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one hell of a lot of money around. A laborer, if he got paid in a lump for the time, wouldn’t draw ten marks gold for three months of his life. And right now gold was strong because Glory Moon-called’s successes in the Cantard had put several more silver mines into Karentine hands, meaning all their pro­duction came north.
    Willa Dount might want to climb my leg about Amiranda. For ten marks I would take what she wanted to hand out. There is never enough money around our place because of the endless fix-ups.
    “Leave word at the gate that I’m on my way. I’ll be there as soon as I take care of a few details and have lunch.”
    Slauce’s ruddy face got redder. The nerve of me! I was supposed to frog when uptown said jump. He wanted to drag me off by the heels. But his instructions held. “Very well. I’m sure she would appreciate your taking as little time as possible. She did seem distracted.” He counted five two-mark pieces onto my desk.
    “I won’t be more than a half hour behind you. Dean? Will you see Mr. Slauce to the door?” We like to know that our guests are out when they head out. Some of them are so slow they might not remember which side of the door they’re supposed to be on when it shuts. Morley returned to the room.
    “Better bite those things to see if they’re real, Garrett. Somebody’s running a game.”
    “How so?”
    “That’s the guy who was tailing your lady last night.”
    “Yeah? He looked taller in the dark.”
    “Maybe he was wearing platforms. I think it’s time you thought about getting out of this.”
    “I’m not in it.”
    “I know you, Garrett. You’re going to get into it up to your ears if you don’t turn your back now.”
    Morley is usually not much shakes as a prophet. I paid him no mind, thanking him and telling him the favor was a chunk off the account he owed from the vampire busi­ness. I saw him out, then let Dean serve me lunch. Then I ambled off to earn my ten gold marks.
     
     

__IX__
     
    Willa dount was piqued by my churlish failure to bounce when she hollered but she hid it well. Everybody but the Dead Man was hiding irritation with me. I decided I’d best keep my hands covering my pockets.
    “Thank you for coming, Mr. Garrett.”
    “Your man said you’d heard from the kidnappers.”
    “Yes. Another letter. Delivered much like the first.” She passed it over.
    The same hand, with the same poor spelling, told her that Junior’s market value was “200000 Marks gold.” Instructions for delivery would follow.
    “Two hundred thou? The kid’s in trouble, isn’t he? The Emperor himself might not go for that much.”
    “The sum can be raised, Mr. Garrett. It will be paid. That isn’t the problem.”
    “What is?”
    “I face a twofold dilemma. Part is that I won’t be able to conceal an outlay of that magnitude from the Storm-warden. That’s my problem and I’ll deal with her displea­sure when the time comes. She won’t like the expense but she would like to lose her son far less.”
    “I gather your own balance scale might not tilt the same way.”
    “My opinions are of no moment, Mr. Garrett. This is the Stormwarden’s household and here the Stormwarden’s will and whimsy alike are law.”
    “What do you need me for?”
    “Advice on overcoming the mechanical difficulties of delivering that much gold.”
    “You’ll need a big pocket to carry it.”
    “I’m paying handsomely for your time, Mr. Garrett. Don’t waste it on witticisms. I have no sense of humor.”
    “If you say so.”
    “Two hundred thousand marks in coined gold weighs four thousand pounds. To move that much weight will require a heavy wagon and at least a four-horse team. Can they possibly expect me to get that someplace where the payoff can’t be seen?”
    “With a payoff that big they’d set it somewhere way out in the country, after running you along a route they could watch to make sure you aren’t being followed.”
    “They will insist on coined