Whispering Nickel Idols

6

Saucerhead fell into step beside me. I said, “I thought you might not get far.”

“Smells like a job opportunity.”

“I don’t really have anything… Wait. There is one thing. A street kid who calls himself Penny Dreadful. Runs errands. Carries messages. You know the type. There’s a thousand of him out there. Looks to be about twelve. Might actually be a girl a little older. And might be connected to what just happened.”

“Want me to catch her?”

“No. Just find out what you can. Especially where to find her. She’s not real high on my list, though. I’m worrying about Chodo’s birthday party.”

Saucerhead grunted.

Tharpe is huge. For a human being. And he’s strong. And he’s not real bright. But he’s a damned good friend. And I owe him, so a made-up job when I can manage one is never out of line. Especially when he might turn up something actually interesting.

I couldn’t conceive of any connection with what had just happened. Nor could I conceive of another explanation. But TunFaire is overrun with people trying to find a new angle.

Still, there’s hardly a bad boy around who doesn’t know what happens if they get too close to the Dead Man.

That screwball fable about foreign gods had some oomph!

“I’m all over it,” Saucerhead promised.

I gave him what little I could, including a description so feeble that all Penny Dreadful had to do to disguise himself would be change his shoes. “Promise me you’ll stay away from Winger. My life has been nice lately. I’d rather go right on not having her underfoot.” Winger is a mutual friend. Sort of. Being mainly a disaster on the hoof.

She’s the most amoral person I’ve ever met, with the social conscience of a rock. And all of a rock’s obsession with making the world a better place.

Winger is completely unaware that there are real, hurting people in this world who aren’t Winger.

“I don’t figure she’s likely to be a problem, Garrett.”

“She’s always a problem.”

“She’s in a relationship.”

“Winger? She’s in love? With somebody besides herself?”

“I don’t know about love. There’s this little winky who’s so gaga about her that she don’t get much chance to get into mischief. He follows her all around. Everything she does, he writes it down. Creating her epic cycle.”

“All right.” As long as Winger didn’t pop up, trying to profit from whatever was happening. Which is her usual way of doing business.

“Where’re you headed, anyway?” Saucerhead wanted to know.

“To see Chodo’s mouthpiece. He’s been bugging me to come by. Something to do with the old boy’s will, I guess.”

“See you tonight, then.”

“Sure. Just don’t let all that neutrality go to your head. Old buddy.”