Book 02 - Bitter Gold Hearts Read Online Free PDF Page A

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 slightness 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 us from the Iron Liar here. He wasn’t
on me before that. Maybe he picked us up there. But the implication
is that he was on you all