Star Risk - 02 Scoundrel Worlds by Chris Bunch

Author:Chris Bunch [Bunch, Chris]
Format: epub
Publisher: Chris Bunch
Published: 2010-03-23T15:10:10.940000+00:00

"What about friends?"

"She doesn't� didn't� seem to have many. I contacted one of her former roommates� a dancer, as Ardwell wanted to be once. The woman told me Ardwell tried hard, but just didn't have a feel for it.

"I got the idea she didn't think very much of Hopea, although she didn't give me any specific evidence."

"Strange," Goodnight said. "Going from prancing around into Intelligence."

"I asked," Grok said. "She said it was secure. Almost as secure as finding a rich blind man."

"Interesting," Goodnight said. "Somebody who thinks like that might be eminently corruptible."

"That, I think, was what Balalta was trying to imply to Freddie," Riss said. "Which might mean Torguth figured out the same thing. And it just might be that her roommate doesn't like our Hopea any longer because she had eyes for the roommate's romantic friends."

"Maybe," Grok said. "But I'm still hitting zeroes."

"What does Sufyerd think of her?" Goodnight asked.

"I think he is a little bit afraid of her," King said. "Sort of like a man who has a jealous wife who thinks the worst of any of her husband's workmates who're prettier than she is, and so he runs like the wind any time they're alone together."

"I don't understand why you humans seem hell-bent to mate with anyone other than the person you contract with," Grok said. "Truly a strange race."

"We are that. And people wonder why I never got married," Riss said. "Chas, here's something to try. Go back to her roommate, and ask if she had any particular preferences in perfume." She considered the gown. "And in expensive clothes."

"What will that give us?" Grok said. "If we're very, very lucky," Riss said, "she favors a nice expensive scent or clothing designer, something a little out of her salary range that she'd talk about. Then, if it's special enough, maybe she's now got friends at some of the stores who sell said perfume or labels.

"Remember, Balalta told Freddie that she managed to get more money than any of the other people in the cell. She might be enjoying spending it. Like I said, if we're lucky," she finished.

"Perfume and dresses," Goodnight said. "And aren't we getting personal?"

"Yeah," Riss said. "And something else that's personal� has anybody been wondering just why all those flatfeet have been greasing around Elder Bracken and his Jilanis?�

"I have," King said. "With no results."

"Try this," Riss said. "Maybe they're trying to find� or keep track of� Sufyerd's family."

"To what end?" von Baldur asked.

"Who knows?" Riss said. "But if I'm right, odds are it isn't for anything pleasant."

"Clever of you," Grok said. "We might wish to prevent any unfortunate eventualities."

Goodnight nodded thoughtfully. "It might be a very good idea to keep things personal there, too."

Von Baldur had been listening to the exchange.

"As the old song said, Chas, �You ain't seen nothing yet.' While these other projects are more than admirable, I think it has now become time, as both you and M'chel have wanted, to reduce the number of enemies we appear to have, or at least to make them aware that Star Risk has fangs.

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