Bitter Gold Hearts Read Online Free PDF Page A

begin to pretend to understand wine snobs: to me even the best is nasty.
    When the mood was better, I asked, “There been any more word from the kidnappers?”
    “Not when I left. I think Domina would have let us know that much. Why are they waiting so long?”
    “To get everybody so worried they’ll do whatever it takes to get Junior back. Tell me about him. Is he really the kind of guy they say he is?”
    Her expression became wary. “I don’t know what they say about him. His name is Karl, not Junior.”
    I pecked at her from a couple directions. She gave me nothing.
    “Why are you asking so many questions, Garrett? You did what you were paid for already, didn’t you?”
    “Sure. Just curiosity. It’s an occupational hazard. I’ll try not to be a nuisance.”
    I wondered about her. She was a woman with troubles, very much turned inward. Not my usual sort. But I found myself interested in her for her own sake. Odd.
    The meal ended. She asked, “What now? Evil plans?”
    “Me? Never. I’m one of the good guys. I know a guy who runs a place you might find interesting, since you’re slumming. You want to give it a try?”
    “I’m game for anything but going back to that...” She was trying to be pleasant company and to have a good time, but she was having to work at it. Thank heaven for TunFaire Gold to support my naturally irre­sistible charm.
    Morley’s place was jumping — as much as it ever does. Which means it was packed with dwarfs, elves, trolls, goblins, pixies, brownies, and whatnot, along with the curious specimens you get when you crossbreed the races. The boys looked at Amiranda with obvious approval and at me with equally obvious distaste. But I forgave them. I would be sullen and sour too if I was in a place where the drinks were nonalcoholic and the meals left out every­thing but the rabbit food.
    I went straight to the bar, where I was known and my presence was tolerated. I asked the bartender, “Where’s Morley?”
    He indicated the stairs with a jerk of his head.
    I went up. Amiranda followed, wary again. I pounded on Morley’s door and he told me to come in. He knew it was me because there was a speaking tube running from the bar upstairs. We stepped inside. For a rarity Morley did not have somebody’s wife with him. He was doing accounts. He looked worried, but his beady little eyes lit up when he saw Amiranda.
    “Down, boy. She’s taken. Amiranda, this is Morley Dotes. He has three wives and nine kids, all of them locked up in the Bledsoe mad ward. He owns this dump and sometimes he acts like he’s a friend of mine.”
    Morley Dotes was a lot more to those who knew the underside of the city. He was its top physical specialist, meaning for enough money he broke heads and arms, though he preferred ladies’ hearts. He did that for free. He was half human, half dark elf, with the natural slight-ness and good looks of the latter. He wasn’t what I would call a close friend. He was too dangerous to get close to. He had worked with and for me a few times.
    “Don’t you believe a word this thug tells you,” Morley said. “He couldn’t tell the truth if he got paid for it. And he’s a dangerously violent psychotic. Just this afternoon he whipped up on a bunch of ogres who were minding their own business hanging out on the street smoking weed.”
    “You heard about that already?”
    “News travels fast, Garrett.”
    “Know anything about it?”
    “I figured you’d be around. I asked some questions. I don’t know who hired the ogres. I know them. They’re second-raters too lazy and stupid to do a job right. You might keep a watch out over your shoulder. You hurt a couple of them bad. The others might not consider that a simple hazard of the business.”
    “I have been watching. You could pay back a favor when we leave by taking a look at the guy who’s follow­ing us.”
    “Somebody’s following us?” Amiranda’s question squeaked. She was frightened.
    “He was with