gc.shadowslinger-第36部分

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　　A　voice　said；　〃I'll　be　damned。　It's　the　innkeeper。〃
　　
　　　Chapter　Thirty：　JUNIPER：　MORE　TROUBLE
　　
　　Otto　rolled　in　out　of　the　night。　〃Hey！　Croaker！　We　got　a　customer。〃
　　I　folded　my　hand　but　did　not　throw　the　cards　in。　〃You　sure？〃　I　was　damned　tired　of　false　alarms。
　　Otto　looked　sheepish。　〃Yeah。　For　sure。〃
　　Something　was　wrong　here。　〃Where　is　he？　Let's　have　all　of　it。〃
　　〃They're　going　to　make　it　inside。〃
　　〃They？〃
　　〃Man　and　a　woman。　We　didn't　think　they　were　anything　to　worry　about　till　they　were　past　the　last　house　and　still　headed　uphill。　It　was　too　late　to　stop　them　then。〃
　　I　slapped　my　hand　down。　I　was　pissed。　There　would　be　hell　to　pay　in　the　morning。　Whisper　had　had　it　up　to　her　chin　with　me　already。　This　might　be　her　excuse　to　park　me　in　the　Catabs。　Permanently。　The　Taken　are　not　patient。
　　〃Let's　go。〃　I　said　in　as　calm　a　voice　as　I　could　manage；　while　glaring　a　hole　through　Otto。　He　made　sure　he　stayed　out　of　reach。　He　knew　I　was　not　pleased。　Knew　I　was　in　a　tight　place　with　the　Taken。　He　did　not　want　to　give　me　any　excuse　to　wrap　my　hands　around　his　neck。　〃I'm　going　to　cut　some　throats　if　this　gets　screwed　up　again。〃　We　all　grabbed　weapons　and　rushed　into　the　night。
　　We　had　our　place　picked；　in　brush　two　hundred　yardsbelow　the　castle　gate。　I　got　the　men　into　position　just　as　somebody　started　screaming　inside。
　　〃Sounds　bad；〃　one　of　the　men　said。
　　〃Keep　it　down；〃　I　snapped。　Cold　crept　my　spine。　It　did　sound　bad。
　　It　went　on　and　on　and　on。　Then　I　heard　the　muted　jangle　of　harness　and　the　creak　of　wheels　improperly　greased。　Then　the　voices　of　people　talking　softly。
　　We　jumped　out　of　the　brush。　One　of　the　men　opened　the　eye　of　a　lantern。　〃I'll　be　damned！〃　I　said。　〃It's　the　innkeeper。''
　　The　man　sagged。　The　woman　stared　at　us；　eyes　widening。　Then　she　sprang　off　the　wagon　and　ran。
　　〃Get　her；　Otto。　And　heaven　help　you　if　you　don't。　Crake；　drag　this　bastard　down。　Walleye；　take　the　wagon　around　to　the　house。　The　rest　of　us　will　cut　across。〃
　　The　man　Shed　did　not　struggle；　so　I　detailed　another　two　men　to　help　Otto。　He　and　the　woman　were　crashing　through　the　brush。　She　was　headed　toward　a　small　precipice。　She　should　corner　herself　there。
　　We　led　Shed　to　the　old　house。　Once　in　the　light；　he　became　more　deflated；　more　resigned。　He　said　nothing。　Most　captives　resist　detention　somehow；　if　only　by　denying　that　there　is　any　reason　to　detain　them。　Shed　looked　like　a　man　who　thought　he　was　overdue　for　the　worst。
　　〃Sit；〃　I　said；　and　indicated　a　chair　at　the　table　where　we　had　played　cards。　I　took　another；　turned　it；　parked　myself　with　forearms　atop　its　back　and　chin　upon　my　forearms。　〃We've　got　you　dead；　Shed。〃
　　He　just　stared　at　the　tabletop；　a　man　without　hope。　〃Anything　to　say？〃
　　〃There's　nothing　to　be　said；　is　there？〃
　　〃Oh；　I　think　there's　a　whole　lot。　You've　got　your　ass　in　a　sling　for　sure；　but　you're　not　dead　yet。　You　maybe　could　talk　your　way　out　of　this。〃
　　His　eyes　widened　slightly；　then　emptied　again。　He　did　not　believe　me。
　　〃I'm　not　an　Inquisitor；　Shed。〃
　　His　eyes　flickered　with　momentary　life。
　　〃It's　true。　I　followed　Bullock　around　because　he　knew　the　Buskin。　My　job　had　very　little　to　do　with　his。　I　couldn't　care　less　about　the　Catabs　raid。　I　do　care　about　the　black　castle；　because　it's　a　disaster　in　the　making；　but　not　as　much　as　I　care　about　you。　Because　of　a　man　named　Raven。〃
　　〃One　of　your　men　called　you　Croaker。　Raven　was　scared　to　death　…　of　somebody　named　Croaker　that　he　saw　one　night　when　the　Duke's　men　grabbed　some　of　his　friends。〃
　　So。　He'd　witnessed　our　raid。　Damn；　but　I　had　cut　it　close　to　the　wind　that　time。
　　〃I'm　that　Croaker。　And　I　want　to　know　everything　you　know　about　Raven　and　Darling。　And　everything　about　anybody　else　who　knows　anything。〃　The　slightest　hint　of　defiance　crossed　his　face。　〃A　lot　of　folks　are　looking　for　you；　Shed。　Bullock　isn't　the　only　one。　My　boss　wants　you；　too。　And　she's　worse　trouble　than　he　is。　You　wouldn't　like　her　at　all。　And　she'll　get　you　if　you　don't　do　this　right。〃
　　I　would　rather　have　given　him　to　Bullock。　Bullock　wasn't　interested　in　our　problems　with　the　Taken。　But　Bullock　was　out　of　town。
　　〃There's　Asa；　too。　I　want　to　know　everything　you　haven't　told　me　about　him。〃　I　heard　the　woman　cursing　in　the　distance；　carrying　on　like　Otto　and　the　guys　were　trying　to　rape　her。　I　knew　better。　They　hadn't　the　nerve　after　having　screwed　up　once　already　tonight。　〃Who's　the　slut？〃
　　〃My　barmaid。　She。　。。。〃　And　his　story　boiled　out。　Once　he　started；　there　was　no　stopping　him。
　　I　had　a　notion　how　to　wriggle　out　of　a　potentially　embarrassing　situation。　〃Shut　him　up。〃　One　of　the　men　clamped　a　hand　over　Shed's　mouth。　〃Here's　what　we're　going　to　do；　Shed。　Assuming　you　want　out　of　this　alive。〃
　　He　waited。
　　〃The　people　I　work　for　will　know　a　body　was　delivered　tonight。　They'll　expect　me　to　catch　whoever　did　it。　I'll　have　to　give　them　someone。　That　could　be　you；　the　girl；　or　both　of　you。　You　know　some　things　I　don't　want　the　Taken　to　find　out。　One　way　I　can　avoid　handing　you　over　is　having　you　turn　up　dead。　I　can　make　that　real　if　I　have　to。　Or　you　can　fake　it　for　me。　Let　the　slut　see　you　looking　like　you've　been　wrecked。　　You　follow？〃
　　Shaking；　he　replied；　〃I　think　so。〃
　　〃I　want　to　know　everything。〃
　　〃The　girl。　。。。〃
　　I　held　up　a　hand；　listened。　The　uproar　was　close。　〃She　won't　e　back　from　her　meeting　with　the　Taken。　There's　no　reason　we　couldn't　turn　you　loose　once　we're　done　doing　what　we　have　to　do。〃
　　He　did　not　believe　me。　He　had　mitted　crimes　he　believed　deserved　the　harshest　punishment；　and　he　expected　it。
　　〃We're　the　Black　pany；　Shed。　Juniper　is　going　to　get　to　know　that　real　well　soon。　Including　the　fact　that　we　keep　our　promises。　But　that's　not　important　to　you。　Right　now　you　want　to　stay　alive　long　enough　to　get　a　break。　That　means　you'd　damned　well　better　fake　being　dead；　and　do　it　better　than　any　stiff　you　ever　hauled　up　the　hill。〃
　　〃All　right。〃
　　〃Take　him　over　by　the　fire　and　make　him　look　like　he's　had　it　rough。〃
　　The　men　knew　what　to　do。　They　sort　of　scattered　Shed　around　without　actually　hurting　him。　I　tossed　a　few　things　around　to　make　it　look　like　there　had　been　a　fight；　and　finished　just　in　time。
　　The　girl　came　sailing　through　the　doorway；　propelled　by　Otto's　fist。　She　looked　the　worse　for　wear。　So　did　Otto　and　the　men　I'd　sent　to　help。　〃Wildcat；　eh？〃
　　Otto　tried　to　grin。　Blood　leaked　from　the　corner　of　his　mouth。　〃Ain't　the　half　of　it；　Croaker。〃　He　kicked　the　girl's　feet　from　under　her。　〃What　happened　to　the　guy？〃
　　〃Got　a　little　feisty。　I　stuck　a　knife　in　him。〃
　　〃I　see。〃
　　We　stared　at　the　girl。　She　stared　back；　the　fire　gone。　Each　few　seconds　she　glanced　at　Shed；　looked　back　more　subdued。
　　〃Yep。　You're　in　a　heap　of　trouble；　sweetheart。〃
　　She　gave　us　the　song…and…dance　I'd　expected　from　Shed。　We　ignored　it；　knowing　it　was　bullshit。　Otto　cleaned　up；　then　bound　her　hands　and　ankles。　He　parked　her　in　a　chair。　I　made　sure　it　faced　away　from　Shed。　The　poor　bastard　had　to　breathe。
　　I　sat　down　opposite　the　girl　and　began　to　question　her。　Shed　said　he　had　told　her　almost　everything。　I　wanted　to　know　if　she　knew　anything　about　Raven　that　could　give　him　or　us　away。
　　I　got　no　chance　to　find　out。
　　There　was　a　great　rush　of　air　around　the　house。　A　roar　like　a　tornado　passing。　A　crack　like　thunder。
　　Otto　said　it　all。　〃Oh　shit！　Taken。〃　　　　The　door　blew　inward。　I　rose；　stomach　twisting；　heart　hammering。　Feather　came　in　looking　like　she'd　just　walked　through　a　burning　building。　Wisps　of　smoke　rose　from　her　smouldering　apparel。
　　〃What　the　hell？〃　I　asked。
　　〃The　castle。　I　got　too　close。　They　almost　knocked　me　out　of　the　sky。　What　have　you　got？〃　　　
　　I　told　my　story　quickly；　not　omitting　the　fact　that　we　had　allowed　a　corpse　to　get　past。　I　indicated　Shed。　〃One
dead；　trying　to　fight　questioning。　But　this　one　is　healthy。〃　I　indicated　the　girl。
　　Feather　moved　close　to　the　girl。　She　had　taken　a　real　blast　out　there。　I　did　not　feel　the　aura　of　great　power　rigidly　constrained　that　one　usually　senses　in　the　presence　of　the　Taken。　And　she　did　not　sense　the　life　still　throbbing　in　Ma