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Authors: Michelle Diener
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warm wind in winter. And as devastating.
“Why did you think to offer up Jens’s name?” It was the most dangerous one she could have given, no matter that it had produced the most startling result.
“It was all I could think of.”
“My lord.” Harry at last looked up at him. “When the merchant came down the stairs with that chest I recognized him right away, but had no chance to tell Mistress Horenbout.”
“Recognized him?” Parker frowned.
“Aye. He was the man who visited Jens for ten minutes the night he was killed.”
Parker felt the first flames of success warming his belly. This was progress. “Let us go ask our man a few questions.” He unsheathed his sword, flicked his knife into his hand. The merchant was desperate enough to be dangerous.
From a room at the back he heard shutters bang, and with a feeling of dread he raced down the hall and flung open the door to a good-sized room stripped almost bare. The shutters were hanging wide-open.
Could the merchant be so mad as to go into the water?
He reached the window and peered down, leaning over theedge to see the man climbing down a rope ladder attached to hooks in the wall.
The ladder hung against the brick and stone of the bridge and swayed as the merchant grappled with it. Down below, a huddle of boats bided their time a short distance from the bridge, waiting for the waters to calm.
Parker could hear the roar that came with the ebb tide. The river was cut off by the bridge, choked suddenly in its journey and forced to squeeze itself between the narrow spans. There would be a difference in the level of water from one side of the bridge to the other of perhaps a man’s height, and Parker could see its raging power, the churning white foam flinging up a fine spray.
He sheathed his sword, slipped his knife back up his sleeve, and swung himself out over the window.
“No!” Susanna’s shout jerked his head up as he took the first step.
“I can’t let him get away.” Parker tested the strength of the rope and took another step down.
“What do you want me to do, sir?” Harry’s head joined Susanna’s.
“Take my lady and meet me down below on the bank.”
“Parker.” Susanna’s eyes were wide, her voice faint, as if from lack of breath.
Before, he would have thrown himself into the chase with no fears, but he had so much more to lose these days.
He reached up and touched her hand, then moved down the rope as fast as he could. The wind whipped up by theraging water lifted his cloak about him, battering his face and getting in his eyes.
When he was halfway down, he risked a look between his feet and saw he was gaining on his quarry. What could he do when he caught the merchant that wouldn’t endanger them both?
Now that he was lower down, nearer the river, he heard a faint sound of shouting over the roar of the water, and turned his head to see the watermen gesturing and calling.
Telling him and the merchant they were mad, no doubt, and he couldn’t disagree. The merchant was nearly at the end of the rope ladder, and he dropped down onto the pier at the base of the pillar.
He began to call to the watermen, waving at them to collect him.
Parker moved faster. It would be madness for the watermen to sail under the bridge at ebb tide, but some of the watermen were mad. They shot the bridge as a badge of honor, braving the torrent and flying through the air to the other side.
The merchant looked up and for a moment they stared at each other, gazes locked.
With a wrench, the merchant looked away, scrabbling in an inner pocket. He drew out a gem and held it up to the light.
“A boat!” he screamed over the waterfall of sound. “This for a boat!”
One of the boats moved, the waterman letting the currentsweep him toward them. Before he was sucked into the narrow arch, he fought the water with his oars and spun the boat, so it came to rest against the pier.
Parker moved faster. Twice he missed his footing and found himself
“Why did you think to offer up Jens’s name?” It was the most dangerous one she could have given, no matter that it had produced the most startling result.
“It was all I could think of.”
“My lord.” Harry at last looked up at him. “When the merchant came down the stairs with that chest I recognized him right away, but had no chance to tell Mistress Horenbout.”
“Recognized him?” Parker frowned.
“Aye. He was the man who visited Jens for ten minutes the night he was killed.”
Parker felt the first flames of success warming his belly. This was progress. “Let us go ask our man a few questions.” He unsheathed his sword, flicked his knife into his hand. The merchant was desperate enough to be dangerous.
From a room at the back he heard shutters bang, and with a feeling of dread he raced down the hall and flung open the door to a good-sized room stripped almost bare. The shutters were hanging wide-open.
Could the merchant be so mad as to go into the water?
He reached the window and peered down, leaning over theedge to see the man climbing down a rope ladder attached to hooks in the wall.
The ladder hung against the brick and stone of the bridge and swayed as the merchant grappled with it. Down below, a huddle of boats bided their time a short distance from the bridge, waiting for the waters to calm.
Parker could hear the roar that came with the ebb tide. The river was cut off by the bridge, choked suddenly in its journey and forced to squeeze itself between the narrow spans. There would be a difference in the level of water from one side of the bridge to the other of perhaps a man’s height, and Parker could see its raging power, the churning white foam flinging up a fine spray.
He sheathed his sword, slipped his knife back up his sleeve, and swung himself out over the window.
“No!” Susanna’s shout jerked his head up as he took the first step.
“I can’t let him get away.” Parker tested the strength of the rope and took another step down.
“What do you want me to do, sir?” Harry’s head joined Susanna’s.
“Take my lady and meet me down below on the bank.”
“Parker.” Susanna’s eyes were wide, her voice faint, as if from lack of breath.
Before, he would have thrown himself into the chase with no fears, but he had so much more to lose these days.
He reached up and touched her hand, then moved down the rope as fast as he could. The wind whipped up by theraging water lifted his cloak about him, battering his face and getting in his eyes.
When he was halfway down, he risked a look between his feet and saw he was gaining on his quarry. What could he do when he caught the merchant that wouldn’t endanger them both?
Now that he was lower down, nearer the river, he heard a faint sound of shouting over the roar of the water, and turned his head to see the watermen gesturing and calling.
Telling him and the merchant they were mad, no doubt, and he couldn’t disagree. The merchant was nearly at the end of the rope ladder, and he dropped down onto the pier at the base of the pillar.
He began to call to the watermen, waving at them to collect him.
Parker moved faster. It would be madness for the watermen to sail under the bridge at ebb tide, but some of the watermen were mad. They shot the bridge as a badge of honor, braving the torrent and flying through the air to the other side.
The merchant looked up and for a moment they stared at each other, gazes locked.
With a wrench, the merchant looked away, scrabbling in an inner pocket. He drew out a gem and held it up to the light.
“A boat!” he screamed over the waterfall of sound. “This for a boat!”
One of the boats moved, the waterman letting the currentsweep him toward them. Before he was sucked into the narrow arch, he fought the water with his oars and spun the boat, so it came to rest against the pier.
Parker moved faster. Twice he missed his footing and found himself
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