Book 09 - Faded Steel Heat Read Online Free PDF Page A

Parrot squawked in my ear. “If you just need a place
to get in out of the rain I recommend Mrs. Cardonlos’ rooming
house up the street. On the
other . . . ”
    “Awk! Queen bitch! Queen bitch!”
    “It’s not raining.” Literal-minded clerks.
    “Stow it, bird,” I growled at the Goddamn
Parrot.
    My visitors exchanged looks again.
    This could go on all day.
     
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7
    The blond said, “I apologize, Mr. Garrett. We were
cautioned that we might find you unconventional and should try to
become comfortable with that before proceeding.”
    “Puny penis!” the parrot squawked.
    I snarled, “You’re going into the sack again, you
animated feather duster.”
    The brunette smiled insincerely. “Is that ventriloquism?
When I was little I had an uncle who could—”
    “Why does everybody ask that? No. This devil-spawn of a
seven-color jungle pigeon does it all on his own. He’s got a
vocabulary bigger than yours or mine and every word is foul. Fowl.
Maybe there was sorcery done him sometime. I don’t know. He
was a gift. I can’t seem to get rid of him.”
    “Pencil dick.”
    Now nobody was smiling. Again I thought about choking the Dead
Man, only what good would that do? Strengthen my grip?
    The blond said, “My name is Carter Stockwell.”
    So we were going to do business after all. “I’m not
surprised. And you?”
    “Trace Wendover.”
    “Of course. Hello, Carter and Trace. Sure you don’t
want a talking parrot? Cheap? Make a great holiday gift for the
kids.”
    Garrett, once again I must caution you against antagonizing
these men.
    “No? All right. I made my sales pitch. Your loss. You guys
make yours. Or go away.”
    “We were told you might be ill-mannered.” That was
the darker one. Trace.
    Carter said, “Our mission is to interest you in
contributing to our cause.”
    “Right now I’ve got about six copper sceats to clink
together. The only cause I’m going to contribute to is the
Garrett household supper fund.”
    “We don’t want money. Please. Give us a chance to
talk.”
    “You’ve been here ten minutes. You haven’t
said anything yet.”
    “You’re right. We are Free Company men. Black Dragon
Valsung.” Carter watched for my reaction.
    “What’s that?” I asked.
    Trace countered, “You don’t know the
Dragons?”
    “Sorry.” Heeding the Dead Man’s advice I
forebore remarks that might betray my feelings about those
quasi-military gangs called Free Companies. There are so many of
them that not having heard of a particular one was no big deal.
    “Our leader is Colonel Valsung. Norton Valsung.” I
got intent looks from both pretty boys.
    I shrugged. “Doesn’t ring a bell, guys. He must have
been army.”
    Carter began to puff up. He’d caught the slight. Trace,
though, was made of sterner stuff. “Yes, Mr. Garrett. Colonel
Valsung was army. He commanded the Black Dragon Brigade.”
Trace tossed him a warning look but he continued, “You would
be impressed if you were to review his record.”
    No doubt. War does tend to expose men for what they really are.
“Wouldn’t be a relative, would he?”
    “My uncle.”
    “The ventriloquist? I recall several colonels who were
masters at putting words into other people’s
mouths.”
    “No, Mr. Garrett. Not that uncle.”
    “We’re getting somewhere now. We have a colonel who
isn’t a ventriloquist. What does your uncle the
nonventriloquist want with me?”
    “Your peculiar combination of talents and expertise, both
from your service and your career since.”
    I didn’t get it. “You need a Force Recon guy with
experience ducking vampires and sorcerers and tracking wayward
wives to help you beat up old dwarves and crippled
ratmen?”
    Garrett!
    Both of my visitors turned red. But Carter was out in front
because he’d gotten a head start. Trace said, “Mr.
Garrett, we do not roam the streets assaulting people. We are a
veterans’ mutual assistance brotherhood, not a street
gang.”
    “The other day a