City of Lies - Lian Tanner [67]
Cord straightened up, his smile gone, his face as tight as a wire. “Search ’em, Smudge,” he said. “Then take us back to the wharf. We don’t wanna keep Flense waitin’.”
Smudge searched the two boys. But when he came to Goldie he hesitated. “Hey, Cord. Is she still a princess?”
“Don’t be stupid,” hissed Cord. “Search ’er, or you’ll feel me fist.”
Smudge patted Goldie’s pockets gingerly and found Toadspit’s knife. His eye fell on the sword and he picked it up. “Hey, look what I got! If that demon cat comes near me I’m gunna slit its gullet.”
Cord whacked him across the ear. “Get below, ya moron. Start the engine. Bring us back to the wharf.”
“Ow!” said Smudge, looking reproachfully at the other man. “Ya didn’t need to do that.”
He disappeared below deck. A moment later there was a hiss of gas and the engine rumbled to life. Smudge came back up, still clutching the sword, and took the tiller. The Piglet began to turn.
Cord shoved the children up against the mainmast, then backed toward the rail, pointing his pistol at them. From the clouds above, Goldie heard a mournful, fading cry. “Go-o-o-o-o-ne.”
She gripped Toadspit’s arm, as if she were having trouble standing up on her own. It was not so far from the truth. Her fingers tapped out a name. Bonnie?
Below, signed Toadspit. Hiding.
Goldie let out her breath in a long sigh. She had hoped desperately that it was a trick. But Toadspit had been so convincing that even suspicious Cord had believed him. And the shoe had worried her.…
Blood? she signed.
Mine.
Shoe?
Bonnie’s. Threw it.
The ship bumped against the wharf. “Hey, Flense,” shouted Cord over his shoulder. “Come and give us a hand. And watch out for that stinkin’ bird. It’s still around somewhere.”
Guardian Hope scrambled over the rail, puffing and grumbling. “You took your time. And they nearly got away. Where’s—” She caught sight of Goldie and her mouth fell open. “Golden Roth! I should have known!”
She stomped forward until her furious face almost touched Goldie’s. “Still interfering in the Fugleman’s business, I see,” she hissed. “Well, this is the last time, I promise you that. The very last time!”
She glared at Toadspit too, and Mouse. “Where’s the other girl, Bonnie?” she snapped.
Cord pointed to the water. “I shot ’er.”
Guardian Hope’s face seemed to swell. “You idiot! What are they going to think when they find her with a bullet in her?”
Cord pretended not to hear the question. He took a splinter of wood from his pocket and began to pick his teeth.
“Well?” demanded Guardian Hope.
Cord’s eyes glittered. He spat on the deck, right next to Guardian Hope’s foot. “You don’t know these waters real good, do ya, Flense? There’s a shark nursery out there.” He nodded toward the mouth of the bay. “Me an’ me brothers used to fish it when we was snotties. Ya chuck in a bit of bait and next thing ya know they’re all round the boat. That girl’ll be nothin’ but bones by now.”
“Will she?” said Guardian Hope, with a thoughtful expression on her face. “Will she indeed?”
Goldie glanced at Toadspit. There was no need to say anything. They could both see what was being planned for them. They must escape, and they must do it quickly.
But escape was looking more and more unlikely. Guardian Hope tied the children to the mainmast, tugging at the knots to make sure they were secure.
“Smudge,” she said, “keep us next to the wharf. Cord, I have some new instructions for you.”
As Cord followed Guardian Hope to the rail, a familiar sound drifted to Goldie’s ears.
Drums. A bombardon. A trombone playing out of tune.
“It’s the band,” she whispered. “The Festival is still going.”
“What band?” breathed Toadspit.
“Look. There!”
The musicians were shuffling along the wharf toward the Piglet. Their playing was as bad as ever, but the crowd following them didn’t seem to care. Goldie saw someone throw half a dozen buns. Sweetapple dived after them, and so did a group of masked snotties. The music stopped. The bandmaster grabbed one of the snotties and shouted at him. The boy seemed to be arguing.