Wet Behind the Ears (The Worlds Behind Book 3) by W.R. Gingell

Author:W.R. Gingell [Gingell, W.R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-08-12T16:00:00+00:00

ONE IN THE HAND

“Camellia will get the door,” YeoWoo said impatiently. “Neither of the inspectors can smell well enough to know that Marazul is here; he’s safe in the sunroom.”

Athelas said mildly, “We will have a great deal to worry about if they choose to wander through the house.”

“I’m not going to hide behind the couch,” said Marazul, looking faintly mulish. “You can just close the door.”

“Why would they wander through the house, anyway?” pointed out YeoWoo. “They wouldn’t have any reason to unless they thought we were harbouring fugitives.”

“Does it not occur to you, my dear, that the merman could be considered a fugitive?”

Marazul’s eyes focused on his face at once; YeoWoo simply tossed him an impatient look.

“I’m a fugitive?”

“You’re not a fugitive,” YeoWoo said. “The only reason the inspectors would have to try to call you a fugitive would be the Elder Peregrine wanting you for something—not to mention knowing we have you and are hiding you from him, and wanting to force our hand.”

“Peregrine—”

“Yes, I know Peregrine wants Marazul for a lot of different things,” YeoWoo said impatiently. “But he has no reason to think we’ve actually got him, so—”

The doorbell rang again.

“I have a suspicion that Camellia is otherwise occupied,” Athelas said thoughtfully.

It was the first time their housekeeper had not answered the door, to his knowledge. He would have liked to have known what exactly she was otherwise occupied with, but since she had not chosen to confide in him, there was nothing for it but to answer the door by way of rebellion.

He left the room with both Marazul and YeoWoo staring at him—the former in confusion and the latter in suspicion—and went to answer the door. As expected, when he opened the door, he found the two inspectors before him.

YeoWoo strode out of the sunroom, closing the door behind her, and stared over Athelas’ shoulder to demand of the inspectors, “What do you want?”

The inspectors, not unnaturally, both stiffened and squared their shoulders as if preparing for an unpleasant task. Inspector Gu also stepped up and into the house in a single, sharp motion.

Athelas sighed. “My dear, perhaps I might venture to lead the conversation?”

“Do as you please,” she snapped.

Judging from the inspectors’ expressions Athelas was quite sure she had not, however, stopped scowling at them.

“Do come in,” he said to them pleasantly, and Inspector Gu had the grace to grow slightly darker about the cheeks as his junior inspector entered the house behind him.

“We’re here on official business,” Assistant Inspector Bae said, as if to excuse himself.

“What about the other one?” YeoWoo asked, turning her head a little to observe the empty doorway behind the inspectors.

Athelas raised his brows at her. “The other one…?”

“There were three people outside, waiting to get in. The inspectors and something that smelt…like manure.”

Assistant Inspector Bae said, rather indignantly, “We’re the only ones who were on the doorstep.”

“I didn’t say the other person was on the doorstep,” said YeoWoo, with enough tooth to the words to make Inspector Bae look distinctly uneasy.

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