Edgewise

14

"What was the point of it?" Calponia watched Mack pace the floor. He started and stopped several times, trying to find words to explain what happened on Sanguinheim with little success. He paused, considering her question.

"The point? The point of what?"

Calponia shrugged, uncomfortable beneath the intensity of his stare. Now that she knew about it, she saw more hints her boss was only mostly human. "Why leave the bodies for you to find? If someone is opening doors they shouldn't be, why not hide their tracks? It like rubbing your face in it."

Mack's jaw slackened as he mulled her words over, his teeth visible, bright white and perfectly straight. She was happy they weren't pointed. Not that she truly had anything against pointed teeth. Eugene had pointed teeth, though he tried awfully hard to hide them from her, never quite opening his mouth when she was around....she was babbling in her head again. Calponia cleared her throat and stood to make her bed.

"Your observation was perhaps more apt than you know," Mack murmured at her back. She turned to frown at him.

"I'm sorry?"

"Rubbing my nose in it," he said, running his knuckles along the bridge of his long nose. "As if it were personal. Someone who knew I'd recognize what was happening."

Calponia raised a brow at that. "Know anyone you particularly pissed off to leave a calling card of carcasses?"

"There are a few who could fit the bill," said Mack, who had the good grace to look sheepish at the admission.

"Well, start with a list," said Calponia, "nothing gives clarity like setting all the potential players on the board in front of you."

Mack opened his mouth to say more when the rafters groaned ominously overhead. The lights flickered. The tavern master's head jerked round to the door as footsteps rushed through the hall. Calponia was looking around in confusion when the sharp knock at the door made her jump.

Mack was already at the door, yanking it open to find a panting pirate captain.

"Ravelock, what is it?"

The man fought for breath but still managed to raise a reproachful finger. "That's... Captain ...Ravelock...you git," he wheezed.

Mack rolled his eyes, counting under his breath. "What is it Captain Ravelock?" He spoke through his teeth.

Ravelock inhaled deeply through his nose, managing to spit out the words without the gasps inbetween. "Young Cesario's downstairs. Brought a friend, but old man's in bad shape. Poor bugger looks like he took a shank to the backside."

The rafters gave another groan. Calponia yelped as the light bulb in her bedside lamp shattered with a crackling pop.

Mack was out the door, rushing down the stairs with Captain Ravelock on his heels. Calponia carefully maneuvered through the shards of broken glass in her bare feet to follow when a familiar face filled the door frame.