The Shears still took lucrative contracts and sold information to the highest bidder just like they did decades ago, but now they were dedicated to Solentine, and their actions stemmed from his agenda. Right now, a large part of that hidden agenda revolved around finding out who was supplying iron to the rebel group picking up steam in the north of the kingdom. Miro, one of Solentine’s best black-outfit operatives, followed the trail of breadcrumbs to Horost and got himself nabbed through an epic turn of bad luck.
The day after tomorrow, Solentine, who sat on the crossroads of several currents of information, would attend a dinner at Horost’s estate to gauge the Baron’s possible involvement in the diverting of the iron ore. During that dinner he would purposefully lose a large sum of money, and a drunk Horost, already flattered by Solentine’s presence, would magnanimously give him a tour of the dungeons so he could boast about his general awesomeness. Solentine would see Miro and rescue him a couple of days later.
I wouldn’t change the plot in any significant way. The sequence of events would remain the same, except that now Solentine would go to Horost’s little rave expecting to find evidence of Miro being held there. If it worked, I would cause a minimal disturbance and net a decent sum of money. Hopefully enough to get me out of the third floor of the bakery.
Solentine leaned forward. His eyes narrowed. “How much do you know?”
Danger, danger. I met his gaze and kept my voice calm. “Any additional information will cost extra.”
“Did he break?”
This was a test. Miro wouldn’t break, even if he was tortured to death, and Solentine knew it.
“No. He’s pretending to be a common thief, and Horost’s men are inexperienced. They’ve beaten him too badly, so they must allow him a couple of days to recuperate before they can torture him again. Do you require a map of the estate?”
“I assume the map will cost me extra?” Solentine asked.
“Yes.”
“It won’t be necessary.” His posture relaxed a fraction. He thought he had my number.
“I will come back here in one week for my payment. Do we have a deal?”
“Yes,” Solentine said.
“It’s been a pleasure.”
I turned. The waiter opened the door for me and then led me all the way to the front room of the tavern. I smiled at him and kept walking, out the door, merging with the foot traffic flowing through the street. I’d walked for almost five minutes when my control finally snapped, and cold sweat drenched my face.
Survived. Somehow. So far so good.
Solentine would have me followed. I didn’t bother glancing behind me. I wouldn’t spot whoever was tailing me anyway. I walked up the street, made a left, then a right, and came to a large building with a wooden bolt of fabric above the entrance. I swung the heavy door open and went in.
The inside of the shop was spacious. On the left, a counter guarded the front door. Rows of tables on both sides offered bolts of fabric. More fabric hung from wooden racks by the walls. At the wall opposite the entrance, two doors led deeper into the shop.
I lingered by the nearest table, pretending to care about linen.
Two women entered, one after another, the first middle-aged, the second barely fifteen. The older woman wore a dress similar to mine and carried a full shopping basket, while the younger had a nicer outfit, almost a gown. A man followed them, young, with a larger shopping basket on his shoulders.
All three went in different directions and started shopping. One of them was likely Solentine’s.
I mulled about a bit more, made my way to the counter, put a den on the wooden surface and slid it to the clerk. “I need to use your other exit.”
He nodded and swiped the coin.
I meandered over to the door on the left, opened it, and slipped into a long hallway.
This shop took up the entire block. The exit at the end of this hallway opened to a different street, which branched into two others. The Shears had frequently used this shop as a getaway. The agent tailing me wouldn’t follow me through the building into the hallway because that would be too obvious. They would leave the store, go around the block, and then quietly trail after me.
One, two, three . . . five. Long enough for my tail to exit.
I opened the door and stepped back into the main room. Let’s see which of the three worked for Solentine.
The younger woman and the man were still in the store. It was the older lady.Ha!
I crossed the main floor, went out the front door, made a sharp left into an alley, and took off. Nobody followed me.
One very dangerous meeting down, one to go.
