Ry got a comp-vid as well, and we both received the latest technology Ranos pistols and rifles. The rifles came in three parts that fit together easily and quickly, breaking down to fit inside a small bag if necessary. Both of us carried ID that allowed us to have the weapons Lendill handed to us. "My father wishes you to visit when this assignment is over," Lendill said.
"I'll do my best." And I would. I liked Kaldill Schaff, even if he was very plainspoken at times. I preferred the honesty, actually.
"And we'll take some time when this is over. I promise." Lendill leaned in to give me a kiss.
"Lendill, don't make any promises you can't keep."
"Reah." He took my face in his hands. "I swear it, breah-mul."
"Fine." In twenty-six years, Lendill hadn't taken a vacation. I guess it was a good thing he was immortal. On his father's side.
"I have to go." Lendill kissed me again and folded away.
"Well, Ry," I said, looking at my warlock investigative partner, "which bed do you want?"
Chapter 4
Ry did a little catching up whtheile I went out to buy clothing. We were in Quezlos, the capital city of Surnath. Darletta and her father lived on a wide expanse of land just outside the city. Dantel Schuul had given up his political career a few years earlier in favor of making more money than anyone had a right to, manufacturing comp-vid components. He had the newest technology and everybody bought it.
I figured Darletta had gotten tired of Tory and was searching for new blood. Surnathans lived around one hundred fifty years, and Darletta was around forty-six or so—in her prime and likely looking for a little spice. Although Alliance law held here, Surnath frowned on multiple mates. Therefore, there was plenty of divorce. I'd looked into the state's records regarding Darletta and Tory's writ of detachment, and they'd mutually agreed to separate, leaving one another's property with the original owner. In my opinion, Tory should have held out for a settlement. He'd been married to her for twenty-five years, after all.
But that wasn't why Ry and I were there. Bel's last known communication had come from Quezlos. We were planning to go through Bel's hotel room and look through any belongings he left behind. Lendill had managed to quarantine the room, although it had been more than a month and the hotel manager was a bit grumpy over the whole thing.
"I need working clothes, not that." I shook my head as the salesclerk tried to sell me a dress. Pants, shirts and plenty of underwear was what I needed. I wanted new leathers, too, but Falchan was far away and I didn't have time to wait on them to be made.
"Yes, several pairs of the denim, plus some good slacks that won't fall apart if I wash them," I said, waving the girl away. She was a girl to me, in her late twenties. I was more than twice her age. My High Demon immortality would ensure I always looked young, but inside I felt older than I should.
After getting enough to wear, I went looking for shoes. Things had changed a little since the last time I'd gone shoe shopping. I bought plenty of socks and hosiery to go with serviceable flats and low-heeled boots. Some athletic shoes went into the mix as well. Now I needed bags to carry everything, and after I found three that would do, I skipped everything back to the hotel room, finding Ry still searching through the comp-vid and reading information Bel had transmitted on the killings before he'd gone missing.
"We still have time to go look at his hotel room this afternoon," Ry said, standing up and stretching. I figured a woman had delivered room service; the women always stared at Ry. Some even followed him around at times. Ry was quick to throw on a disguise if that happened. The remains of a nice lunch were scattered over a tray on the edge of the hotel desk where Ry worked. I remembered that I hadn't eaten while I'd been out shopping.
"Get what you needed?" Ry asked, eyeing my one and only farming outfit that I'd brought with me and had worn to go shopping.
"Yes. Now I just have to change. Is there anything left of your food?"
"Reah, it has gone cold. I'll order something else for you."
"No, I can grab something while we're out," I said, sorting through the clothing for something suitable to wear. Grabbing a blouse and slacks, plus new underwear, I walked into the bathroom and shut the door.
"Much better," Ry nodded when I came out, dressed in new clothing. Hastily I slipped into new shoes after donning socks—my stomach was telling me it wouldn't wait much longer to be fed.
"Someday,thauot;Som I'd like to eat another meal that you cooked," Ry said, grabbing his comp-vid and stuffing it in his pocket. I slipped my Ranos pistol into my new handbag and slung it over a shoulder. Normally I didn't carry a handbag, but I figured people would stare if I wore the pistol in a holster strapped to my thigh. I could still shoot; snakes lurked throughout the gishi fruit groves. If I found them, they didn't live over it; they were poisonous and threatened my workers. Well, Garde's workers, now. Briefly I hoped my daughters were all right and not in too much pain.
"Ry, I'd be happy to cook something for you. Find us a kitchen while we're out and you'll get whatever you want."
"I'll hold you to that." His smile was a blast of sunlight after a very dark night.
"Come on, handsome man, let's go see Bel's hotel room." Ry let me steer him out the door.
Bel's bags were still sitting on the rack, looking as if he'd sorted through them to find something to wear. He hadn't intended to leave anytime soon, I saw that right away. The ASD had sent a small team in to do perfunctory work, checking for blood, fingerprints and such. They'd found plenty of fingerprints, most Bel's, a few belonging to the cleaning crew. No blood. His comp-vid, weapons and a few other items were missing. They'd tried to triangulate on the comp-vid, but got nothing. That could mean it had been destroyed or reprogrammed, somehow. And since it was ASD issue, reprogramming would have been very tricky. They were designed to emit a locating beacon if someone tampered with it. Nothing had been sent.
Carefully, Ry and I went through all of Bel's belongings. I sorted through his shirts, pants and other clothing, feeling certain that if I held the shirts to my nose I still might catch a faint whiff of my old friend. I hoped he was alive somewhere, although my fears in that direction were rising. He would have sent mindspeech if he were able. Now, Ry and I were trailing down a path gone cold, with little hope of finding anything at the end of it.
"There's nothing here." Ry had used his warlock talent to search while I'd done the physical part of it. Bel had slept here and very little else. We had his records—what he'd turned in, anyway. We'd found a reprimand or two in his files that said he wasn't the most prompt person to file reports. I knew that; Bel hated what he termed paperwork. I'd done it for him long ago when I'd first met him on Mandil. Now, Mandil had buckled and joined the Campiaan Alliance.