Murder in Cormyr - Chet Williamson [23]
"You're mighty late starting out," Flim said, cocking his head and peering at her through his Purple Dragons' headgear. "Most adventurers would have started out far earlier than you. Something keep you up last night?"
"No, something kept me down this morning-a ride all the way from Wheloon yesterday and an encounter with two thieves on the way, which I wouldn't have had to deal with if the military of this country took its job more seriously."
That smarted. Flim nearly staggered back as if struck. Then he composed himself and asked, "Where were these highwaymen? I shall send a squadron after them immediately!"
"Never mind, they're both dead. Sorry I had to break your little peacestring rule, but I didn't have a choice. Now, any more questions?"
"Where will we be able to reach you?" Flim said officiously.
Kendra smiled and made a sweeping gesture toward the swamp. "In there. I'll stop back in Ghars when I come out. If I don't come out, well"-she looked at me and recognized me from the tavern-"raise a glass to me, will you?"
"Gladly, madam," I said. "Go well."
She turned around, the hem of her cloak billowing and catching the captain's shins. He winced, and I knew then the hem was lined with ore spikes. Clever girl. The captain said nothing, however. Brave lad.
We watched her walk back to her horse, and even her manly garb could not disguise the sensuous motion beneath,
"Quite a woman," said Lindavar.
"Yes indeed," Benelaius agreed. "Although she has the largest pair of feet I've ever seen on a female. Perhaps that's how she holds her stirrups so well."
12
I must confess that the last place I had looked on Kendra's dramatic form was her feet. But as I glanced down at the tracks she had left in the soft ground, I saw that Benelaius was right.
"Could she have been the one you saw last night, Jasper?" Tobald asked me, watching Kendra's departing form.
"She could have been," I said. "She's tall enough. But then so are a hundred other people in Ghars."
"Let's retain her in the backs of our minds," said Benelaius, "and see what else we might find. Doctor Braum, as you examine the body-and the head-what do you determine to be the cause of Dovo's death?"
Braum frowned in confusion. "Well, it's difficult to live when your head and body are in two different places."
"Indeed. But how was the fatal blow struck?"
"Hard?" suggested Captain Flim.
"Certainly. But upon what side did it strike the victim? By determining this, we might be able to learn something about the killer."
The light in Braum's eyes turned on. "Ah, I see! The fingers of his left hand are cut off, which means that he probably put up that hand to ward off the blow…"
"Fat chance of doing that," Flim said.
"So," said Tobald excitedly, getting in the game, "in all likelihood he was facing his slayer… and he was struck on the left side… so that means the killer struck with his"- he paused a moment and mimed swinging an axe-"his right hand!"
"Yes!" Dr. Braum agreed. "So we must look for a right-handed killer!"
Captain Flim snorted. "Oh, that makes it easy. Who am I supposed to be, Camber Fosrick?" It seemed that the captain was yet another fan of the great consulting cogitator.
"It's true, Captain," said Mayor Tobald. "This really isn't much to go on. There were a few people who Dovo had rough words with last night. Rolf, for one."
"And Barthelm Meadowbrock for another," I said. "Not to mention Kendra. And they're not the only ones. I know of a number of people Dovo's offended in some manner. He's cuckolded his share of husbands, I've heard. With all due respect," I said, nodding at the corpse, "he wasn't the most liked fellow in Ghars."
Tobald shrugged. "Well, Captain Flim, I have much to do in preparing for the arrival of the Merchants' Guild council, so I'm going to leave this business in your capable hands. Return the body to town, and please inform the widow. Then begin the search for the perpetrator of this deed."
"Begging your