Sweet Silver Blues Read Online Free PDF

job. Where would I be if it got around that I could be bought off? I’d be out of work. I’m very, very, sorry, Garrett. But I got to do what I got paid to do.”
    I had expected no luck, but it had seemed worth a try.
    I said, “I’d be the last guy to ask you to welsh on a deal, Saucerhead.”
    “Gee. I’m glad. I was scared you wouldn’t understand.”
    “I want you to do a job for me, Saucerhead. There’s five marks in it.”
    “Yeah. I’d feel a whole lot better about this if I could do something for you. What is it?”
    “That woman across the street. The one that sicced you onto me. When we’re done here I want you to take her down to the Bazaar, strip her down naked, bend her over your lap, and give her thirty good whacks on the backside. Then turn her loose and let her walk home.”
    “Naked?”
    “Naked.”
    “She wouldn’t get out of the Bazaar, Garrett.”
    “There’s another five in it if she gets home all right. But without finding out you’re looking out for her.”
    Saucerhead grinned. “It’s a deal, Garrett.” He stuck out a palm the size of a snowshoe. I dropped five marks into it.
    Saucerhead’s hand dipped into a pocket. I hit him up side the head with the purse. I put everything I had behind it. Then I ran like hell for two steps.
    He gave Rose her money’s worth, fulfilling his contract to the letter.
    I tried to defend myself, of course, and actually did pretty well. Not many hang in there a whole minute against Saucerhead Tharpe. I even gave him one he might have remembered for the next ten minutes.
    Always thoughtful, is Saucerhead Tharpe. After he put my lights out he tucked my purse underneath me, just in case somebody came along before I woke up. Then he went along to the next job on his agenda.
     
     

8
     
    I hurt everywhere. I had about two acres of bruises. Saucerhead had found places to hit that I didn’t know I had. All body and soul wanted was to go lay up for a week. But mind knew it was time to find Morley Dotes. Not even Saucerhead Tharpe would have messed with me if I’d had Morley Dotes along.
    Morley is the best at rough and tumble. And, by his own admission, the best at most everything else. Some people would like him and Saucerhead to square off, just to see how it would come out. But neither of them will swat a fly without getting paid first. And Saucerhead isn’t dumb enough to take a job on Morley. Nor is Morley vain enough to contract on Saucerhead. Neither cares much about who might come out best. Which says something about their professionalism.
    The obvious place to look for Morley was a place called Morley’s Joy House.
    The name is one of his bad jokes. It is a hangout for the elfin, the cartha, and breeds. The fare is vegetarian and nonalcoholic. The entertainment is so impenetrable and dull that the existence of a dead Loghyr might be exciting by contrast. But Morley’s kind of people enjoy it.
    The place went silent when I stepped inside. I ignored an arsenal’s worth of death-looks as I limped to the alleged bar. Morley’s barman gave me the once-over. He grinned, revealing pointy darkelf teeth. “You have a knack for making people mad at you, Garrett.”
    “You ought to see the other guy.”
    “I did. He came in for some sprouts. Wasn’t a scratch on him.”
    Conversations picked up behind me. The barman was being as friendly as darkelves ever are. That made me a marginally acceptable lower life-form, presence tolerated. Like that of a beer-drinking dog in a human tavern.
    “Word’s around already, huh?”
    “Everybody who ever cared about you one way or the other already knows the whole story. Slick the way you evened things up.”
    “Yeah. That’s out, too? How’d it go?”
    “She made it home. I figure that’s one quail that won’t ever mess with you again, Garrett.” He cackled in that way they have that gives you chills and makes you wonder if you will ever wake up from the nightmare. “Next time she’ll get