Katryn shrugged. “How would LeCoup react to a Militia sergeant who told her the Rangers had gotten things wrong and then asked a favor from her?”
Chip opened her mouth and then closed it again. Actually, it did not bear thinking about—if you were squeamish.
Chapter Four—Old Arguments
A bay-fronted inn stood at the corner of the road a short way from the military command compound. Noisy groups of Landfallers crowded the front, but the rear of the taproom was quiet and half empty, occupied mainly by inn guests taking an evening meal. Yellow lamplight brought out the warmth of the wood-paneled walls. The low-beamed ceiling made the large room feel snug. Chip and Katryn found an empty corner table and sat down with their drinks.
“I suppose the day hasn’t gone too badly,” Chip conceded. “We’ve probably made more progress than they have up in Redridge.”
“I think it was all worth it just to hear Clarinda Wright described as a reliable worker. I was so impressed by the way Drummond kept a straight face while she said it. I was waiting for her to add that little Nosheen is kind to children and old ladies.” Katryn’s voice held amused disbelief.
“You don’t think it’s possible they’ve become reformed characters?” Chip joked.
“Not unless the Goddess has paid a personal visit to Landfall this past year. Because I can’t see anything less than her physical intervention doing it.”
“And it would be too ironic if they became victims of bandits immediately after they’ve joined the side of the righteous.”
Katryn’s face became serious. “Drummond has to be involved in some way. Wright and Paulino have never done an honest day’s work in their lives. Even if it were part of an elaborate plan to defraud, they couldn’t have kept it up for a year. Drummond has to know what they are like and is lying to protect them. I just can’t see why, since she’s the one who loses.”
“That’s if she is.” An idea suddenly hit Chip.
“How?” Katryn asked when the silence dragged out.
Chip’s gaze focused on the distance. “Something Drummond said has just registered on me.”
“You’d trust her word?”
“Oh, yes, because I don’t think she realized that she’d given herself away—or that I’d understand the significance.”
“What?”
“When she said Grosskopf in Fairfield was the one who insisted on the route via Redridge.” Chip smiled at the incomprehension on Katryn’s face. “You obviously don’t come from a family of merchants. Usually, a trader goes where she can get the thing she wants, pays for it and takes it away with her. But for some items—and custom-made jewelry would be a good example—the trader has to go to a supplier, put in an order and have the goods sent to her when they are ready. When she pays is subject to negotiation. A really reputable supplier will take cash on delivery, but I think we’re agreed that Drummond isn’t reputable.”
“You think Grosskopf paid money up front?”
“That’s where Drummond made the slip. The buyer must have had some financial stake in the cargo to have a say in the route, else it would have been entirely up to Drummond how the jewelry got to Fairfield. My guess is Grosskopf paid half on ordering, with the rest due when she got the goods.”
“So Drummond would still have lost half the value of the cargo.”
“Not if it never left Landfall. Consider whose word we’ve got that the bales contained hidden jewelry.”
“Three women died…” Katryn started to protest but then fell quiet.
“Drummond said the three were her employees but didn’t say for how long. With Wright and Paulino in on the fraud, the others could have been expendable dupes, stabbed in the back when they weren’t expecting it.” Chip paused and then asked, “Do you think Nosheen Paulino is up to murdering in cold blood?”
“Yes, if the money was right,” Katryn said slowly. She looked troubled, and her eyes were fixed on the tabletop. “So what do we do now?”
“Information about the robbery should be held at Joint Command. From it, we can get the names and addresses of the women who died. It would be interesting to find out whether they were long-term employees or casual hands Drummond picked up the week before; although it doesn’t mean she’d have put any value on them, even if they’d been with her for years.” Chip frowned. “Basically, we need to get enough evidence together to persuade a magistrate to give us a search warrant for Drummond’s place.”
“We’ll need to get the Landfall Militia behind us.”
Chip sighed. “True. I think we’ll have to visit Woodside.” She glanced across. Katryn’s face had fallen. “I know you’re not keen on it, but a report from the Militia there about Wright and Paulino could be vital in building our case—and persuade the Militia here to take us seriously.”
“Oh, I understand. It’s just that there are some people in Woodside I’d rather avoid.” Katryn shrugged. “I’ll survive it, though.”
“I can sympathize, because I’m not looking forward to the other thing we need to do.”
“Which is?”
“We need proof that Drummond could make a profit out of faking the robbery. A copy of her contract with Grosskopf will be logged with the merchants’ guild. We need to see it.”
“What’s the problem?”
“To view a contract without written consent from one of the parties, we’ll need the personal authorization of the guildmaster. Her name’s Prudence Tang.” Chip grimaced. “She’s my sister, and we didn’t part happily.” Chip’s mouth was suddenly dry. She picked up her tankard, only to discover that it was empty. Waving it toward Katryn, she asked, “Do you want another drink?”
Katryn pulled a half smile and shook her head. “I’ve still got most of mine left.”
“You’ll never get drunk like that.”
“That’s my intention.”
“I’ll just get myself another half.” Chip slipped out from the table. She had barely reached the bar when a woman sidled over. Chip was not surprised; she had already noted the woman smiling in their direction.
“Good evening, Sergeant. Could I buy that drink for you?”
Chip tried to excuse herself politely. “No, but thank you…it’s…I’m okay.”
The woman looked disappointed, but she continued. “I’m a trader visiting Landfall. A drink would be the least I could do to show my appreciation of the women who keep our roads safe for commerce.” Her voice was low; her tone implied that other ways of showing her appreciation were also on offer.
“No, really.”
“Maybe another time?”
“Maybe.”
“I’ll be here tomorrow night as well.” The woman would not give up.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Chip got her drink and returned to the table in the corner. On the way, she risked a quick glance back at the trader. The woman was pretty in a mature way, with a well-shaped body. There had been a pleasant lilt to her voice. A Ranger could do far worse for a night’s entertainment. However, Chip was not tempted—not with Katryn waiting for her.
*
The clerk at the merchants’ guildhall did a double take when Chip gave her name, but her expression immediately settled. No doubt she was marking it down as a coincidence. She listened to the request for a meeting with the guildmaster, muttered, “I will see what can be arranged,” in tones implying that the middle of the next week was the time scale the Rangers should expect, and trotted away.
When the clerk returned, her face looked as though she were trying to perform compound-interest calculations in her head. She beckoned the two Rangers to follow her. “The guildmaster can see you now.” The words were devoid of emphasis, but the Rangers could see the sums whirling around behind her eyes.
Chip and Katryn were led along a wide tiled hall. The décor was plain but unmistakably expensive, intended to whisper quality rather than shout it. No hanging drapes deadened the sharp clack of footsteps; even sound was used to bolster the impr
ession of purposeful progress. The door the clerk stopped outside was carved from solid wood. The panels were without ornamentation, but the proportions were perfect. Chip tried to ignore the tension building inside her.
“Guildmaster Tang’s office.” The clerk pushed open the door. “Sergeant Coppelli and Private Nagata of the Rangers to see you, ma’am.” She backtracked out, allowing Chip and Katryn to enter.
Prudence Tang sat behind a huge desk. She had put on a little weight since Chip had last seen her, and her face was showing the lines of middle age, which further hid any family resemblance—not that there had ever been much, except maybe in their noses. Her frozen expression also did not help. She looked as though she were rooted in her chair. It was some seconds after the door had closed that she found her voice.
“By the Goddess…Piety! It is you, isn’t it?”
Chip ignored the unorthodox greeting. “Thank you, ma’am, for seeing us so promptly. I’ll try not to take too much of your time. We’re investigating a robbery and multiple murder, and we need information concerning one of your members.”
Prudence Tang’s jaw sagged. She shook her head sharply and pinched the bridge of her nose. “You…you just reappear after….And now you…what?” She sounded dazed.
“I said, ma’am, we’re investigating a robbery and multiple murder, and we need information concerning one of your members.” Chip could hear that her own voice was less steady than at first.
“And that’s all?” Prudence’s composure had solidified in disbelief. “No ‘Hello, sis, how are you doing?’ No word about where you’ve been the past ten years?”
Chip’s gaze dropped briefly to the floor. “I assumed that if you’d wanted to know that, you’ve have tried to find out for yourself. You do have the resources.”
“You just walked out on the family and—”
Chip cut her off. “I was thrown out. Remember? You were there.”
“Mama Izzy was angry.”
“Oh, surely not!” Chip said in savage irony.
“I couldn’t have done anything to help you.”
“So you didn’t bother trying.”
“I thought…we all thought that you’d go back to the sanctum.”
“That I’d just knuckle under like the rest of you and do what our mothers wanted?”
Prudence slumped in her chair. “No. I knew you’d find a way out. I just wish you’d…come to me. Or at least let me know where you were.”
“You really had no idea?”
“Some years back, Sandy finally told me you’d called to see Mama Izzy a few days after the row. She said you’d been wearing the black uniform. I checked with the Militia. I was told you’d transferred to the Rangers.”
“Then you knew where I was.”
“That was years later.” Prudence’s voice intensified. “But back when we first learned you’d abandoned the temple. Mercy, Constance and I were distraught. We all were. You could have been lying dead in a gutter, for all we knew.”
“Then you should have searched the gutters on the night I was thrown out.” Chip was implacable.
“So you’ve come here to dig up old arguments?” Prudence spoke with a flash of anger.
“No. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over and finished. I’ve come here to get information on one of your members who we think might be involved in robbery and murder.”
Prudence took a deep breath, visibly reining in both her confusion and irritation. “All right, we’ll play it that way. Who is the merchant you want to know about?”
“Mistress Drummond of Upper Street.”
“Really?” Prudence retreated behind a mask of businesslike authority. “It’s awful to say, but I’m not totally surprised to hear you name her. She doesn’t have a good reputation. Her accounts balance; however, they don’t tie in with her visible expenditures. There have been rumors, but no proof. I’m afraid there’s nothing definite I can tell you unless you have a specific question.”
“What I’m interested in is a recent contract between her and a trader called Grosskopf, from Fairfield. It concerns jewelry that was supposedly stolen in transit. I suspect it never left Landfall, but I need to be able to show that Drummond could have made a profit from faking the robbery. Since I don’t want to ask Drummond’s permission to see the contract, I’ve come to get your authorization.”
Prudence nodded crisply. “I understand. I’ll get someone to check the archives. A certified copy of the contract will be ready for you to pick up here tomorrow afternoon.”
“Then I won’t take any more of your time. Thank you for your assistance.” Chip retreated toward the door.
“Wait…please.” Prudence’s aloofness slipped again. She scrambled out from behind her desk.
Chip looked down to meet her sister’s eyes. Prudence was the shorter of the two by a good ten centimeters. The guildmaster put her hands on Chip’s upper arms and examined her face. She spoke softly, almost whispering, “Just tell me everything is okay. That you’re happy now. And that you’ll forgive me for not standing up to our mothers. You know I was never very good at it.”
Chip flushed softly. For the first time since entering the room, she felt a trace of her usual grin return. “I know, and it’s okay. I’m happy. Give my love to anyone you think deserves it.”
*
As soon as they were outside the guildhall, Chip set off down the street, with Katryn trailing behind, but after a hundred meters she halted abruptly and rubbed her face with her hands, Then she gave Katryn a shamefaced grimace. The interview must have been a confusing experience for the onlooker. “I’m sorry to have dragged you through that.”
Katryn shrugged. “It’s okay. I don’t get along very well with my sister either.”
“Oh, Prudence is all right. She just…” Chip sighed and stopped. “I…er…I need to take a break and get my head back in order.”
“Fine.”
Chip started walking again, this time an aimless stroll. Nothing was said until they reached a small empty square overlooking the river Liffey. The flagstones had been washed clean by the overnight rain; damp patches remained in the shade of tall buildings. A waist-high wall ran along the embankment, and steps led down to a mooring jetty. Chip rested her forearms on the wall and stared out over the water, watching the river barges and wading birds. Katryn took a place beside her.
Chip felt the need to talk. “It was odd seeing Prudence again. She was always my favorite sister, which was what made it so hard when she wouldn’t stand up for me. I never expected much from the other six.”
“You’ve got seven sisters?” Katryn exclaimed.
“Oh, yes.” Chip grinned. “I was the youngest. It was all part of my parents’ plans for world domination.”
“I was thinking of the imprinting fees.”
“Remember, we’re talking Tangs.”
“Of course. They’re rich.”
“Forget rich. Did you hear of the golden chapel extension on the temple fifty years back? The Tangs paid for it as proof of their devotion. In gratitude, the Sisterhood waived all their imprinting fees for three generations.”
“Who got the better deal?”
“Financially?” Chip wrinkled her nose. “The Sisterhood. I doubt the Tangs took advantage of the exemption. They’re landowners; half of Landfall pays them rent. They don’t think in terms of money; they just sit there and rake it in. But the Coppellis…they’re merchants. Waving the word ‘free’ in front of one of them is like waving a bone in front of a starving dog. It went without saying that my birth mother made full use of the exemption when she had a Tang as a partner. I’m only surprised that they stopped at eight. Maybe after me, they ran out of suitable careers.”
“Pardon?” Unsurprisingly, the last sentence had lost Katryn.
“My mothers’ alliance marked the union of boundless ambition with money. My birth mother, Isabel Coppelli, was the one with schemes for the future. My gene mother just let her get on with it—and provided th
e funds. Mama Izzy had this idea of a large family of sisters, each of them taking a key role in the city. Of course, we didn’t get a say in it; our future was decided for us. Prudence was marked down as guildmaster before she was born. My oldest sister, Constance, has had a bit more of a struggle, but she should achieve her destiny and become mayor in another few years.”
“What were you supposed to be? Or are the Rangers…?”
“Hardly.” Chip paused and then said bleakly, “I was headed for the Sisterhood. I don’t know if my mothers thought they could bribe my way to Chief Consultant, but it was their chance to see how far money could push a woman up the temple hierarchy. But I was completely unsuited to the role—the only flaw in the plan. All my sisters were taught suitable subjects at home by tutors; I was enrolled in the temple school when I was four. One of my parents’ bodyguards, either Sandy or Jez, would escort me across town. The Sisters would spend the day trying to drum theology into my head, and then I’d be taken home again. I hated it. The lessons were so boring, and when I realized that my mothers expected me to become a Sister and spend my whole life in the temple…” Chip fell silent at the memory.
“But the Sisterhood is a calling; you have to make your vows freely before Celaeno.”
Chip gave a cynical grunt. “I don’t think it ever occurred to my birth mother that her daughters could have minds of their own. Certainly, my sisters never gave her reason to consider the idea. When I finally told her I didn’t want to enter the Sisterhood, I think she was genuinely astounded.”
“What did she say?”
“I was told not to be silly. So I tried to get myself expelled from the school. All I got was a few good hidings. My mothers kept bribing the Sisterhood to let me stay. I felt trapped. I was actually pushed as far as becoming an initiate when I turned sixteen. I entered the outer sanctum at the temple, white robe and all.” Chip’s eyes were no longer focused on the river before her. “I’d been there five months, but I hadn’t taken full vows, so I was allowed home for my gene mother’s birthday, and I knew I couldn’t go back. All hell let loose when they realized I meant it—threats, screaming. Mama Izzy tried to box my ears. I pushed her away. I didn’t hit her, but she fell over. So she called Sandy and Jez to throw me out of the house—literally.”
Rangers at Roadsend Page 5