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W e had a lot to do at the tavern because we were about to throw a party the like of what Guttertown had never seen. We shooed Neco and Lucy out because that definitely needed to happen. We had a full house. The Madame, Leodos, and Trevils were helping us, too.

Sabina and Mira showed up to help. Mira flirted with Leodos, but he gently put her in his place without being mean about it.

Based on how he talked about her, that man was desperately in love with our future queen.

I thought it would be neat if they got together because he could really tell her how bad things were here.

Speaking of future love matches, we were all noticing the looks between Caitrin and Basselt. Yeah, those two were going to be together soon. There was another knock on the door and I went to answer it this time. I couldn’t imagine who was missing, but it was Aimes.

“Lucy isn’t here, but come in,” Ollie said. “I’ll get you some food and drink.”

“Is she okay? I was starting a walkabout and had made it to Lower Cutwart when this snake no one likes came walking through with this story I’m pretty sure he was hoping was going to get himself some sympathy.

If there was anyone left in Lower Cutwart that didn’t hate him, there’s not anymore.

They know who really saved them. They think he's an arse for trying to take credit and screwing Lucy over in the process. I came back as soon as I could, but my leg isn’t so good. ”

“She’s fine,” Ollie grinned. “She stuck it to Folcard and Caitrin is going to be just fine. If you can hold off on the walkabout, we’re having a big party at the Whispering Raven to celebrate winning for once.

It wasn’t a big win, but they embarrassed the fuck out of him and Lucy told him no straight to his face, so it’s still a win. ”

“You’ve got competition, old man,” Aimes joked to Trevils.

“Oh, no. Lucy is completely happy with her experiments in the basement. She’s good at everything she sets her mind to, but she’s happiest tinkering,” Caitrin said.

Yeah, and that was completely true. Lucy would have been good at piecing together a plot to catch a serial killer, but she was always happiest in the basement.

“The boy has a future in it,” Trevils said. “I’ve never seen someone be able to read a crime scene like that with no training.”

There was this awkward silence from everyone who knew Neco could read a crime scene because he regularly caused them. He just wasn’t messy with his and never left evidence.

“You taking an apprentice?” Aimes asked.

“Not sure if he wants it and he already has a job. If he doesn’t, I’ll probably ask him to help me catch the Blight. That one is never going to be caught unless he messes up.”

Ollie started choking and Beck pounded on his back. Smooth. Neco couldn’t be that stupid, right? He kind of had an ego about the whole assassin thing and he’d been a total fuck-wit about Lucy. The quickest way for him to slip up was to insert himself into that investigation.

His whole immunity deal with the Barons could be up in smoke after today. Folcard never said he wasn’t going to give Theda the cure. He didn’t really address Neco at all, but Neco stood up for Lucy.

They didn’t like to be questioned. Neco didn’t try to embarrass Folcard at all. He just pointed out what everyone in Guttertown knew. Their daughters could do more than just work in the brothels.

“If you poach my employee, you’re going to owe me,” the Madame said.

She couldn’t…the Madame protected her people, but if they had a better opportunity, she used her resources to help them.

The Madame was a web of secrets, but could she know Neco’s?

What was I saying? Of course, she knew. The Madame and Keeva were twins.

They went different directions in life, but they told each other everything.

Keeva wouldn’t have agreed to train Neco without talking to her sister.

I wondered if Neco had figured that out.

“No way,” Trevils said, holding up his hands. “A lot of people talk about the workers at the brothel, but just as many talk about the ruthless, but beautiful, woman who runs it. I’m not pissing you off.”

The Madame preened under the compliment.

“Good, because Neco would be missed.”

Oh, yeah. The Madame knew Neco was killing her abusive customers or she would have been talking him up to Trevils as an apprentice. She wanted Neco as far away from the investigation into the Blight as I did.

Sounded like that was handled. Neco had better be doing some serious groveling after he stole Lucy because I wanted my family back.