Krage halted a short time later。 〃We'll set an ambush near his wagon。 He'll e back for it； won't he？〃
〃I expect so； Mr。 Krage。 But what good will I be？ I mean； I don't have a weapon； and wouldn't know how to use one if I did。〃
〃Shut up。 You're right。 You're not much good； Shed。 But I think you'll do fine as a distraction。 You get his attention。 Talk to him。 I'll hit him from behind。〃
〃Krage。 。 。 。〃
〃Shut up。〃 Krage rolled over the side of the building； clung to the parapet while getting a solid foothold。 Shed leaned forward。 Three storeys to the ground。
He kicked Krage's fingers。 Krage cursed； scrabbled for a fresh hold； missed； dropped； yelled； hit with a muted thump。 Shed watched his vague shape twitch； bee still。
〃I did it again。〃 He started shaking。 〃Can't stay here。 His men might find me。〃 He swung over the parapet and monkeyed down the side of the building； more afraid of being caught than of falling。
Krage was still breathing。 In fact； he was conscious but paralyzed。 〃You were right； Krage。 It was a trap。 You shouldn't have pushed me。 You made me hate you more than I was scared of you。〃 He looked around。 It wasn't as late as he had thought。 The rooftop hunt hadn't lasted long。 Where was Raven； anyway？
Somebody had to clean up。 He grabbed Krage； dragged him toward Raven's wagon。 Krage squealed。 For a moment Shed was afraid someone would investigate。 No one did。 This was the Buskin。
Krage screamed when Shed hoisted him into the wagon。 〃fy； Krage？〃
He retrieved Luke next； then went seeking other bodies。 He found another three。 None were Raven。 He muttered； 〃If he doesn't show in a half hour； I'll take them up myself and the hell with him。〃 Then： 〃What's e over you； Marron Shed？ Letting this go to your head？ So you found some guts。 So what？ That don't make you no Raven。〃
Someone was ing。 He snatched a booty dagger； faded into a shadow。
Raven tumbled a body into the wagon。 〃How the hell？〃
〃I collected them；〃 Shed explained。
〃Who are they？〃
〃Krage and his men。〃
〃I thought he ran for it。 Figured I had to go through it all again。 What happened？〃
Shed explained。 Raven shook his head in disbelief。 〃You？ Shed？〃
〃I guess there's only so much they can scare you。〃
〃True。 But I never thought you'd figure it out。 Shed； you amaze me。 Disappoint me； too； some。 I wanted Krage myself。〃
〃That's him making the noise。 He's got a broken back or something。 Kill him if you want。〃
〃He's worth more alive。〃
Shed nodded。 Poor Krage。 〃Where are the rest of them？〃
〃There's one on the roof。 Guess the other one got away。〃
〃Damn。 That means it's not over。〃
〃We can get him later。〃
〃Meanwhile； he goes and gets the others and we have them all after us。〃
〃You think they'd risk their lives to avenge Krage？ No way。 They'll be fighting among themselves。 Trying to take over。 Wait here。 I'll get the other one。〃
〃Hurry up；〃 Shed said。 The reaction was catching up。 He had survived。 The old Shed was ing back； dragging all his hysteria with him。
ing down from the castle； with pink and purple strands of dawn smearing the gaps between the Wolanders； Shed asked； 〃Why is he screaming？〃
The tall being had laughed and paid a hundred twenty leva for Krage。 His shrieks could still be heard。
〃I don't know。 Don't look back； Shed。 Do what you have to and move on。〃 And； a moment later： 〃I'm glad it's over。〃
〃Over？ What do you mean？〃
〃That was my last visit。〃 Raven patted his pocket。 〃I have enough。〃
〃Me； too。 I'm out of debt。 I can refurbish the Lily； set my mother up in her own place； and have plenty to make it next winter； no matter what business is like。 I'm going to forget that castle exists。〃
〃I don't think so； Shed。 You want to get away from it； better e with me。 It'll always be calling when you want some fast money。〃
〃I couldn't leave。 I have to look out for my mother。〃
〃Ah right。 I warned you。〃 Then Raven asked； 〃What about Asa？ He's going to be a problem。 The Custodians are going to keep looking till they find the people who raided the Catabs。 He's the weak link。〃
〃I can handle Asa。〃
〃I hope so； Shed。 I hope so。〃
Krage's disappearance was the talk of the Buskin。 Shed played a baffled role； claiming he knew nothing； despite rumors to the contrary。 His story held up。 He was Shed the coward。 The one man who knew differently did not contradict him。
The hard part was facing his mother。 Old June said nothing； but her blind stare was accusing。 She made him feel evil； an infidel； and disowned in the secret reaches of her mind。 The gap had bee unbridgable。
Chapter Sixteen： JUNIPER： NASTY SURPRISE
Bullock looked me up next time he wanted to go downhill。 Maybe he just wanted pany。 He had no local friends。
〃What's up？〃 I asked when he barged into my tiny office cum dispensary。
〃Get your coat。 Buskin time again。〃
His eagerness excited me for no reason other than that I was bored with Duretile。 I pitied my rades。 They hadn't yet had a chance to get out。 The place was a drudge。
So away we went； and going down the hill； past the Enclosure； I asked； 〃Why all the excitement？〃
He replied； 〃Not really excitement。 Not even anything to do with us； probably。 Remember that sweetheart of a moneylender？〃
〃In the bandages？〃
〃Yeah。 Krage。 He's vanished。 Him and half of his boys。 Seems he took a crack at the guy who cut him。 And hasn't been seen since。〃
I frowned。 That did not seem remarkable。 Gangsters are always disappearing； then popping up again。
〃Over there。〃 Bullock pointed to some brush along the Enclosure wall。 〃That's where our men got inside。〃 He indicated a stand of trees across the way。 〃Parked their wagons there。 We've got a witness who saw those。 Filled with wood； he says。 e on。
I'll show you。〃 He pushed into the brush； dropped to hands and knees。 I followed； grumbling because I was getting wet。 The north wind did nothing to improve matters。
The interior of the Enclosure was seedier than its exterior。 Bullock showed me several dozen bundles of wood found in the brush near the breach。
〃Looks like they were moving a lot。〃
〃I figure they needed a lot to cover the bodies。 Cut it up there。〃 He indicated trees above us； back toward Duretile。 The castle stood limned against streamers of cloud； a grey stone rockpile one earth tremor short of collapse。
I examined the bundles。 Bullock's associates had dragged them out and stacked them； which may not have been smart detective work。 Looked to me like they had been cut and bundled over a period of weeks。 Some ends were more weathered than others。 I mentioned that to Bullock。
〃I noticed。 Way I figure； somebody was getting wood regular。 They found the Catabs by accident。 That's when they got greedy。〃
〃Uhm。〃 I considered the woodpile。 〃Figure they were selling it？〃
〃No。 That we know。 Nobody has been selling Enclosure wood。 Probably a family or a group of neighbors using the wood themselves。〃
〃You check on wagon rentals？〃
〃How stupid do you think people are？ Rent a wagon for a raid on the Catabs？''
I shrugged。 〃We're counting on one of them being stupid； aren't we？〃
He admitted； 〃You're right。 It should be checked。 But it's hard when I'm the only one who has guts enough to do legwork in the Buskin。 I'm hoping we get lucky somewhere else。 If I have to； I'll cover it。 When there's nothing more pressing。〃
〃I see the place where they got in？〃 I asked。
He wanted to tell me no。 Instead； he said； 〃It's a fair hike。 Use up an hour。 I'd rather go sniff around this Krage thing while it's hot。〃
I shrugged。 〃Some other time； then。〃
We got down into Krage's territory and started rambling。
Bullock still had a few contacts left from his boyhood。 Coaxed properly； with a few gersh； they would talk。 I was not allowed to sit in。 I spent the time sipping beer in a tavern where they alternately fawned over my money and acted like I had the plague。 When asked； I did not deny being an Inquisitor。
Bullock joined me。 〃Maybe we don't have anything after all。 There's all kinds of rumors。 One says his own men did him in。 One says it was his petition。 He's a little pushy with his neighbors。〃 He accepted a mug of wine on the house； something I hadn't seen him do before。 I put it down to preoccupation。
〃There's one angle we can check。 He was obsessed about getting some foreigner who made a fool of him in public。 There's some say the same foreigner was the man who cut him up。〃 He took out a list and began to peruse it。 〃Not going to be a lot there for us； I expect。 The night Krage disappeared there was a lot of whoop and holler。 Not a single eyewitness； of course。〃 He grinned。 〃Ear…witnesses say it was a running battle。 That makes me favor the palace revolution theory。〃
〃What have you got there？〃
〃A list of people who were maybe getting wood out of the Enclosure。 Some might have seen each other。 I was thinking I might find something interesting if I pared their stories。〃 He waved for more wine。 This time he paid； and covered the first mug； too； though the house would have forgiven him payment。 I got the impression Junipe