Helfer's Busy Day, Chapter 14
#14 of Helfer's Busy Day
"Come on," he said, reaching his decision.
"Where we goin'?" Helfer heard Vin hop to his feet, the rustle of dislodged cloth falling to the floor. He patted the papers in his purse and grabbed the other weasel by the paw.
"To the palace." They emerged back into the light, both looking cautiously up and down the empty alley. Helfer marched Vin along the uneven bricks in what he hoped was the right direction, and since Vin didn't correct him, he kept going.
Vin's ears perked right up. "Oooh. To what do I owe the honor?"
"I'm hungry, we're both being chased, and I'm tired of being out in the city," Helfer said. "It's smelly and entirely too interesting. And I like my friends better than yours. No offense."
"None taken," Vin said cheerfully. "So, cream pastries and fruit syrups comin' up?"
"We'll see what the kitchen's serving." By now they'd rounded a corner on which an old pub stood, the aroma of meat and tubers making Helfer's mouth water despite his words. He recognized the street, and in the distance could see the tips of the spires of the Cathedral. He headed toward them, keeping a firm paw on Vin, who was not at all reluctant to follow him.
"Think they might 'ave honey roasted fowl, like last time? Oooh, or those honey cakes. They was a treat."
"Just keep an eye out to make sure we're not being followed," Helfer said, his stomach growling louder at Vin's words. In the crowded street, it was more important to keep his paw tight around the other weasel's, leaving him less attention to spare for potential enermies in the street. He wasn't used to having to keep an eye out for anything worse than the usual cutpurses, and he found the sensation rather disagreeable.
"Oh, ain't nobody near us," Vin said. "Stark sticks out a mile away, 'e's so tall."
"I'm sure he's unable to crouch," Helfer muttered, but Vin proved to be right, and they reached the palace gates without any incident more serious than Helfer accidentally dragging Vin into a portly raccoon.
The badger guard bowed when he saw Helfer walk up. "Lord Ikling," he said. The other guard, a slender stag, must have just gotten off shift; he trotted back to the palace as Helfer eyed the badger curiously.
"Did you pull a double shift today?" He produced his papers.
"Double? No, sir," the badger said. "Been here since sunup, going off in another hour or so."
"Seems like it's been a full day," Helfer said, pushing Vin in front of him. "Here, I need to fill out the papers for him to be in the palace."
"Right. Just the day?" The guard produced a scrap of parchment and handed it to Helfer, clearing space at the small desk in the guard house.
"Yes." Helfer filled out Vin's name and signed his own, leaving it on the desk.
"Not being coerced in any way?" The guard grinned at him.
Helfer shook his head. "No, not today."
The badger laughed and made a mark on the parchment, then folded it and handed it to Vin. "You need to give this to us on the way out," he said. "Won't be good after today anyway."
"I know," Vin said. "Already tried it once."
Helfer dragged him hurriedly away before he could talk any further. The system of signed papers was subject to a fair amount of abuse, but every so often the abuse got to a level where the police decided to crack down, and then it was harder for everyone to bring guests in. Not that Vin's jocularity would lead to anything as severe as had, say, the death of an eminent Cabinet member, but he was sure every little bit was noted.
"Was just a little joke," Vin protested as Helfer dragged him past the footservants at the main door.
"Let's just get you up to the room without any more 'jokes'," Helfer said, "and then I'll have Caresh bring us...oh, no."
The Great Hall was bustling with activity, and although Helfer far preferred the scents of this activity to the ones on the street, there was one acrid, arrogant odor that cut through the crowd and made him glance instinctively for a side passage where he knew there was none. A moment later, the silky, high voice greeted him. "Lord Ikling. How fortuitous that I should run into you here."
Helfer noticed the slender stag guard making his way back out the doors, and doubted that the meeting was in any way due to chance. "Yes, isn't it," he said. "Well, hate to meet and run..."
"Wouldn't dream of allowing it," Dereath said. "Come on up to my office, and bring your little friend there, too."
Vin's ears had gone all flat and his eyes wide. "Of course we will," Helfer said, as though Dereath asked that every day, but Vin didn't seem reassured by his calm tone. They set off up the stairs, and twice Vin tried to whisper something. Helfer had to shush him both times; the second time, Dereath looked around with a nasty grin.
"Now, now, no spoiling the surprise you have for me," he said, then turned around again.
Surprise? Vin mouthed. Helfer responded with a quick hand motion, tracing Weasel's sign in the air. Vin frowned, and then--they were almost at the landing--he nodded and returned the sign.
They turned down the corridor toward Lord Fardew's office, where Dereath's desk was. Helfer felt a little more at ease since Vin seemed to understand his message: follow the teachings of Weasel, trust nobody, notice everything. Of course, you should always be doing that, but it probably helped Vin to have a reminder, and to feel the company of a fellow weasel reinforced.
"Now," Dereath said when they reached his office, "I'll talk to your friend first. I don't believe I've had the pleasure."
"This is Vin," Helfer said, "and you'll talk to us both together."
"As a procedural matter," the rat started, but Helfer cut him off.
"I don't know much," he said, "but I do know that as a procedural matter, Lord Fardew or Captain Nero should be here. Where are they?"
The rat's eyes narrowed. "This is an internal investigation..."
"Then Lord Fardew should be here. Funny, I don't see him around."
"Lord Fardew is extraordinarily busy with other aspects of this..."
Helfer was enjoying not letting the rat finish a sentence. "Then you can wait to talk to us 'til he gets back. Or we will allow you to talk to both of us together."
It probably wasn't wise to taunt the rat, but, Helfer thought, I got away from Stark, and Stark would eat this guy for lunch. His stomach growled again, but he ignored it.
Dereath stared back at him, and finally said, "Fine. Both of you then, come in here."
Helfer nodded to Vin, who was staring at him in unabashed relief. They followed Dereath into Lord Fardew's office, where the rat sat behind the large wooden desk. Helfer couldn't help but notice the way his skinny fingers caressed the wood, nor the proprietary way he ensconced himself in the chair and stared out at them. "Now, we have been looking for Lord Vinton, but since you disappeared after speaking with Alister earlier this morning, we have been looking for you, too."
"I came here to wait," Helfer said, "and you weren't here. So I left."
"Indeed," Dereath said. "Well, it may interest you to know that we still have not located Lord Vinton. But the fact that you have returned with an accomplice is highly significant. Have you disposed of the merchandise, I take it?"
"Don't know what you're talking about," Helfer said.
"Come now," Dereath said. "Let me tell you plainly what I am talking about. Lord Vinton was seen late last night stealing some valuable papers from the Agricultural Committee files and has not been seen since."
"Why didn't the person who saw him apprehend him?" Helfer asked pleasantly. He was starting to put some pieces together, but he didn't want to help Dereath at all.
"That's not your concern," Dereath said.
Helfer leaned back in his chair. "Seems to me it is," he said. "If he'd apprehended Volle right off, you wouldn't have to be asking us questions. Or was he too far away to see who it really was?"
"Oh!" Vin said suddenly. "I bet it was...oop!" He clapped a paw over his muzzle and stared apologetically at Helfer.
"Hmm." Dereath's smile spread over his muzzle. "Do, please, continue."