was working for the Guild. Mostly, he passed information about the Tangle and movements of Eorla’s people.”
“Has the Guild taken over the case?” I asked.
He shook his head. “He’s still in the morgue. No one wants him.”
“That sounds like political dodgeball. I guess we wait and see who picks him up. That’ll tell us who has more to hide,” I said. I wanted to bite back my words, but they were out.
Janey could not keep the smile off her face. She was loving Murdock’s discomfort. “Maybe everyone should go out for coffee.”
Clearly defeated, Murdock eyed her with amusement. “Coffee is good for a lot of things.”
I decided to let them off the hook. “Speaking of which, I could use a cup. You guys want anything?”
“No, thanks. I’m meeting someone for dinner,” Janey said.
“Yeah, me, too,” Murdock said.
I rubbed my hands together. “Okay, then. I guess I’ll check in with you later. Let me know if something comes up.”
Janey lost it. She backed away, laughing. Murdock glared at me in a way that told me I would pay for that. Amused, I watched them walk away. When they reached the corner, Murdock held Janey’s arm above the elbow as they crossed the street.
I sighed and went into the coffee shop. It never crossed my mind that they had any interest in each other. I guessed I wasn’t good about predicting the future.
13
Late the next morning, a knock at the door startled me out of sleep. I was expecting Meryl for lunch, but it was too early, which meant that Ceridwen’s messengers might be rousting me out of bed for something. I had been avoiding Ceridwen since yesterday because I didn’t want to give her the answer she didn’t want to hear. I didn’t want to go to Ireland, at least not now. As she lay dying, I had promised to help her get revenge against Maeve, but that didn’t mean I had to do it her way.
I opened the door and cringed as my mother grabbed me in a full body hug. “Still an early riser, I see.”
“How did you find me, Ma?” I asked.
She entered the room, eyeing it with suspicious appraisal. “I asked.”
I closed the door behind her. “Mother, I’m in hiding. You didn’t just ask for directions to my apartment.”
She peered down at the seat cushion on the armchair. “Actually, I did. I asked Amos the Apothecary, whom I have known for years. He gave me the general direction and a contacton Ceridwen’s staff, who referred me to that rather disheveled dwarf who keeps the lookout on the water tower next door. He told me.”
I pulled my jeans on and sat on the bed. “And why would he tell you where I lived?”
With a deep breath, she sat in the chair. “I told him I was your mother.”
“And he believed you?” I asked.
She put on an innocent face. “I knew his mother. We played cribbage years ago. She stank at it.”
“You shouldn’t have come down here. It’s dangerous,” I said.
She pulled her chin in. “Is it? It looked rather shabby as I came through. Not like the old days. Do those trolls still live under the channel? They kept things lively down here.”
“There’s only one troll. He pretends to live under the bridge but has a nice underground apartment nearby,” I said.
She clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Only one left? No wonder there are so many feral cats around. Do you have any tea?”
I glanced at my empty kitchen. “I haven’t been shopping. Why don’t you give me a sec to wash up, and we can grab lunch?”
She waved her hand. “No need. I have a luncheon date already. I wanted to see you.”
“Is everything all right?” I asked.
She pursed her lips. “Hmm. Yes, of course, everything’s all right. I have spent half an hour sitting on top of a water tower talking to a lonely dwarf because everything’s all right.”
I sighed. It was going to be one of those conversations. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m worried about your father. This business with the Seelie Court has taken the wind out of
“Has the Guild taken over the case?” I asked.
He shook his head. “He’s still in the morgue. No one wants him.”
“That sounds like political dodgeball. I guess we wait and see who picks him up. That’ll tell us who has more to hide,” I said. I wanted to bite back my words, but they were out.
Janey could not keep the smile off her face. She was loving Murdock’s discomfort. “Maybe everyone should go out for coffee.”
Clearly defeated, Murdock eyed her with amusement. “Coffee is good for a lot of things.”
I decided to let them off the hook. “Speaking of which, I could use a cup. You guys want anything?”
“No, thanks. I’m meeting someone for dinner,” Janey said.
“Yeah, me, too,” Murdock said.
I rubbed my hands together. “Okay, then. I guess I’ll check in with you later. Let me know if something comes up.”
Janey lost it. She backed away, laughing. Murdock glared at me in a way that told me I would pay for that. Amused, I watched them walk away. When they reached the corner, Murdock held Janey’s arm above the elbow as they crossed the street.
I sighed and went into the coffee shop. It never crossed my mind that they had any interest in each other. I guessed I wasn’t good about predicting the future.
13
Late the next morning, a knock at the door startled me out of sleep. I was expecting Meryl for lunch, but it was too early, which meant that Ceridwen’s messengers might be rousting me out of bed for something. I had been avoiding Ceridwen since yesterday because I didn’t want to give her the answer she didn’t want to hear. I didn’t want to go to Ireland, at least not now. As she lay dying, I had promised to help her get revenge against Maeve, but that didn’t mean I had to do it her way.
I opened the door and cringed as my mother grabbed me in a full body hug. “Still an early riser, I see.”
“How did you find me, Ma?” I asked.
She entered the room, eyeing it with suspicious appraisal. “I asked.”
I closed the door behind her. “Mother, I’m in hiding. You didn’t just ask for directions to my apartment.”
She peered down at the seat cushion on the armchair. “Actually, I did. I asked Amos the Apothecary, whom I have known for years. He gave me the general direction and a contacton Ceridwen’s staff, who referred me to that rather disheveled dwarf who keeps the lookout on the water tower next door. He told me.”
I pulled my jeans on and sat on the bed. “And why would he tell you where I lived?”
With a deep breath, she sat in the chair. “I told him I was your mother.”
“And he believed you?” I asked.
She put on an innocent face. “I knew his mother. We played cribbage years ago. She stank at it.”
“You shouldn’t have come down here. It’s dangerous,” I said.
She pulled her chin in. “Is it? It looked rather shabby as I came through. Not like the old days. Do those trolls still live under the channel? They kept things lively down here.”
“There’s only one troll. He pretends to live under the bridge but has a nice underground apartment nearby,” I said.
She clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Only one left? No wonder there are so many feral cats around. Do you have any tea?”
I glanced at my empty kitchen. “I haven’t been shopping. Why don’t you give me a sec to wash up, and we can grab lunch?”
She waved her hand. “No need. I have a luncheon date already. I wanted to see you.”
“Is everything all right?” I asked.
She pursed her lips. “Hmm. Yes, of course, everything’s all right. I have spent half an hour sitting on top of a water tower talking to a lonely dwarf because everything’s all right.”
I sighed. It was going to be one of those conversations. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m worried about your father. This business with the Seelie Court has taken the wind out of
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