Read Online The Wind After Time: Book One of the Shadow Warrior Trilogy by Chris Bunch - Free Book Online

him, and that’s in the manner you did.”
    “I suppose,” Joshua said, “you might feel that way, having been a judge. I’ve never had that much confidence.”
    “That’s not confidence, Joshua, and I’d like to call you that, if I may. That’s just plain common sense.” Penruddock emptied the glass and made himself another. “You know, when that Sector Marshal sent me the com of what had happened, I wondered if you were the same Joshua Wolfe friends told me about during the war.
    “I did a little checking and found out. Damned pleased to meet you, sir. You did good work, turning all they’d taught you back against those bastard Al’ar. The service you did our Federation was of the greatest, the greatest indeed.” Penruddock’s voice had gotten louder, as if he were giving an after-dinner oration. “Why didn’t you stay on in the service, if I may be so bold?”
    “The war was over,” Joshua said.
    “But the Federation can always use men like you, even in peacetime. A great loss, sir. A great loss. Heaven knows I tried to serve, tried to join up, but you know, my heart … well, it just wasn’t one of those things that was meant to be.
    “But I can tell you, I did my part as best I could. Even though my training was in the civil field, I set up Loyalty Courts and made sure there wasn’t the slightest bit of dissent on Mandodari. Men like you, men out there fighting on the frontiers, didn’t need to have people backstabbing them with either deeds or words.”
    Penruddock looked at Joshua for some gratitude and was disappointed when he didn’t get it. Joshua walked to one bookshelf.
    “Behind this is your jewel collection?”
    Penruddock was startled. “Well … yes. But … how could you tell?”
    “Would you open it, please.”
    Joshua watched carefully as Penruddock fingered a sensor and the false books lifted into the ceiling, revealing a vault. Penruddock touched several spots on the vault’s face that appeared unremarkable and then turned the handle, and the counterbalanced door swung open. Inside were rows of shelves. Joshua pulled one shelf out, and gemstones shot up multicolored starlight.
    “How many other people know where this is? The police report on the robbery said the thief or thieves — ”
    “Thieves, sir,” Penruddock said. “There had to be more than just one man. They took away half a dozen trays, and I’ve never known a burglar so bold as to make more than one trip.
    “But to answer your question. Myself. My wife. One … perhaps two of my servants. Long-time employees, still with me today.
    “But all that doesn’t matter, does it? You’ve recovered what you were able to recover, for which I am grateful, and Innokenty Khodyan is dead, which makes things still better.” Penruddock looked anxiously at the open door and sighed in relief when Joshua nodded. He closed and relocked the vault.
    “Now I must ask the question that’s been puzzling me, Joshua,” the judge said. “I was told you are a warrant hunter now. Your business with me is over, isn’t it?”
    “No,” Joshua said. “Sometimes I hunt other things than men. I’m interested in the things that weren’t on Khodyan when I killed him.”
    “You mean the diamonds?”
    “And one other thing.”
    Judge Penruddock started and tried to cover it. “Oh … you mean that little stone? That was just something of sentimental value. Something I bought when I was a boy, and, well, I guess it was the cornerstone, without intending the pun, of my collection.” He had deliberately kept his eyes on Joshua, trying to force belief.
    Wolfe stared back until Penruddock looked away. The silence climbed about them.
    “Very well,” Penruddock said. “I don’t know why I’m so secretive about it. It’s not illegal to own, after all. It was an Al’ar Lumina stone. How did you guess?”
    “I didn’t know exactly what it was,” Joshua lied. “But that ‘sentimental value only’ jumped at me. Since no one died