Realms of Infamy - James Lowder [117]
I felt I had to do something, but I was at a loss. Renek was, after all, my master. I was indentured to him for a lengthy term of service, and it was not my place to challenge his business doings.
But I remembered the way that Sil had looked at me, and I finally blurted the only business question I could think of: "The brother-" I didn't say his name "-has a terrible reputation. How can you be sure you'll be paid?"
Renek reined his horse to slow it and glanced at me. "He paid in advance."
I was trying to imagine how he could have, but Renek completed the thought.
"Apparently, a long time before the father got sick, he had set aside his wife's jewelry-she's dead, I guess. Anyhow, he'd put the jewelry away for his daughter's dowry. Menge-that's the client-told me he staged a robbery to take the stuff. Steals his sister's dowry and then has her killed. A really nice fellow, don't you think?" Renek laughed at his little joke. My stomach twisted.
Then Renek started explaining how he would handle the case. I wanted somehow to find just the right words to make him stop, to get rid of this whole ridiculous notion and go on with his business-elsewhere. I could think of nothing appropriate, given my status, but I spoke again anyhow. I actually interrupted him. "Aren't you kind of worried about assassinating someone so close to home?" I asked.
"Tine, I didn't think you concerned yourself with such matters." His tone said he didn't think I should concern myself with such matters.
He waved me to silence. "Really, Tine. You don't need to worry for me. This isn't the usual high-visibility political killing, with some notorious person wanting to take credit for the assassination. No one will even know I'm involved."
He stopped his horse and turned to face me. "If you'd seen the dowry, you'd know why I'm doing this. It's no ordinary sampling of jewelry. I don't think many men make that kind of a haul when they get married anymore."
Greed. Simple greed. That's why so close to home. That's why Ashana… My stomach twisted again. I don't know if he could sense any of my dismay, but he spurred the horse and started on again.
I couldn't do this-couldn't be involved, couldn't let it happen. But what could I do?
Voices started in my mind again. I kept seeing the look Sil gave me before he died. "Liar! Murderer! You betrayed me!" I could hear his voice, cracking, frantic. How could I keep those words from being Ashana's?
"-strangle her." Renek's words jarred the questions from my head.
"What?" I asked too loudly.
"It will look as if a common thug broke into the home. I'll strangle her, take a few things, and leave."
He planned to kill her with his bare hands.
"You're not even going to need to get involved in this one," he said. His voice rose with excitement as he continued. "Menge doesn't have the stomach to do it himself or he would. He'll make sure the door is unlocked…"
Renek was an assassin, a professional. He used arrows, darts, tools for his work. I couldn't fathom how he could think of killing someone with his bare hands. To grasp someone around the throat and hold the neck, squeezing while the person flailed, watching while the eyes bulged…
The voices started again. I knew I needed a clear head. I needed to think, figure out what to do. "Their father," I stalled. "Will he live much longer? Is Menge anxious for his death, too?"
"Menge suggested that if I strangled Ashana in front of their dad, the old man might keel early from the shock. I don't know, though. That's kind of creepy. I wouldn't want his ghost rising up and coming after me."
Now, there was a sense of perspective. He found that idea creepy. The voices in my head cheered his sensibilities.
I forced myself to ask routine questions-when, where, what would he have to bring.
I wanted to warn Ashana, but I knew she'd never leave her father's side-not now. I was sure she hadn't left the house since she took the poison from me.
And then it came