Jester Leaps In: A Medieval Mystery by Alan Gordon

Author:Alan Gordon [Gordon, Alan]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Mystery, Series, Fiction, Historical, Mystery & Detective
Amazon: B003G93YFA
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Published: 2010-04-02T05:00:00+00:00

ELEVEN

That is no country for old men.

WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS, “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM”

I should have spotted it from the hands, once again the only part of the person I could see. Thalia’s were strong, yet still young and supple. These were old and gnarled, although they looked powerful enough to break a neck if necessary.

“I figured that sooner or later I would be receiving another visit from you,” I said, switching modes as smoothly as I could.

“Truly, you are a strategist to be reckoned with,” commented Esaias. “Which makes me wonder at the crudeness of your earlier tactics with my man.”

“It seemed like the right approach at the time,” I said, stalling until I found out whom he was talking about.

“He’s such a harmless little one,” he continued. “At least, he is now, hawking his useless little talismans to the gullible. He was quite the pickpocket until the drink and disease destroyed his abilities. Now, he brings in a small but regular amount, and we take care of him as we do all of our people.”

“It is wonderful what your church does for the needy,” I said.

“We look out for them more than the True Church does,” he said. “More than either of the True Churches. Say what you will about us. We may all burn in Hell, but we will have provided for each other more than those looking down upon us from Heaven.”

He looked out the window, nodded slightly, then turned back to us. Claudius immediately stood with her back to mine and watched the hallway for signs of trouble, her hand on her sword.

“Terrifying the weak is hardly sporting,” continued Esaias. “Mind you, it is how I make a substantial part of my living. But all you took was one item, a fact so odd that it aroused my curiosity more than my ire. May I see it?”

I reached into my pouch and removed the ring I had retrieved from the relic seller. I placed it in his hands, and he held it up to the light.

“Demetrios,” he pronounced finally. “So it is true that he is dead?”

“According to your man,” I said.

“Relic sellers shouldn’t be grave robbing,” he said sadly. “It only angers the grave robbers, and then I have to smooth things over between them. Without the grave robbers, where would the relic sellers get their relics?”

“It did seem out of his line,” I commented.

“One might say that robbery is out of yours,” he replied. “Yet the story I’ve been hearing is that you are seeking out another fool because the two of you collaborated on some theft years ago, and now you’re back to claim your share.”

I shrugged and said nothing.

“Frankly, I don’t believe it,” he said. “I am in my own way a fisher of men. I knew both Demetrios and Tiberius. I believe that you are akin to them. You lack that inner stench of true depravity. Oh, do not protest, Fool. I have a nose for that sort of thing. And if

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.