Pendant of Fortune (18 page)

Footsteps echoed down the corridor. He smelled a large wolf and Archie the weasel, and lifted his head.

Captain Nero was an imposing wolf. Large and round, with a shaggy mane of brown fur jumbled around his pointed ears, he presented the appearance of a hedonist who had enjoyed too many dinners and disdained the trouble of presenting himself neatly. His dark green eyes were the only part of him that did not fit that picture. They scanned every person and thing in the room he stood in constantly, never missing a detail. His attire was much as Volle had remembered it: royal blue vest stretched over his rotund frame, shirt tucked carelessly into his overstretched pants. He would almost be comical, except for those piercing, deadly serious eyes.

They examined Volle now, then slid over to Helfer. “So you two know the wolf.”

Volle nodded. “What’s…is he…?”

“
What’s his name?”

“
Streak,” Volle whispered numbly. They didn’t know his name. So he was a corpse. He felt his fingers twitch.

“
What kind of name is that, Archie?” The weasel shrugged. “That’s all he told us, too. Well, if that’s his name, then that’s his name.”

Volle felt his heart unclench, and he made a small sound that brought curious looks from both wolf and weasel. “He’s alive.”

“
Of course he’s alive. He’s the suspect, not the victim. Archie, didn’t you tell them that?”

“
I didn’t know until five minutes ago,” the weasel said defensively.

“
Observe the emotional strain Lord Vinton is under, Archie. Lord Vinton, we must apologize. Though I am afraid the truth is not much better.”

The words seemed to be oozing into Volle’s consciousness with the speed of honey. “Suspect?”

“
How long have you known him?”

“
For a year. A bit longer than a year. What do you mean, he’s a suspect?”

“
In a moment.” Nero held up a large paw. “Did he seem at all preoccupied or distressed tonight? When was the last time you saw him, and where?”

“
Here, right after dinner. We went to see the merchants, and he said he’d wait here. He said he might wander off, but that he’d be back.”

“
Did he seem distressed?”

“
He was quiet,” Helfer put in. “But I think he was disoriented. It was his first time at a royal banquet.”

Archie seemed surprised. “How long have you known him, Lord Ikling?”

“
Only a couple days.” Helfer glanced at Volle. “I talked to him extensively yesterday. I must say I can’t believe he would do anything like that.”

“
Belief, sadly, is a luxury I do not have,” Nero said pompously. “I deal only in facts.”

“
What does he say about it?” Volle asked through gritted teeth.

“
He claims innocence. But he was found with the body, and his scent is all over the weapon that killed her. Nobody else was in the whole suite of rooms.”

“
Whose rooms?”

“
Mine.” Dereath strolled down the corridor, smirking at Volle. He was wearing the same outfit he’d worn at dinner—no, the vest was green instead of blue. But the white shirt, the leather pants, and the smug expression were all the same. He walked up beside Archie and stood there, arms folded. “I was looking for you, Captain, and what do I find? The motive.” His high, nasal voice grated on Volle as it always had.

“
Pay attention, Archie,” said Nero. “It sounds as though Lord Fardew is going to educate us.”

Volle saw Dereath’s whiskers twitch, but the rat didn’t react otherwise. “Lord Vinton is on trial later in this retreat,” he snapped. “I had concealed a witness to his crime without which his chances of escaping justice would be vastly improved. Today I was forced to reveal the witness to the court, and tonight, the fox’s lover kills the witness. Coincidence? You tell me, Captain.”

“
It would be extraordinary if it were. Don’t you think, Archie?”

“
I would think so.” The weasel was looking only at Dereath.

“
Lord Ikling.” Dereath looked across Volle at Helfer. “I am glad to see you here as well. I am taking the suspect into royal custody, since the victim was part of a royal proceeding. Your local authority is superseded.”

“
Fine,” Helfer snapped back at him. “Just make sure nothing happens to him, so when he’s proven innocent, he can be released.”

“
Oh, he won’t be proven innocent.” Dereath wore a nasty smile as he turned back to Volle. “The pendant of fortune swings back and forth,
Lord Vinton
, and though you have benefited from it in the past, it is swinging back my way. Deny it if you wish, but you cannot avoid it.”

“
What business did you have with me, Lord Fardew?” Nero had waited patiently through this outburst.

“
I wanted to tell you that the prisoner has been moved to the north tower. It’s the most sound, and we have a lock on the door and a guard. When you need to interrogate him further, go there. The guard is instructed to let you in.” He looked at Volle as he concluded, “and
only
you.”

“
What about me?” Archie folded his arms.

“
Yes, yes, I’ll tell him to let you in too.” Dereath looked up at Nero. “Please finish your report as soon as possible. I’d like to have the execution as soon as you’ve established his guilt.”

Archie and Helfer both straightened indignantly at that, and Volle stood from his chair, but Nero quieted them with a paw. “I hardly think that the King would appreciate an execution during his retreat. I’m sure the sentence can wait until we return to Divalia.”

“
It’s been quite the retreat so far, hasn’t it?” Dereath said with a sneer at Helfer. “Rain, cold, and murder. I’m surprised the food wasn’t spoiled.” He turned on his heel and walked quickly down the corridor.

Silence remained in the small room, until Helfer spoke. “I shouldn’t have had them fix all the holes in the floor. It would be nice to think he could drop into one.”

“
He’s not guilty.” Volle remained standing, looking at Nero, but as he said the words he was starting to wonder, really wonder. Streak wouldn’t kill anyone, but what if he thought he would be saving Volle? What if he felt the need to protect him?

“
That remains to be seen,” Nero replied. “I have not looked at all the facts yet, and I hate to form an opinion without all the facts. Make a note of that, Archie.”

“
Yes, sir. I never would have thought of that one.” The weasel didn’t make a move.

“
Might I trouble you for one of those chairs, my Lords? I am quite tired of standing. Ah, thank you.” He settled himself into Volle’s chair. “Now, Lord Vinton. Can you recall anything else that might have a bearing on the events of tonight? Any response to Lord Fardew’s allegations?”

Volle paced back and forth, tail lashing. “He only found out about the witness at dinner. He couldn’t have found out where she was and killed her in that time. Could he?”

The large wolf stroked his whiskers. “If you are asking whether that is possible, then I would have to answer yes. Wouldn’t you think so, Archie? But if you are asking whether it is probable, that I will reserve judgment on. Though the fact that he was found with the body certainly increases the chances.” He resettled his bulk. “Now, if you don’t mind, my Lord, I would like to continue asking questions. Is it true you and he were lovers.”

“
Yes.” Volle stared defiantly at Nero, then at Archie, who appeared completely unfazed by this. “I brought him here because once I win the hearing, I intend to bring him to the palace.”

“
So what Lord Fardew said was true?”

“
Which part?”

“
Any of it.”

Volle shrugged. “I already told you we’re lovers. And I know he did have a witness. We found out about it this afternoon.”

“
I thought you said ‘Streak’ found out about it at dinner.”

“
Lord Tistunish told me this afternoon. He heard it from Lord Alacris. But Streak wasn’t there. He didn’t find out until we were discussing it at dinner.”

“
How did it come up at dinner?”

Volle thought back. “I spotted Dereath—Lord Fardew. And that reminded Streak of the hearing, and he asked if Dereath had any witnesses.”

“
That’s an odd thing to ask.”

“
Well, he didn’t say it like that.” Volle looked away from the wolf’s penetrating eyes. “He said…Hef, do you remember what he said?” The weasel shook his head. “He said something like ‘Well, he doesn’t have any witnesses, does he?’ Like that.”

“
And you said…”

“
We told him we’d just found out about one.”

“
What did he say then?”

“
I don’t know. Nothing.” Volle remembered the desperate mutter (
won’t be a problem
), but he couldn’t bring himself to mention it to the detectives. He hadn’t heard it clearly. What if he were making it sound sinister to himself in retrospect? Or—worse—what if he weren’t?

“
I see.”

There was a long pause, during which Volle felt his heart constrict again. “Can I see him?” He tried to keep the desperation out of his voice, but he couldn’t keep his tail or ears up. He needed to see Streak again, to look into his eyes and see the truth there.

Nero shook his head slowly. “You heard Lord Fardew.”

“
But if I were with you…he said the guards would let you pass.”

The wolf turned to the weasel. “What do you think, Archie? Are you moved by the pleas of young love?”

“
I don’t see that it could do any harm, sir.”

“
Perhaps not.” Nero looked at Volle, stroking his muzzle. “A short visit, under my supervision. Perhaps he will be more forthcoming to you than he was to us.” He sighed and pushed himself out of the chair.

“
What did he say to you?” Volle asked as he followed the wolf along the corridor. Behind them, Helfer and Archie hurried to keep up.

“
Nothing, really. He says he didn’t kill her, that he was in those rooms for a meeting, but he won’t say with whom or about what.”

“
Maybe he just wanted to look around to see if there were anything that would help me. And he stumbled on the body.”

Volle was surprised at how quickly the old wolf could move. He brushed them past the deer guard, pausing only to ask him directions to the north tower. Then he was off again through the central room and down the indicated corridor. He waited until they were past the small crowd of guards and nobles before replying. “The body was discovered by a chambermaid who heard a scream. She rushed into the parlor and saw the white wolf standing just inside the bedroom.”

“
What does he say happened?”

“
He says the bedroom door was closed. He heard the scream and didn’t know if he should investigate it right away, but decided to go in case someone was in trouble. He opened the door, looked in, and saw the body and blood. While he was waiting to decide what to do, the servant found him there.” When Volle didn’t reply to that, Nero glanced at him. “You must admit, Lord Vinton, it does not sound very likely.”

It didn’t, but Volle didn’t want to think about that. “Did he notice any other scents in the room?”

“
I will ask him.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence. At the north tower, a burly cougar stopped them. “Sorry, my Lords. I’m under orders to let only the Captain through.”

“
They’re with me, Arnut.”

The cougar shook his head. “Nevertheless, sir. Lord Fardew’s orders.”

Nero turned to Volle, and for the first time his eyes did not appear to be searching for information. “I’m sorry, Lord Vinton,” he said. “I would like to speak to him for a few minutes. If there is a message you would like to convey, I will deliver it.”

Volle looked at the steps leading up into the tower, then at the cougar guard. He imagined Streak sitting alone at the top of the tower, confused and scared, and part of him wanted to dash up the stairs past the guard. “Tell him…” He paused to steady his voice. “Tell him I love him. Tell him I believe him.”

“
All right.” Nero turned to the guard, who produced a large black key from his belt and handed it to him. The wolf turned to Volle as he mounted the stairs. “I’ll be right back.”

There was nowhere comfortable to sit. Volle leaned against the wall opposite the guard, while Helfer and Archie stood near him. “It’s Dereath,” Volle said to nobody in particular. “He wants to isolate us.”