Bitter Gold Hearts

"I don't care how you go to hell, Morley. That's your business. But every time you head out you throw a rope on me and try to drag me along."

"You feel that way about it, quit pulling me into your quests."

"I pay you to do a job. That's all I want done."

"Somebody ought to profit. If you're so damned lily pure, you're willing to get paid off in self-satisfaction for righting deadly wrongs—"

Dean interjected, "You kids want to whoop and holler and call each other names, why don't you take it out in the alley? Or at least get it out of my kitchen."

I was about to patiently explain again who owned that kitchen and who just worked there, when someone else came pounding on my door and hollering for me. "Saucerhead," I said, and headed that way. Morley fol­lowed me. I asked, "Who killed Slauce?"

"I told you I don't know. I heard he was dead. I came to tell you. I didn't go turn out his pockets to see if he left a note naming his killer."

I peeked through the peephole, just in case. I was in one of those moods.

Saucerhead, all right. And Amber. And several of the Stormwarden's men, including a couple who had been around before. I let Morley peek. "You want to be here for this?"

"No. I'm done. With you, with them, with the whole damned mess."

"Have it your way." I opened the door as Saucerhead wound up to start pounding again. Morley shoved out, grumbled a greeting. I said, "You two can come inside. The army stays where it is."

______XLII______

"whats A matter with Morley?" Saucerhead asked. He had a glazed look, but I suppose even a statue would be numb after an exposure to the Storm warden Raver Styx.

"He tried to take a bite out of something that bit him back. Or maybe it was the other way around. What're you two up to, with your private army out there?"

"Mother wants you," Amber said. "You should have seen Mr. Tharpe stand up to Domina and Mother. He was magnificent."

"I've heard him called a lot of things but magnificent was never on the list."

"I didn't do nothing but stand there and pretend I was deaf except when they absolutely had to have me say something. Then I just sounded stupid and said they had to talk to her on account of I was working for her."

"And what was it all about?" I asked Amber.

"They wanted him out. They really got mad because he wouldn't go and I wouldn't tell him to go."

"It'll do them good. So your mother wants me to come running."

"Yes."

"Why did she send you?"

"Because she sent Courter and he didn't even come back. Then she sent Dawson and you wouldn't open the door."

Courter? She sent him to gel me?

"Dean! Come here a minute." He came in. "Did any­body come to the door today? Before I told you I would answer it myself?"

"No. Just the boy who brought the letter."

"What letter?"

"I put it on your desk. I assumed you'd seen it."

"Excuse me for a minute." I went to the office. The letter was there, all right. I gave it a read. It was from my friend Tinnie. Out of sight, she had slipped out of mind.

"Anything important?" Saucerhead asked when I returned.

"Nah. Red's headed for TunFaire."

He looked at Amber sidelong, smirked. "That ought to put some life back in this town."

"Amber, does your mother think I'll just hike out there because she crooked her finger?"

"She's the Stormwarden Raver Styx, Garrett. She's used to getting what she wants."

"She isn't getting it this time. I'm tired and I've been playing with thugs so much lately another one isn't going to bother me none. Tell her if she wants to see me, she knows where to find me. During normal business hours. If she comes down now, I won't answer the door."

Amber said, "I'm not going to tell her anything, Gar­rett. I'm not going back. I forgot how bad it could get till she came storming in. As far as I'm concerned, she can take it out on Father and Domina from now on. She's seen the last of her unbeloved daughter... . You did mean it when you let me have that gold, didn't you?"

I was tempted to say no just to see how quick she could turn in her tracks, but forbore. "Yes."

"Then I'm going upstairs. You can go home, Mr. Tharpe."

"Just a minute, girl. You're going to declare your independence, you're going to declare your independence. You can stay tonight because it's too late to do it now but tomorrow you go shopping for a place of your own."

For a moment she was stunned. Then she looked hurt.

I tried to soften it. "This is a dangerous place and I'm in a dangerous line."

"And I have a dangerous family."

"That, too. When you relay my message to the troops out there, tell them to tell your mother that Courter didn't run away after all. Somebody lured him into an alley and smashed his head in. She can sleep on that."

Amber gawked. She opened and closed her mouth several times.

"You look like a goldfish."

"Really? Courter was murdered too?"

"Yes."

"Why would anyone do that?"

"I assume because he was coming to see me."

"Damn them!"

As I hoped, the anger I'd aroused now became a white righteous fury. She stomped to the door.