on her own with strangers without leaving you so much as a message.”
“No, she wouldn’t,” Flinx agreed, “and if she went with the people you saw, it wasn’t because they were her friends. The inside of the house is all torn up. She didn’t go with them quietly.”
“Then surely for some reason she’s been kidnapped,” Arrapkha concurred. “Fifty years ago, I might could give a reason for such a thing. She was a beauty then, Mother Mastiff, though she has not aged gracefully. Grace was not a part of her, not even then. A hard woman always, but attractive. Butfor this to happen now—” He shook his head. “A true puzzle. Did she have access to much money?”
Flinx shook his head rapidly.
“Um. I thought not. Well, then, did she owe anyone any dangerous amounts?”
“She owed a lot of people, but no great sums,” Flinx replied. “At least, nothing that she ever spoke to me about and nothing I ever overheard talk of.”
“I do not understand it, then,” Arrapkha said solemnly.
“Nor do I, friend.”
“Perhaps,” Arrapkha suggested, “someone wished a private conversation with her and will bring her back in the morning?”
Flinx shook his head a second time. “I think that since she didn’t go with them voluntarily, she won’t be allowed to come back voluntarily. Regardless, one thing she always told me was not to sit around and stare blankly at the inexplicable but always to try and find answers. If she does come walking freely home tomorrow, then I can at least try to meet her coming.”
“Then you’re determined to go out after her?” Arrapkha lifted bushy black eyebrows.
“What else can I do?”
“You could wait. You’re a nice young fellow, Flinx-boy.” He waved toward the distant avenue. “Most everyone in the marketplace who knows you thinks so, also. You won’t lack for a place to stay or food to eat if you decide to wait for her. Your problem is that you’re too young, and the young are always overanxious.”
“Sorry, Arrapkha. I know you mean well for me, but I just can’t sit around here and wait. I think I’d be wasting my time and, worse, maybe hers as well. Mother Mastiff doesn’t have much time left to her.”
“And what if her time, excuse me, has already fled?” Arrapkha asked forcefully. Subtlety was not a strong trait of the marketplace’s inhabitants. “Will you involve yourself then in something dangerous which has chosen to spare you?”
“I have to know. I have to go after her and see if I can help.”
“I don’t understand,” Arrapkha said sadly. “You’re a smart young man, much smarter than I. Why risk yourself? She wouldn’t want you to, you know. She’s not really your mother.”
“Mother or mother-not,” Flinx replied, “she’s the only mother I’ve ever known. There’s more to it than simple biology, Arrapkha. The years have taught me that much.”
The older man nodded. “I thought you might say something like that, Flinx-boy. Well, I can at least wish you luck. It’s all I have to give you. Do you have credit?”
“A little, on my card.”
“If you need more, I can transfer.” Arrapkha started to pull out his own card.
“No, not now, anyway. I may need such help later.” He broke into a broad smile. “You’re a good friend, Arrapkha. Your friendship is as solid as your woodwork.” He turned. “Did you see which direction these figures took?”
“That’s little to start on.” He pointed to the north. “That way, up the alley. They could have turned off any time. And in the weather”—he indicated the clouds hanging limply overhead—”they’ll have left no trail for you to follow.”
“Perhaps not,” Flinx admitted. “We’ll see.”
“I expect you will, Flinx-boy, since you feel so strongly about this. All I can do, then, is wish luck to you.” He turned and strode back up the street toward his shop, keeping the slickertic tight around his head and neck.
Flinx waited until the rain had
“No, she wouldn’t,” Flinx agreed, “and if she went with the people you saw, it wasn’t because they were her friends. The inside of the house is all torn up. She didn’t go with them quietly.”
“Then surely for some reason she’s been kidnapped,” Arrapkha concurred. “Fifty years ago, I might could give a reason for such a thing. She was a beauty then, Mother Mastiff, though she has not aged gracefully. Grace was not a part of her, not even then. A hard woman always, but attractive. Butfor this to happen now—” He shook his head. “A true puzzle. Did she have access to much money?”
Flinx shook his head rapidly.
“Um. I thought not. Well, then, did she owe anyone any dangerous amounts?”
“She owed a lot of people, but no great sums,” Flinx replied. “At least, nothing that she ever spoke to me about and nothing I ever overheard talk of.”
“I do not understand it, then,” Arrapkha said solemnly.
“Nor do I, friend.”
“Perhaps,” Arrapkha suggested, “someone wished a private conversation with her and will bring her back in the morning?”
Flinx shook his head a second time. “I think that since she didn’t go with them voluntarily, she won’t be allowed to come back voluntarily. Regardless, one thing she always told me was not to sit around and stare blankly at the inexplicable but always to try and find answers. If she does come walking freely home tomorrow, then I can at least try to meet her coming.”
“Then you’re determined to go out after her?” Arrapkha lifted bushy black eyebrows.
“What else can I do?”
“You could wait. You’re a nice young fellow, Flinx-boy.” He waved toward the distant avenue. “Most everyone in the marketplace who knows you thinks so, also. You won’t lack for a place to stay or food to eat if you decide to wait for her. Your problem is that you’re too young, and the young are always overanxious.”
“Sorry, Arrapkha. I know you mean well for me, but I just can’t sit around here and wait. I think I’d be wasting my time and, worse, maybe hers as well. Mother Mastiff doesn’t have much time left to her.”
“And what if her time, excuse me, has already fled?” Arrapkha asked forcefully. Subtlety was not a strong trait of the marketplace’s inhabitants. “Will you involve yourself then in something dangerous which has chosen to spare you?”
“I have to know. I have to go after her and see if I can help.”
“I don’t understand,” Arrapkha said sadly. “You’re a smart young man, much smarter than I. Why risk yourself? She wouldn’t want you to, you know. She’s not really your mother.”
“Mother or mother-not,” Flinx replied, “she’s the only mother I’ve ever known. There’s more to it than simple biology, Arrapkha. The years have taught me that much.”
The older man nodded. “I thought you might say something like that, Flinx-boy. Well, I can at least wish you luck. It’s all I have to give you. Do you have credit?”
“A little, on my card.”
“If you need more, I can transfer.” Arrapkha started to pull out his own card.
“No, not now, anyway. I may need such help later.” He broke into a broad smile. “You’re a good friend, Arrapkha. Your friendship is as solid as your woodwork.” He turned. “Did you see which direction these figures took?”
“That’s little to start on.” He pointed to the north. “That way, up the alley. They could have turned off any time. And in the weather”—he indicated the clouds hanging limply overhead—”they’ll have left no trail for you to follow.”
“Perhaps not,” Flinx admitted. “We’ll see.”
“I expect you will, Flinx-boy, since you feel so strongly about this. All I can do, then, is wish luck to you.” He turned and strode back up the street toward his shop, keeping the slickertic tight around his head and neck.
Flinx waited until the rain had
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