Read Online License Invoked by Robert Asprin - Free Book Online

Vincent, was well known in the American group Skywatch, a Christian rock band. He began to play with Fee—Fionna around five years ago.” Better be careful about her old friend's secret identity. There was no telling whether she had enraged someone by her masquerade as a starving Irish waif and what they might do if they found out she was no such thing. “Voe Lockney's only been with her for two years. He replaced her last drummer . . .”
    “Former boyfriend,” Nigel said, dismissively. “They broke up, and he couldn't handle being around her. Too bad. He was stellar.”
    “How many other newcomers?” Boo-Boo asked.
    “Because of the labor laws, we've had to hire most of our backup staff here in the States,” Nigel said, taking a healthy gulp of his drink. “It's all I've spent the last three weeks doing. Six musicians, three backup singers, a couple dozen grips and technicians. They're really out of the picture. Most of them haven't even met Fee yet. They've been working with our stage manager, who's been here on site for a week with most of our techs. Only the key personnel flew in with us this evening.”
    Elizabeth dismissed the newcomers from her calculations. If they'd had no contact with Fionna Kenmare in Dublin, they could not have been responsible for the previous attacks, or the mysterious indisposition of the other agent.
    “The costumer,” Elizabeth read from her jottings, “Thomas Fitzgibbon, came to her from the West End theater scene. Did a lot of work for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Company. Kenneth Lewis, lighting engineer. A New Yorker, he last worked in some off-Broadway theaters. Laura Manning, the makeup artist, is also from the West End. The special effects designer is a woman, too, Roberta Unterburger.”
    “Call her Robbie. She hates Roberta,” the publicist advised.
    “Yes,” Elizabeth said, writing it down. “She's from Marin County, California, three years ago. They've all been with her for at least two years, predating the first attack by at least fifteen months.”
    “We didn't hear anything from our end, either,” Boo-Boo said. “Any problems on your end, Nigel?”
    “None,” the manager said. He leaned forward, placing his open hands palms up on the table in appeal. “They're all good people. They like being part of the Fionna phenom. She's got something special. People gravitate towards her. She's been sort of protected by her fans.”
    “It sounds as if someone loony has broken through that cordon,” Elizabeth said, matter-of-factly. “Possibly someone with special abilities. That's yet to be determined. I'm here to see that nothing more happens.”
    “What can you do?” Peters asked, his fists closing reflexively. Elizabeth shook her head.
    “If someone tries to get to her again, we can detect him, or her, or it. I've examined her room. There are four doors to the suite itself, the one from the hallway on each floor, and one from the suite to a balcony and the pool on the third floor. One of those doors leads into my room, and I'm prepared to repel attacks. I've seen to it the other doors are securely locked, and warded.”
    “What'd you use to ward?” Boo-Boo asked.
    Elizabeth eyed him, wondering just how far she could trust him. “Who brought you in?” she asked, suddenly.
    Peters looked from one to the other, puzzled. “The FBI brought him in, you know that.”
    “No, that's not what she means.” Boo-Boo gave her that easy smile, his eyes glinting. He understood. “She wants to know how I qualify to ask her questions.” He leaned over so that his mouth was close to Elizabeth's ear. “A welcoming woman who smiles,” he told her. She closed her eyes, relieved, and continued the litany.
    “Where was it?” she whispered.
    “In the heart of the world,” Boo-Boo said, formally.
    “Where was the moon?”
    “Shining over our heads. And her name was Elmira.”
    “All right,” Elizabeth said, relaxing. She recognized the name. Boo-Boo was not