The Experimental Murders (Elysium #2)

Chapter Sixteen

 While they awaited news from Booker's sources, life went on as normal, or as normal as life could be when employed in the Larkin household. Booker was restless, and he continued his daily search through the city center in hopes of finding a fresh corpse. But as this could not keep him distracted for long, he threw himself into his work, spending most of his days downstairs, fiddling with designs and prototypes, only coming up to occasionally eat breakfast or see to one of his patients, such as old Ms. Portch.

Trinket stood by the settee, watching with fascination as Booker adjusted the older woman's mechanical earpiece. It sat like a little horn inside her ear and amplified sound so that she could understand those around her despite her failing hearing. Trinket had seen older folks using hearing horns before, but this was something altogether different. From what Booker had explained to her, this device allowed a person to increase or decrease the volume, even giving them the option of turning it off. And it was so easily hidden. It could be expanded or collapsed, making it possible to sleep with it attached in case one was woken suddenly and needed the use of their ears without fumbling for the device.

"So how's the landlord business been treating you, Ms. Portch?" Booker asked loudly as he used a small tool to adjust a tiny gear.

"Oh, quite well," the old lady replied with just as much volume.

"Any of your tenants causing you trouble?"

"No, no, I mostly rent to night flowers, and they all keep to themselves. Occasionally get a bit loud if they bring their clients home, but nothing worse than a damaged headboard."

Trinket averted her eyes, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Booker grinned. "I daresay things could be worse," he said.

"There is a new tenant I'm a tad suspicious of. Moved in only a few weeks ago. Strange fella, always coming and going at the oddest hours. I figured he must have a gal he visits, but I never see him with one. Saw him once out my window talking all secret like with a tall shadowy figure. Don't know what he's up to, but he'd best not be bringing it into my building."

Trinket's eyes widened. Secret meetings with shadowy figures? She exchanged a look with Booker, who seemed equally intrigued. "Well, I suppose it's impossible to keep all the riffraff out. This is Tinkerfall, after all," he said.

"True, true, too true."

With one final tweak, Booker finished his adjustments. Trinket watched as he carefully placed the device back in Ms. Portch's ear so that, if she wore her hair right, it would be nearly invisible. The old woman didn't seem too concerned with it being noticed, though. She fiddled with the tiny winder until the device expanded from her ear. Cocking her head, she tested it and wound it once more before smiling.

"Thank you, Doctor," she said as she turned to Booker, pulling out her money purse. "You're a godsend."

She pulled out several coins and handed them to him, but he only took half of them, returning the others to her. "I'm in a particularly good mood today," he told her, his voice returned to its normal volume. "Thank you for your business."

Ms. Portch pinched his cheek, and Trinket had to keep from snickering.

Booker saw the woman to the door with a polite smile. "Have a lovely day, Ms. Portch."

"You as well, Doctor."

Trinket was still trying to hold back her laughter when he returned to the parlour with a twisted grimace. "Don't," he said as he pointed at her.

"Don't what?" she asked innocently.

"Don't you start teasing me over that."

"Over what? The way that little old lady was treating you like her son? Or the way you only charged her half your standard price?"