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was stretching the facts slightly。 Bullock's interest had not been intense。 But it had to have something to do with the Catabs。 Bullock and his sidekick were in the Buskin almost every day； asking； asking； asking questions。 He didn't need Asa meeting Bullock face…to…face。 Asa would either panic or crumble under questioning。 Either way； Marron Shed would get into the heat damned fast。 〃Asa； if they catch you； we're all dead。〃
〃Why？〃
〃You were spending those old coins。 They're looking for somebody with a lot of old money。〃
〃Damn that Raven！〃
〃What？〃
〃He gave me the passage money。 As my share。 I'm rich。 And now you tell me I can't spend it without getting grabbed。〃
〃He probably figured you'd hold off till the excitement died down。 He'd be gone by then。〃
〃Gone？〃
〃He's leaving as soon as the harbor opens。〃
〃Where's he headed？〃
〃South somewhere。 He won't talk about it。〃
〃So what do I do？ Keep scrambling for a living？ Damn it； Shed； that's not fair。〃
〃Look on the bright side； Asa。 Nobody wants to kill you anymore。〃
〃So？ Now Bullock is after me。 Maybe I could have made a deal with Krage。 Bullock don't deal。 It ain't fair！ All my life。 。 。 。〃
Shed did not listen。 He sang the same song all too often。
〃What can I do； Shed？〃
〃I don't know。 Stay holed up； I guess。〃 He had a glimmer of a notion。 〃How about you get out of Juniper for a while？〃
〃Yeah。 You might have something。 That money would spend just fine somewhere else； wouldn't it？〃
〃I don't know。 I've never traveled。〃
〃Get Raven up here when he shows up。〃
〃Asa。 。 。 。〃
〃Hey； Shed； e on。 It won't hurt to ask。 All he can do is say no。〃
〃Whatever you want； Asa。 I hate to see you go。〃
〃Sure you do； Shed。 Sure you do。〃 As Shed ducked out the doorway； Asa called； 〃Wait a second。〃
〃Yeah？〃
〃Uh。 。 。 。 It's kind of hard。 I never did thank you。〃
〃Thank me for what？〃
〃You saved my life。 You brought me back； didn't you？〃
Shed shrugged； nodded。 〃No big thing； Asa。〃
〃Sure it is； Shed。 And I'll remember it。 I owe you the big one。〃
Shed went downstairs before he could be embarrassed further。 He discovered that Raven had returned。 The man was in one of his animated discussions with Darling。 Arguing again。 They had to be lovers。 Damn it all。 He waited till Raven noticed him watching。 〃Asa wants to see you。 I think he wants to go with you when you leave。〃 Raven chuckled。 〃That would solve your problem； wouldn't it？〃
Shed did not deny that he would be more fortable with Asa out of Juniper。 〃What do you think？〃
〃Not a bad idea； actually。 Asa isn't much； but I need men。 I have a hold on him。 And him being gone would help cover my backtrail。〃
〃Take him with my blessing。〃
Raven started upstairs。 Shed said； 〃Wait。〃 He didn't know how to approach this； because he didn't know if it was important。 But he'd better tell Raven。 〃Bullock's been hanging around the Buskin a lot lately。 Him and a sidekick。〃
〃So？〃
〃So maybe he's closer than we think。 For one thing； he was in here looking for Asa。 For another； he's been asking about you。〃
Raven's face went empty。 〃About me？ How so？〃
〃On the quiet。 My cousin Wally's wife Sal； her brother is married to one of Bullock's cousins。 Anyway； Bullock still knows people down here； from when before he got on the Custodians。 He helps them out sometimes； so some of them tell him things he wants to know。 。。。〃
〃I get the picture。 Get to the point。〃
〃Bullock was asking about you。 Who you are； where you e from； who your friends are…things like that。〃
〃Why？〃
Shed could only shrug。
〃All right。 Thanks。 I'll check it out。〃
Chapter Eighteen： JUNIPER： BLOWING SMOKE
Goblin stood across the street； leaning against a building； staring intently。 I frowned angrily。 What the hell was he doing on the street？ Bullock might recognize him and realize we were playing games。
Obviously； he wanted to tell me something。
Bullock was about to enter another of countless dives。 I told him； 〃Got to see a man about a horse in the alley。〃
〃Yeah。〃 He went inside。 I slipped into the alley and made water。 Goblin joined me there。 〃What is it？〃 I asked。
〃What it is； Croaker； is it's him。 Raven。 Our Raven。 Not only him； but Darling。 She's a barmaid in a place called the Iron Lily。〃
〃Holy shit；〃 I murmured。
〃Raven lives there。 They're doing a show like they don't know each other that well。 But Raven looks out for her。〃
〃Damnit！ It had to be； didn't it？ What do we do now？〃
〃Maybe bend over and kiss our asses good…bye。 The bastard could be smack in the middle of the body…selling racket。 Everything we found could add up that way。〃
〃How e you could find that when Bullock couldn't？〃
〃I got resources Bullock doesn't。〃
I nodded。 He did。 Sometimes it's handy； having a wizard around。 Sometimes it's not； if it's one of those bitches up in Duretile。 〃Hurry it up；〃 I said。 〃He'll wonder where I am。〃
〃Raven has his own wagon and team。 Keeps it way across town。 Usually only takes it out late at night。〃 I nodded。 We'd already determined that body…runners worked the night shift。 〃But。 。 。 。〃 he said； 〃and you're going to love this but； Croaker。 He took it out in the daytime； once； a while back。 Coincidentally； the day somebody hit the Catabs。〃
〃Oh boy。〃
〃I looked that wagon over； Croaker。 There was blood in it。 Fairly fresh。 I date it about when that moneylender and his pals disappeared。〃
〃Oh boy。 Shit。 We're in for it now。 Better get。 Going to have to think of a story for Bullock now。〃
〃Later。〃
〃Yeah。〃
At that moment I was ready to give up。 Despair overwhelmed me。 That damned fool Raven … I knew exactly what he was doing。 Getting together a fat bunch of running money by selling bodies and plundering graves。 His conscience wouldn't bother him。 In his part of the world； such things were of much less consequence。 And he had a cause： Darling。 I couldn't get away from Bullock。 I wanted desperately to run to Elmo； but I had to trudge hither and yon asking questions。
I looked up the northern slope； at the black castle； and thought of it as the fortress Raven had built。
I was going off the deep end。 I told myself that。 The evidence wasn't yet conclusive。 。 。 。 But it was。 Enough。 My employers did not wait on legal niceties or absolute evidence。
Elmo was rattled； too。 〃We could kill him。 No risk him giving anything away then。〃
〃Really； Elmo！〃
〃I didn't mean it。 But you know I'd do it if the choice got narrow enough。〃
〃Yeah。〃 We all would。 Or we'd try。 Raven might not let us。 He was the toughest son…of…a…bitch I'd ever known。 〃If you ask me； we ought to find him and just tell him to get the hell out of Juniper。〃
Elmo gave me a disgusted look。 〃Haven't you been paying attention？ Right now the only way in or out is the one we took。 The harbor is frozen。 The passes are snowed in。 You think we could get Whisper to fly some civilian out for us？〃
〃Civilians。 Goblin says Darling is still with him。〃
Elmo looked thoughtful。 I started to say something else。 He waved a hand for silence。 I waited。 He