She fidgeted. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes, you do. You wanted me to help but you wouldn't come right out and ask. In fact, I think you were following me all this time to see if I came up with anything. I led you to Corcan, and he led you to Gethin, didn't he? That's how you caught him!"
She sighed heavily and stood. "Anyway, I just stopped by to let you know the whole story. MacDuin suspended the Bergen Vize investigation, probably after he saw that picture. The new Community Liaison Officer is opening it up again."
"And that would be ... ?"
She walked to the door and threw a smile over her shoulder as she left. "The ass-kisser, who else?"
Leave it to Keeva to find a way to climb the corporate ladder in the midst of disaster. At least she knew that I knew she owed me a favor now. That's always helpful with recalcitrant Guild members.
Stinkwort sat up and stretched. "Hell, is she gone yet?"
"You know she is. And I know you woke up ten minutes ago."
He walked to the edge of the bed scratching his butt. "The 'new Community Liaison Officer' wouldn't know a sleeping flit from one jumping up her nose." He fluttered over to the nightstand and stuck his head in my water glass.
"You gave a pretty awesome display at the fort."
He pulled his head out and shook water out of his hair. He sat down and grinned. "Yeah, I did, if I say so myself."
"So what happened after you left?"
He made himself comfortable on the nightstand. "Man, I haven't been to a blast like that since the old days. Maeve throws a mean party."
"I meant Gethin, Joe."
He shrugged. "Oh. Maeve was happy to see him in a pissed-as-hell kind of way. After she pulled his wings off with her bare hands, she had him beheaded. Then we had the party."
I figured as much. Maeve had worked hard to keep things peaceful with the elves, to say nothing of all the murders Gethin had committed. Fairy justice was swift and often final.
"Why so quiet? I thought you'd be happy."
I looked at him. "I am, sort of. I don't feel bad for him at all. I just wish it never happened. Maybe if I had stopped Bergin Vize two years ago, it wouldn't have."
Stinkwort rolled his eyes. "Here we go again."
"No, really, Joe. Like it or not, in some way, Bergin Vize is my responsibility."
"So what do you want to do about it?"
I smirked at him. "I think after I get back on my feet, I might need a vacation. How would you like to see the Black Forest?"
Biography
Mark Del Franco spent several years in the publishing field in editorial and administrative roles and in the institutional finance field as a proposal writer. He currently works freelance in both these areas.
His first novel UNSHAPELY THINGS was published in 2007 by Ace Books. That title began the Convergent World series featuring Connor Grey and continues in UNQUIET DREAMS (2008) and UNFALLEN DEAD (2009). In August 2009, a new series featuring Guild agent Laura Blackstone will begin with SKIN DEEP.
Mark Del Franco lives with his partner, Jack, in Boston, Massachusetts, where the orchids Just Won't Die.
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