Whispering Nickel Idols

69

I went in first, delivered Tinnie’s message. Which was that she wanted to come have a sit-down about the need to leave Penny’s head alone if she came to see us.

The Dead Man agreed. He granted every wish. Even before Tinnie finished laying out the terms. Suspicious. I know my fairy tales.

Chodo had supplanted the deacon as favored loafing place for the cat population. He had about two dozen splashed all over him. And seemed pleased. Unlike the deacon, he smiled. Sort of. His eyes tracked. His mind was active. He managed enough expression to approve my choice in women when Tinnie stalked in. He didn’t seem able to move anything else.

“Made any headway?” I asked the Dead Man.

Some. But a saber-tooth never stops being a tiger.

“The deacon seems subdued.”

He is in an induced coma. He is strong and stubborn. He refuses to accept defeat. He fights on despite no longer having anything to protect.

“So what great secrets did you ferret out?”

Chodo watched me move around. He watched Tinnie, too. Hungrily. Creepily. She shuddered.

Little of direct use. His compatriots mean to conquer the world, purportedly for the greater glory of their god, but in reality because they like being rulers instead of the ruled. He was a dastard and a crook before he converted. He remains a dastard and a crook. He was, in fact, one of Mr. Contague’s significant associates inside A-Laf’s cult. Today, either would happily sell the other’s soul to get out of this house.

“And you wonder why the Goddamn Parrot made his getaway.”

Iam fully cognizant of the facts in that matter, Garrett. I note that Miss Tate accomplished what you considered impossible.

Miss Tate had that look people get when the Dead Man starts rooting around inside their heads. It’s a cross between pants-wetting terror and severe constipation.

“Penny has issues with men. But she’s desperate to see Chodo.”

Excellent. We can accommodate her. He is ready.

“Are you?” I checked Chodo. He seemed close to human, buried in kittens. Almost the Chodo of old.

Ioffer my most sincere bond. I will not enter the girl’s mind unless she asks me in.

I asked Tinnie, “Can you make her believe that?”

“Is it true?”

“His word’s always been good, far as I know.”

“A ringing endorsement for sure.”

Singe came in with a bunch of paper. “Do we have any more paper? I don’t have enough to finish this report.”

“Huh?”

“What we have for the Colonel. From our guests.”

“Hmm.” Interesting. “We?”

“That poisoner. Kolda. He is in the small front room, recording what the Dead Man wants put into writing.” Facing the Dead Man, she added, “He needs rest. His penmanship is becoming unreadable.”

“Kolda’s been here all the time?” I wasn’t sure why I thought he’d left while I was out. Maybe my frugal side was hoping I’d shed a hungry mouth.

Tinnie interjected, “Don’t we have something more pressing to deal with?”

“So go get her, my treasure. Work your wiles on somebody who don’t wear pants.” I turned to the Dead Man. “You have Kolda jot down anything from Mr. Temisk or his best pal?” I was thinking maybe we now had us a record of where the other bodies were buried. That could be handier than a wagonful of spades.

Tinnie left. After giving me a poisonous look. Singe let her out.

“You have something up your sleeve, Smiley. Be careful. Tinnie is steamed already.”

He seemed mildly amused.

Dean came in complaining about shortages.

“We aren’t under siege right now. Jump on out there. Get what you need. Keeping in mind that we will end up besieged again if anybody finds out who we’ve got here.”

The Dead Man volunteered, No one is watching at the moment.

Excepting Mrs. Cardonlos, of course. But she didn’t count for much, anymore. Even the other biddies don’t have much use for a known informant.

Funny how everybody favors law and order in the abstract, but don’t want to get into the kitchen and help cook.

Dean was ready to go. Singe let him out. He was gone before I realized that I’d just given him the chance he’d been laying for. “Damn! I wanted to keep him away from the girl.”

Not to worry. He is focused on marketing.

I became distracted myself. How much of the true tale had we gotten out of Chodo? Could we use that to restrain the man?

Probably not. Chodo was clever enough to weasel his way out of almost anything. Usually at somebody else’s expense.