Peter & Max - Bill Willingham [58]
They stopped under the sheltered entryway into the main building. Now that Peter’s eyes had adjusted to the daylight, he could see that Carl and Josef were hardly the grown men that he’d first thought them to be. Though both boys were clearly older than he, it was clear that they were still boys, fifteen or sixteen years at the most. But both of them looked prematurely hardened by the lives they’d led. Both were dressed in rude, unremarkable clothes like his, but theirs were better mended. Carl had reddish hair and blue eyes. Josef’s hair might have been dark blond, or maybe light brown. It was hard to determine while it was wet with the rainfall.
“With all these fine buildings lying empty,” Carl continued, “it seemed a shame to let them go unused, so the Brotherhood moved into this one.”
“And a few others,” Josef added.
“But here’s the important thing,” Carl said. “We’re gathered today in this place to hold a trial. Your trial. You’re going before the king, and he’s going to decide if you can continue to live among us, or if we have to kill you. Those are the only two options.”
“Trial for what?” Peter said. “What crime?”
“Thievery,” Josef said.
“But you said you were thieves too.”
“Correct,” Carl said. “But we’re sworn members of the Brotherhood, aren’t we? We pay our tributes upwards and properly split our takes into the prescribed shares, don’t we? You didn’t do any of that.”
“Unauthorized thieving is your crime,” Josef said.
Carl kept talking before Peter could ask more questions. “What’s your name?” he said.
“I don’t want to say.”
“Well, you should,” Carl said. “If I’m going to speak for you, I’d better be able to act as if I know you well enough to trust you. And I’ll have to call you something, won’t I? So tell me your name, or I’ll consider standing silent.”
“I’m Peter.”
“It’s fine to meet you then, Peter,” Carl said. “So listen close. We can’t keep you out here all day answering your questions and giving you advice. The king won’t abide waiting, nor should he, right? Otherwise, what’s the advantage of being king? Here’s what you need to know. The moment we walk in there, the trial has started. Don’t speak to anyone but the king, and then only to answer his questions. Don’t try to lie to him. He always catches the lie and never forgives it. If there’s something you simply refuse to answer, then just say so and pray for clemency. It’s rare that he grants any, but not unheard-of. Now, are you ready?”
“It doesn’t matter if he is or not,” Josef said. “It’s time.”
They opened the door and ushered Peter in to see the king.
In which Peter closes in.
THE LUFTHANSA JET TOUCHED DOWN AT Frankfurt am Main airport just after ten a.m., in the pouring rain. The time in flight was just right for Peter to finish his mystery story, a real page-turner featuring a spunky young female detective operating out of Las Vegas. By the time they started their final approach into Germany’s busiest airport, the detective had identified the killer. While they taxied towards the gate, she’d smartly listed all of the clues that led her to the thrilling denouement. In hindsight Peter realized he should’ve seen it all along. This being a fair-play mystery, all of the clues had been there for him to recognize. Peter was vaguely disturbed that he hadn’t been able to solve the murder. He silently hoped it wasn’t an ill omen for the success of his mission.
When they arrived at the gate, he stood up and took Frost’s hard plastic case out of the overhead compartment. He also took the paperback with him when he left the plane, even though he’d finished it. Bo will want to read this one, he thought. She’s always able to put the clues together.
He walked directly to the baggage claim area where, after not too long a wait, he was able to retrieve his single suitcase. Then, with both cases in hand, he followed the signs that read “Zoll duane,” directing him