‘‘And then sent a thug around to reason with people who might go looking for him?’’

‘‘Seems plausible to me.’’ I recalled an unexplained pounding on my door this morning. Any connection?

Old Bones hadn’t seen fit to report. Assuming he’d been paying attention at all. There were times he didn’t. More and more frequently, lately.

He’d been aware enough to nag me.

‘‘You lost in there, Garrett?’’

‘‘Some. Things started out bone simple. I had what looked like a protection play shaping. With a bug complication. I took care of the extortion and I got the bug thing under control. But one damned thing keeps leading to another. Now . . .’’ Now I seemed to be getting caught up in something barely even tangentially connected with the World. People involved in other things kept doing things that made getting on with completing the theater difficult.

Morley said, ‘‘On a brighter note, we’ll start work on the new place as soon as the weather clears. We’ll be selling lunch to your workmen by the end of the month. How can I get hold of that Rockpile person?’’

I told him. Then said, ‘‘I’m not gonna get home as early as I thought.’’

Morley hoisted his eyebrow again.

‘‘I’m getting a glimmer of something. Like one of those ghosts when it just starts forming.’’ Forgetting that he couldn’t see them. ‘‘I’m thinking Saucerhead might have the answer. Without knowing he has it.’’

‘‘I hope that ratty coat is warmer than it looks.’’ Said with the smirking smile he reserves for when he sticks in the needle.

I gave him my best hard eye. It ricocheted off. I put a few coins on the table and left.

Saucerhead and the others were still inside the World but huddled up close to the door so they wouldn’t have far to run if they decided to make a quick getaway.

‘‘Ghosts back, Head?’’

‘‘Yeah. Sort of. One or two.’’

‘‘But they haven’t bothered you?’’

‘‘Not yet. So far they’re only interested in that case of yours. But that could change.’’

‘‘Excellent! I’m so smart! I don’t think you have to worry.’’

Tharpe’s expression told me he was keeping a lid on his opinion only because I was the Keeper of the Coins.

I told him, ‘‘I came by to find out what you know about Urban Jack Tick-Tack. Since you know everybody.’’

The crowd stared at me like I’d sprouted horns.

‘‘Ultimate badass bonebreaker, Garrett. You don’t want to mess with him. But you don’t need to worry. He only works for rich people. Just don’t piss Weider off so much he wants to crunch you. Hell. How come you’re asking? Just curious. On account of, Tick-Tack himself was here only about an hour ago.’’

‘‘What? No way.’’

‘‘Way. You can’t imagine how big he is.’’

‘‘What did he want?’’

‘‘I don’t know. He didn’t say. He just strolled in and started looking around. Soon as he seen all of us watching he took off.’’

‘‘Been any rumors about him lately? Head? Anybody?’’ «Been keeping a low profile. Any of you guys heard anything ? See?»

‘‘That’s really what I expected. I guess I’m as warm as I’m going to get here. Oh. I figure the workmen will be back tomorrow.’’

‘‘We got that word, maybe twenty minutes ago. Message signed by Director Relway himself. These guys are supposed to hang around and keep an eye out in case of developments.’’

Damn! The prince moved fast. ‘‘That’s good, then.’’ I stopped by my cases and mumbled a bit before I plunged into the great white.

There wasn’t much light left. I decided to use what there was to check out the Faction clubhouse, see how busy they’d been cleaning up.

There were tracks around the steps, most going in, a few coming out. This deserved closer examination.

As I started a little voice chirped, ‘‘Mr. Garrett? Is that you?’’

Took me a few seconds to locate her. ‘‘Mindie? Mindie Grinblatt? What are you doing here?’’

‘‘We were watching the place down under there for Mr. Algarda. He hired Daddy to keep people out. We would get to live there. But a little while ago this monster came. Daddy told me to get around behind it, then climb the stairs and get away. So I did. But he didn’t tell me what to do after I got out. So I’ve just been waiting. And I’m getting worried. Mama and Daddy haven’t come up to tell me it’s all right.’’

Oh boy! ODTAA for sure.

I considered options. Most involved me going somewhere else and staying out of the way while natural dwarfish resilience took place. It would take some managing to best the Grinblatts in tight quarters underground.

But Mindie did say that a monster had come.

‘‘Tell me about the monster. What was it? How big?’’

‘‘I don’t know. Really big. I just saw tusks and a lot of hair. Or maybe it was wearing a fur coat.’’

Not good. Played right into the conspiracy theory I was developing.

‘‘That’s good. You’re doing good so far. Here’s what we’ll do. You give me your ax and your sword and your shield—’’

‘‘But then I won’t haveanything . . . .’’

‘‘You’ll still have your other sword, your daggers, your truncheon, your boots, your teeth, and anything you’ve got for your trousseau. You’ll only have to go a couple of blocks. . . . Good girl. Let me see how that helmet fits, too.’’

It was loose. A little dwarf girl’s dress-up hat.

‘‘All right. I’m going down and see about your mom and dad. I want you to run to the World. The big building where you saw me the first time. Tell a man named Saucerhead what happened and what I’m doing. Got that?’’

She nodded. Hitched her breeches. Dug something out of somewhere. ‘‘You’ll need these.’’ She handed me a couple of warm blond stones the size and shape of chestnuts. They were so smooth they felt oily. And they glowed like feeble candlelight. ‘‘Moonstones. There’s a little light left in them. Take care of my stuff.’’ And off she went, no longer troubled.

Of course. It was all on me now.

I fumbled one of the stones, but could see it through the snow. I made sure I got it back. Mindie wanted me to take care of her stuff. I shoved both stones into a right-hand side pocket of the beaver coat. Clumsily.

I was trying to manage a clutch of edged weapons. Even the shield had its sharp sides. I needed to be careful.

It got dark fast under the house. But, on the plus side, there was no wind.

I had a stroke of smarts. Brought out one of Mindie’s stones. Dull, creamy light, like the light of a full moon that’s gotten just high enough to have lost its autumn orange. Excellent!

Then, uh-oh! A little girl had given me moonstones. Which had to be one of the deepest secrets of her people. She’d done so thoughtlessly, as though to someone of her own tribe.

Moonstones. I’d never heard of such a thing. I couldn’t begin to imagine how much they’d be worth.

So there I was—

Which is the way so many anecdotes start. Usually ones where the speaker sheepishly relates some adventure in which he came off less than shining.

But not always.

So there I was, moonstone in my right hand, dangerously sharp arsenal in my left. I worked out a way to put the child’s sword up my left sleeve without wounding myself, then tightened the shield’s straps so it would ride my left forearm and keep the sword in place at the same time. I adjusted the helmet, grabbed hold of the ax handle in my left hand, and proceeded. Holding the ax out like it was a cobra in a foul mood.

That ax was so sharp I could hear it slicing the air.

Dwarves let little girls play with razor-sharp steel. They never get hurt. A grown man ought to be able to . . . Ouch! And what was that?

Somebody having trouble breathing. Given a listen, there was no mistaking the sound, though I hadn’t heard it in a while. Somebody had what they call a sucking chest wound.

Urban Jack.