‘We can negotiate that part.’
She tutted loudly but she also smiled. It was a tiny movement that barely lifted the corners of her mouth, but it was enough for me.
I jabbed at the map in my hands before she changed her mind. ‘I want to go here first. To the worm stables.’
‘A wise decision,’ she murmured. ‘Very well.’ She turned left. ‘They are this way.’
My smile widened. I was winning the hearts and minds of the local population in order to advance my investigation. Captain Montgomery would be proud.
It didn’t take longto reach the stables where the worms lived when they weren’t working – they were less than fifteen minutes from the marketplace. From the direction we took, I worked out that we were beneath the Belladonna Hotel. I spared a thought for all those well-heeled guests who had no idea that they were sleeping on feather beds above a can of giant worms.
‘The Princess and the Pea on crack cocaine,’ I whispered. Lady Penelope looked confused. Rather than explain my oddthoughts, I focused on more pragmatic matters. ‘Tell me about the worms,’ I said. ‘How long is their typical life span?’
‘About three hundred years.’
My mouth dropped open. ‘Really? That long?’
‘They are well cared for.’
All the care in the world wouldn’t allow the likes of me to live beyond a hundred. Cat sith or not, I didn’t possess nine lives – and I didn’t want to. ‘Nice to know,’ I said blandly. ‘How old were the four who went missing?’
It wasn’t Lady Penelope who answered. ‘They range from a mere babe at fifty-two to the eldest at 260 years old.’
A grey-haired man had shuffled out of the entrance to the worm stables. He was definitely a vampire, the oldest presenting vampire I’d ever seen. He had a long, straggly beard above gaunt cheeks; he looked more like a senior citizen who deserved to see out his days by a warm fireplace with a lazy cat than a predator with sharp fangs who could rip out my throat at a moment’s notice.
‘Good day, Anthony,’ Lady Penelope intoned politely. ‘This is Ms McCafferty. She is here to investigate the worms’ disappearance.’
He looked at me then his mouth turned down in obvious disapproval. ‘We are relying on sun dwellers now to fix our problems?’ he grunted.
‘It’s a long story,’ I said. I stuck out my hand. ‘Lovely to meet you.’
He ignored me. ‘I have been petitioning for someone to take my poor lost worms more seriously and this is who you give me?’
‘It was supposed to be Alan,’ Lady Penelope began, ‘but…’
‘Alan? Alan Vennington? That limp wanker?’
‘He has been completing a training course with the METabove ground,’ she told him. ‘He is learning how to investigate crimes more effectively.’
‘Then where is he?’ Anthony swung his head, pretending to search for Alan. ‘I don’t see him here.’
‘The course leader decided that the students should swap cases. He is investigating Ms McCafferty’s case and she is investigating this one.’
He rolled his red eyes. ‘I think we all know why she’s really here, don’t we?’
Lady Penelope stiffened. I eyed Anthony with interest. ‘Do tell,’ I said.
He didn’t deign to look at me. ‘Nicola, Solly, Fields and Tiger,’ he hissed at Lady Penelope.
‘I know the worms’ names, Anthony.’
He raised his voice and repeated, ‘Nicola, Solly, Fields and Tiger! Our friends!’
‘Ms McCafferty will search for them.’
‘She is not one of us!’
This wasn’t going well so I cleared my throat; it was time to take charge and bring Anthony to heel. ‘I want to find the lost worms,’ I said. ‘When did the first one vanish and how did it happen?’
