Read Online The Rolling Bootlegs by Ryohgo Narita - Free Book Online

they’d just bought at a speakeasy. Granted, it was hidden in a crate labeled for another product, but the day the police—particularly Edward—found it, something horrendous would happen.
    “It’s fine. I’d never be that clumsy.”
    Firo didn’t look particularly worried. With a little wave for Maiza, he ran off.
    “Ah… I hope he learns to curb that side of himself after the ritual…”
    With a small, wry smile, Maiza also began heading toward the scene, though at a walk.

    “No…”
    Having exited the car, Ennis gazed at the rising smoke, wondering if she’d taken a wrong turn somewhere. Or rather, she wished she had.
    However, as she stood there, dazed, the small sign on the second floor of the burning building—the one that said B ARNES C O . G RANARY —vividly spelled out the sad reality. The cool expression she’d worn in front of the old men had vanished completely. The situation was simply that abnormal.
    “What in the world could have…? Where is Barnes…?”
    The young female chauffeur pushed her way through the crowd to stand at the front of the ranks of spectators. Every person she shoved aside regarded her crossly, but the fire soon recaptured their attention, and no one complained enough to impede her progress.
    She saw the building’s interior beginning to crumble. Even from a distance, she could see that several holes had opened in the street-level flooring. If the finished product had been stored in the cellar,even if she dashed inside now… It would probably be impossible to retrieve.
    It was hopeless. How should she report this to Szilard, her master? She herself bore not the slightest responsibility for the situation, but even so, her heart was heavy. It wasn’t likely that Szilard himself would fly into a rage, but he would certainly look displeased. What hurt more than that, though, was the realization that the faces of the old men would doubtless appear several times more despairing than her own.
    “…Miss. Miss.”
    At the sensation of a hand on her shoulder, Ennis returned to herself with a jolt.
    There was a boy standing in front of her. He seemed to be roughly her age, or maybe a little younger.
    “Are you all right? Your face is very pale…”
    His manner of speech was mature and didn’t match his appearance, but she could tell he seemed to be worried about her.
    Had she really let her emotions show in her face so clearly? Hastily pulling herself together, she gave the boy a curt answer:
    “Oh… No, it’s nothing. Thank you for your concern.”
    With that, she turned on her heel and pushed her way back through the crowd, making for the outside of the ring of rubberneckers that had formed around the fire.
    Barnes, at least, might have managed to escape. With that hope in mind, she quickly disappeared into one of the alleys, intending to search the surrounding streets.
    It had been a very cold response, but that being the one given, there was no help for it.
    When Firo had reached the fire, a large black passenger car had been parked beside it.
    Initially, he’d been taken aback that the person who’d emerged from the driver’s seat was a young woman. The next thing about her—she looked to be a year or two older than he was, but they were probably about the same age—that caught his eye was her clothes. Even though she was a dame, she wore a black two-piece suit, andher boots were sturdy, the sort that soldiers or policemen might wear. It was an entirely unfeminine outfit, but maybe the cloth was very thin… Though it was a suit, it didn’t give the impression of being stiff. Even her hair, which was clipped short, could have been considered heresy for women of the day, but… In an odd way, it harmonized with her outfit and actually lent her a bewitching allure.
    Firo had been drawn, very slightly, to her countercultural appearance.
    Not only that, but, for some reason, the woman had looked more startled than was strictly necessary on seeing the fire, and