A Connecticut Gumshoe in King Arthur's Court by Randy McCharles

Author:Randy McCharles [McCharles, Randy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fantasy
Publisher: Tyche Books
Published: 2020-11-17T16:00:00+00:00

26

Play it Again, Sam

“PUT THAT TOY away,” Merlin said. “You have no need of it now.”

Sam found that he could move again and slowly slipped the semi-automatic back into its holster. Sagramore, however, may as well have been a statue. Merlin summoned the remaining knights from the outer office to disarm their leader. Then Sagramore swung his arm down at empty space. He blinked when he realized neither his sword nor its target were where they had been a moment earlier.

“I have to say I am surprised,” Merlin scolded the Second Knight. “You have brought shame upon all of Camelot.”

Sagramore twisted his upper lip. “What I did, I did for love and shall not apologize. It is Lancelot who brought shame upon this kingdom and all who dwell here. I have put paid to the scoundrel’s dalliances.”

The old magician shook his head. “Lancelot had his faults, yet his indiscretions fell well short of murder. And you would have someone else hang for your crimes.”

Sagramore snorted. “A foreigner. Who would miss him?”

“Indeed. Who?” Merlin flicked a hand. “Take him to the dungeon. The magistrate will see justice done.”

Obscenities echoed from the hallway as the knights led their once-leader away.

Then Effie entered the office. She must have been waiting in the corridor. It was the duke’s daughter who had summoned the knights, the final instruction Sam had whispered in her ear.

“Please escort Miss Le Fay to your father’s house,” Merlin said to her. “And return the lady here on the morrow.”

Effie nodded.

To Le Fay, he said, “Despite Mr. Spade’s endorsement, I fear you are not entirely innocent in this affair. But I may have use for you. Perhaps we may benefit each other.”

Le Fay curtsied and accompanied Effie out of the office.

The old magician then turned his gaze on Sam. “You surprise me as well, Mr. Spade. I was confident that the trouble brewing in Camelot would come to a boil in my absence, but I never expected you to uncover multiple wrongdoings and bring the perpetrators to justice. I brought you here as a catalyst, not a solution.”

“You’ll have to forgive me,” Sam said, “if I don’t thank you for your glowing endorsement. If you felt that way, why bother with me at all? Your mice would have eaten the cheese without me hanging around.”

A smile creased the old man’s lips. “I needed a witness. Someone to be my eyes and ears. Lancelot would not do. Although a superlative knight, he was not very observant. He failed to notice anything not wearing a skirt. I required someone such as yourself to tell me what occurred in my absence.”

“But you weren’t absent. You were masquerading as Galahad.”

Merlin nodded. “Yes, but all knights have their various duties. As Sir Galahad I spent most of my time in the royal quarter guarding doorways that did not require guarding.”

“You could have masqueraded as Lancelot.”

The magician shrugged. “If I had done that, I would be dead now. But no, people would see in an instant that I was not the Amorous Knight.

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