seen him. They
go into his room with all sorts of wild prejudices, then find out
the real thing is worse than anything they imagined.
I told Block, “You take the chair. I need to
pace.”
He couldn’t stop staring. “What’re we doing
here?”
“Old Bones there is a genius. You don’t believe me,
ask him. I thought we’d lay it out for him. He’ll find
connections, tell you where to start looking.” Old Bones
wasn’t talking. I couldn’t tell if that was a good sign
or bad. I did know that if he cooperated he would bring more than
genius to bear here. He’d been around a long time. Something
from yesteryear might be the key to today’s horror. It had
happened before.
There are horrors that recur in long cycles, like locust
plagues, but separated by generations. If these murders were
cultist, they might fit one of those cycles.
The Dead Man wasn’t talking but he was listening. He was
poking around. He’s damned subtle, but when he starts prying,
I can tell. If I’m paying close enough attention.
Garrett. Shall we set all sham aside? Shall we abandon all
childish efforts to abrade one another’s nerves? I will not
yet admit that we must pursue this monster, but I will stipulate
that we owe the situation a close look.
“You grow up, I’ll grow up.”
Block gave me a strange look. He hadn’t heard the Dead
Man’s end. The Dead Man can do that if he wants. It makes
some of our conversations spooky.
Excellent. I will set my concern for your soul in abeyance
for the moment.
Oh, boy. He wasn’t going to let me off. Those women had
offended his sense of rationality. He hates people who won’t
examine beliefs critically. Most of the time he hides it when he
deals with me, but he holds the majority of humankind in contempt.
Of the gods-know-how-many sentient species in the world, we humans
are the only ones who insist on fervent belief in things logic and
our senses demonstrate to be implausible. Amongst other races those
who stumble into never-never-lands of wishful thinking are
considered insane and are dealt with about the way we deal with
Barking Dog. Or more harshly. Other races don’t make priests
out of their nuts, then give them money and follow them wherever
they lead.
“I take it you’re going to handle this,
Garrett,” Block said. He was nervous as hell. Most people are
around the Dead Man. He has a considerable reputation, all of it
deserved. He’s done some amazing things since I’ve
known him.
“We’re considering it.” I was fighting myself.
Laziness and the desire not to get involved in another bizarre case
warred with outrage. Outrage was ahead by a nose. The white knight
had been on the shelf too long, his only chance to strut his stuff
his rescue of Chodo’s spooky daughter. But the white knight
has his weaknesses. While he doesn’t mind charging full tilt
against a visible villain, rusty sword flailing, he hates having to
hunt the villain down. Legwork buries his resolve faster than
anything the hard boys can do by way of threat or violence. And
this thing would be solved by legwork.
Relax, Garrett. It should not be so bad as you
anticipate.
I saw Block jump, so knew the Dead Man had
included him in this time.
Captain Block. I sense that you have
a great deal hanging upon the outcome of the investigation you
propose.
Block turned pale, took on kind of a green tinge around the
edges. Having somebody talk right into your head is not a
reassuring experience. Not the first time. And especially so when
you’re a guy who has a whole encyclopedia of corruption
stashed and doesn’t want it out where the world can see. I
guess you’d say it was a measure of his distress and
determination that he coped so well. He bounced back quickly.
“Yes. There’s a lot of heat from the top of the Hill.
It’ll get hotter every time some dizzy bitch gets herself
offed.”
You are certain there will be more?
“Damn straight. What do you think?”
I think you are correct.
The Dead Man
go into his room with all sorts of wild prejudices, then find out
the real thing is worse than anything they imagined.
I told Block, “You take the chair. I need to
pace.”
He couldn’t stop staring. “What’re we doing
here?”
“Old Bones there is a genius. You don’t believe me,
ask him. I thought we’d lay it out for him. He’ll find
connections, tell you where to start looking.” Old Bones
wasn’t talking. I couldn’t tell if that was a good sign
or bad. I did know that if he cooperated he would bring more than
genius to bear here. He’d been around a long time. Something
from yesteryear might be the key to today’s horror. It had
happened before.
There are horrors that recur in long cycles, like locust
plagues, but separated by generations. If these murders were
cultist, they might fit one of those cycles.
The Dead Man wasn’t talking but he was listening. He was
poking around. He’s damned subtle, but when he starts prying,
I can tell. If I’m paying close enough attention.
Garrett. Shall we set all sham aside? Shall we abandon all
childish efforts to abrade one another’s nerves? I will not
yet admit that we must pursue this monster, but I will stipulate
that we owe the situation a close look.
“You grow up, I’ll grow up.”
Block gave me a strange look. He hadn’t heard the Dead
Man’s end. The Dead Man can do that if he wants. It makes
some of our conversations spooky.
Excellent. I will set my concern for your soul in abeyance
for the moment.
Oh, boy. He wasn’t going to let me off. Those women had
offended his sense of rationality. He hates people who won’t
examine beliefs critically. Most of the time he hides it when he
deals with me, but he holds the majority of humankind in contempt.
Of the gods-know-how-many sentient species in the world, we humans
are the only ones who insist on fervent belief in things logic and
our senses demonstrate to be implausible. Amongst other races those
who stumble into never-never-lands of wishful thinking are
considered insane and are dealt with about the way we deal with
Barking Dog. Or more harshly. Other races don’t make priests
out of their nuts, then give them money and follow them wherever
they lead.
“I take it you’re going to handle this,
Garrett,” Block said. He was nervous as hell. Most people are
around the Dead Man. He has a considerable reputation, all of it
deserved. He’s done some amazing things since I’ve
known him.
“We’re considering it.” I was fighting myself.
Laziness and the desire not to get involved in another bizarre case
warred with outrage. Outrage was ahead by a nose. The white knight
had been on the shelf too long, his only chance to strut his stuff
his rescue of Chodo’s spooky daughter. But the white knight
has his weaknesses. While he doesn’t mind charging full tilt
against a visible villain, rusty sword flailing, he hates having to
hunt the villain down. Legwork buries his resolve faster than
anything the hard boys can do by way of threat or violence. And
this thing would be solved by legwork.
Relax, Garrett. It should not be so bad as you
anticipate.
I saw Block jump, so knew the Dead Man had
included him in this time.
Captain Block. I sense that you have
a great deal hanging upon the outcome of the investigation you
propose.
Block turned pale, took on kind of a green tinge around the
edges. Having somebody talk right into your head is not a
reassuring experience. Not the first time. And especially so when
you’re a guy who has a whole encyclopedia of corruption
stashed and doesn’t want it out where the world can see. I
guess you’d say it was a measure of his distress and
determination that he coped so well. He bounced back quickly.
“Yes. There’s a lot of heat from the top of the Hill.
It’ll get hotter every time some dizzy bitch gets herself
offed.”
You are certain there will be more?
“Damn straight. What do you think?”
I think you are correct.
The Dead Man
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