long；　violent　arguments　with　his　mother。　She　never　accused　him　directly；　but　she　left　little　doubt　she　suspected　him　of　hideous　crimes。
　　He　and　Raven　took　turns　nursing　Asa。
　　Then　it　was　time　to　face　Krage。　He　did　not　want　to　go。　He　was　afraid　Krage　might　have　lumped　him　with　Raven　and　Asa。　But　if　he　didn't　go；　Krage　would　e　to　him。　And　Krage　was　looking　for　people　to　hurt。　。　。　。　Shaky；　Shed　trudged　up　the　frozen　street。　Snow　fell　in　lazy；　fat　flakes。
　　One　of　Krage's　men　ushered　him　into　the　presence。　There　was　no　sign　of　Count；　but　word　was　out　that　the　big　man　was　recovering。　Too　damned　stupid　to　die；　Shed　thought。
　　〃Ah；　Shed；〃　Krage　said　from　the　deeps　of　a　huge　chair。　〃How　are　you？〃
　　〃Cold。　How're　you　keeping？〃　Krage　worried　him　when　he　was　affable。
　　〃Be　all　right。〃　Krage　plucked　at　his　bandages。　〃Close　call。　I　was　lucky。　e　to　make　your　payment？〃
　　〃How　much　do　I　owe；　all　told？　You　buying　up　my　debts；　I　couldn't　keep　track。〃
　　〃You　can　pay　out？〃　Krage's　eyes　narrowed。
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　have　ten　leva。〃
　　Krage　sighed　dramatically。　〃You　got　enough。　Didn't　think　you　had　it　in　you；　Shed。　Well。　You　win　some　and　you　lose　some。　It's　eight　and　some　change。〃
　　Shed　counted　out　nine　coins。　　Krage　made　change。　〃You've　had　a　run　of　luck　this　winter；　Shed。〃
　　〃Sure　have。〃
　　〃You　seen　Asa？〃　Krage's　voice　tautened。
　　〃Not　since　three　days　ago。　Why？〃
　　〃Nothing　important。　We're　even；　Shed。　But　it's　time　I　collected　that　favor。　Raven。　I　want　him。〃
　　〃Krage；　I　don't　want　to　tell　you　your　business；　but　that's　one　man　you'd　better　leave　alone。　He's　crazy。　He's　nasty　and　he's　tough。　He'd　as　soon　kill　you　as　say　hi。　I　don't　mean　no　disrespect；　but　he　acts　like　you're　a　big　joke。〃
　　〃The　joke　will　be　on　him；　Shed。〃　Krage　dragged　himself　out　of　his　chair；　wincing。　He　grabbed　his　wound。　〃The　joke　will　be　on　him。〃
　　〃Maybe　next　time　he　won't　let　you　get　away；　Krage。〃　Fear　crossed　Krage's　features。　〃Shed；　it's　him　or　me。　If　I　don't　kill　him；　my　business　will　fall　apart。〃
　　〃Where　will　it　be　if　he　kills　you？〃　Again　that　flicker　of　fear。　〃I　don't　have　any　choice。　Be　ready　when　I　need　you；　Shed。　Soon　now。〃
　　Shed　bobbed　his　head　and　retreated。　He　ought　to　get　out　of　the　Buskin；　he　thought。　He　could　afford　it。　But　where　would　he　go？　Krage　could　find　him　anywhere　in　Juniper。　Running　didn't　appeal；　anyway。　The　Lily　was　home。　He　had　to　weather　this。　One　or　the　other　would　die；　and　either　way　he　would　be　off　the　hook。
　　He　was　in　the　middle　now。　He　hated　Krage。　Krage　had　humiliated　him　for　years；　keeping　him　in　debt；　stealing　food　from　his　mouth　with　ridiculous　interest　rates。　On　the　other　hand；　Raven　could　connect　him　with　the　black　castle　and　crimes　in　the　Enclosure。
　　The　Custodians　were　on　the　hunt；　looking　for　somebody　spending　a　lot　of　old　money。　Little　had　been　said　publicly；　but　Bullock　being　on　the　case　told　Shed　just　how　seriously　they　were　taking　the　case　up　the　hill。　He'd　nearly　had　a　stroke　when　Bullock　walked　into　the　Lily。
　　What　had　bee　of　the　passage　money？　Shed　hadn't　seen　any　of　it。　He　supposed　Raven　still　had　it。　He　and　Raven　were　partners　now。　。　。　。
　　〃What　did　Krage　say？〃　Raven　asked　when　Shed　reached　the　Lily。
　　〃Wants　me　to　help　kill　you。〃
　　〃I　thought　so。　Shed；　it's　late　in　the　season。　It's　time　to　send　Krage　up　the　hill。　Which　way　are　you　leaning；　partner？　Him　or　me？''
　　〃I。　。　。　。　Uh。　。　。　。〃
　　〃In　the　long　run　you're　better　off　getting　rid　of　Krage。　He'd　find　a　way　to　get　the　Lily　eventually。〃
　　True；　Shed　reflected。　〃All　right。　What　do　we　do？〃
　　〃Tomorrow；　go　tell　him　you　think　I've　been　selling　bodies。　That　you　think　Asa　was　my　partner。　That　you　think　I　did　Asa　in。　Asa　was　your　friend　and　you're　upset。　It'll　all　be　just　near　enough　reality　to　confuse　him。　。　。　。　What's　the　matter？〃
　　Always　a　trap。　Raven　was　right。　Krage　would　believe　the　story。　But　Shed　had　hoped　for　a　less　direct　role。　If　Raven　screwed　up；　Marron　Shed　would　be　found　in　a　gutter　with　his　throat　cut。
　　〃Nothing。〃
　　〃All　right。　Night　after　tomorrow　night；　I'll　go　out。　You　run　to　tell　Krage。　I'll　let　his　men　track　me。　Krage　will　want　to　be　in　at　the　kill。　I'll　ambush　him。〃
　　〃You　did　that　before；　didn't　you？〃
　　〃He'll　e　anyway。　He's　stupid。〃
　　Shed　swallowed。　〃That　isn't　a　plan　that　does　much　for　my　nerves。〃
　　〃Your　nerves　aren't　my　problem；　Shed。　They're　yours。　You　lost　them。　Only　you　can　find　them　again。〃
　　Krage　bought　Shed's　story。　He　was　ecstatic　because　Raven　was　such　a　villain。　〃If　I　didn't　want　him　myself；　I'd　yell　for　the　Custodians。　You　did　good；　Shed。　I　should　have　suspected　Asa。　He　never　brought　no　news　worth　hearing。〃
　　Shed　whined；　〃Who　would　buy　bodies；　Krage？〃　Krage　grinned。　〃Don't　worry　your　ugly　head。　Let　me　know　next　time　he　goes　on　one　of　his　jaunts。　We'll　rig　up　a　little　surprise。〃
　　Next　night　Shed　reported　according　to　plan。　And　suffered　all　the　disappointment　he　expected　of　life。　Krage　insisted　he　join　the　hunt。
　　〃What　good　would　I　be；　Krage？　I'm　not　even　armed。　And　he's　one　tough　nut。　You　won't　take　him　without　a　fight。〃
　　〃I　don't　expect　to。　You're　ing　along　just　in　case。〃
　　〃In　case？〃
　　〃In　case　there's　a　trap　in　this　and　I　want　to　lay　hands　on　you　fast。〃
　　Shed　shuddered；　whined；　〃I　done　right　by　you。　Don't　I　always　do　right　by　you？〃
　　〃You　always　do　what　a　coward　would。　Which　is　why　I　don't　trust　you。　Anybody　can　scare　you。　And　you　had　all　that　money。　It　occurs　to　me　you　might　be　in　the　racket　with　Raven。〃
　　Shed　went　cold。　Krage　donned　his　coat。　〃Let's　go；　Shed。　Stay　right　beside　me。　You　try　to　wander　off；　I'll　kill　you。〃
　　Shed　started　shaking。　He　was　dead。　All　he　had　gone　through　to　get　Krage　off　his　back。　。。。　It　wasn't　fair。　It　just　wasn't　fair。　Nothing　ever　worked　for　him。　He　stumbled　into　the　street；　wondering　what　he　could　do　and　knowing　there　was　no　escape。　
　　Tears　froze　on　his　cheeks。
　　No　exit。　If　he　fled；　Krage　would　be　warned。　If　he　did　not；　Krage　would　kill　him　when　Raven　sprang　his　ambush。　What　was　his　mother　going　to　do？
　　He　had　to　do　something。　Had　to　find　some　guts；　make　a　decision；　act。　He　couldn't　surrender　to　fate　and　hope　for　luck。　That　meant　the　Catabs　or　black　castle　before　dawn。
　　He　had　lied　to　Krage。　He　had　a　butcher　knife　up　his　left　sleeve。　He　had　put　it　there　out　of　sheer　bravado。　Krage　hadn't　searched　him。　Old　Shed　armed？　Ha！　Not　likely。　He　might　get　himself　hurt。
　　Old　Shed　did　go　armed　sometimes；　but　he　never　advertised　the　fact。　The　knife　did　wonders　for　his　confidence。
　　He　could　tell