3
QUESTIONS ANd ANSWERS
Katherine Blackstone pushed past Hawk and Fisher, and ran forward to kneel beside her husband. Her hand went briefly to his chest, and then to his face. She looked back at Hawk, and her face was blank and confused.
“He’s dead. He’s really dead. Who ... Who ...”
She suddenly started to cry, great rasping sobs that shook her whole body. Fisher moved forward and knelt beside her for a moment before putting an arm round her shoulders and helping her to her feet. She led Katherine away from the body and made her sit down on the bed. Katherine accepted this docilely. Tears rolled down her face, but she made no attempt to wipe them away. Shock. Hawk had seen it before. He looked at Gaunt, standing beside him in the doorway. The sorcerer looked shaken and confused, unable to take in what had happened.
“Gaunt,” said Hawk quietly, “you’re her friend; get her out of here. Fisher and I have to examine the body.”
“Of course,” said Gaunt. “I’m sorry, I ... of course.”
“And, Gaunt ...”
“Yes?”
“Take her downstairs, get somebody to sit with her, and then set up an isolation spell. I don’t want anyone or anything getting in or out of this house.”
“Yes. I understand.”
Gaunt went over to Katherine and spoke softly to her. Katherine shook her head dazedly, but got to her feet as Gaunt went on talking to her, his voice low and calm and persuasive. They left the room together, and Hawk shut the door behind them. Hawk and Fisher looked at the dead body, and then at each other.
“Some bodyguards we turned out to be,” said Hawk.
Fisher nodded disgustedly. “This is going to be a real mess, Hawk. Blackstone was the best thing to happen to this city in years. What’s going to happen with him gone?”
“If we don’t find out who killed him, and quickly, there’ll be riots in the streets,” said Hawk grimly. “Damn. I liked him, Isobel. He trusted us to keep him safe, and we let him down.”
“Come on,” said Fisher. “We’ve got work to do. I’ll check the room, you check the body.”
Hawk nodded, and knelt down beside Blackstone. He looked the body over from head to toe, careful not to touch anything. Blackstone’s face was calm and relaxed, the eyes open and staring at the ceiling. His hands were empty. One leg had buckled under him as he fell back, and was trapped beneath the other. The knife had been driven into his heart with such strength that the crosspiece of the knife was flush with Blackstone’s chest. Hawk looked at the weapon closely, but it seemed a perfectly ordinary knife. There were no other wounds on the body, or any sign that Blackstone had tried to defend himself. The shirt around the knife was soaked with blood. Hawk frowned. With a wound like that, you’d expect a lot more blood....
“Look at this,” said Fisher.
Hawk looked up sharply.
Fisher was crouched down beside the bed, staring at a wineglass lying on its side on the thick rug. There was a little red wine left in the glass, and a few drops had spilled out onto the rug. The crimson stains looked disturbingly like blood. Fisher dipped a finger into the wine in the glass, and then lifted it to her mouth.
“Don’t,” said Hawk. “It could be poisoned.”
Fisher sniffed at her finger. “Smells okay.”
“Leave it anyway, until we’ve had a chance to check it.”
“Come on, Hawk. Why poison Blackstone and then stab him through the heart?”
“All right, I’ll admit it’s highly unlikely. But you never know. Wipe your fingers off thoroughly, okay?”
“Okay.” Fisher wiped her finger on the bedspread, and then moved over to crouch down beside Hawk. She stared glumly at the body, and shook her head slowly. “Well. How do you see it happening?”
Hawk frowned. “The door was locked from the inside, and Blackstone had the only key. At least, I assume he had it. I’ll check in a minute to make sure. Anyway, I think we’re fairly safe in assuming it wasn’t suicide. First, he had everything to live for. Second, there had been threats on his life. And third, he’d have a hell of a hard job stabbing himself like that. Apart from anything else, the angle’s all wrong. No, suicide is definitely out.”
“Right,” said Fisher. “So, somebody got in here, stabbed Blackstone, and then left, leaving the door locked from the inside. Tricky. Could Blackstone have locked the door himself, after he was stabbed?”
“No,” said Hawk. “With a wound like that, he must have died instantly.”
“Yeah,” said Fisher. “All right. Who could have killed Blackstone? It had to be one of the guests. A stranger would have one hell of a hard time getting into Gaunt’s house, and even if he had, Blackstone would have taken one look at him and yelled the place down. And since he was stabbed in the chest, he must have seen his attacker.”
“Right,” said Hawk. “So, if Blackstone saw whoever it was, and didn’t cry out, that can only mean he knew his attacker, and didn’t consider him a threat until it was too late.”
“Nasty,” said Fisher.
“Very,” said Hawk. “I’d better make sure Gaunt’s set up the isolation spell. I don’t want any of our guests disappearing before I have a chance to question them. You stay with the body. No one is to touch anything, right?”
“Right.”
Hawk straightened up and stretched slowly. “You know, Isobel, this is going to be a complicated case. I can feel it in my bones.”
He left Blackstone’s room and went out onto the landing, pulling the door shut behind him. The guests were crowded together on the landing, waiting for him. Lord Hightower stepped forward to block Hawk’s way.
“You. Guard! What’s going on?”
“My Lord...”
“Why have you smashed down William’s door?” demanded Bowman. “Gaunt took Katherine away in tears, but he wouldn’t tell us anything. Just said we weren’t to go in the room. What’s happened?”
“William Blackstone has been murdered,” said Hawk tightly.
The guests stared silently back at him, all of them apparently shocked and stunned.
“I have instructed the sorcerer Gaunt to seal off the house,” said Hawk. “Have any of you seen or heard anything suspicious? Anything at all?” There was a general shaking of heads, which was pretty much what Hawk had expected. He sighed quietly. “I have to talk to the sorcerer. My partner is guarding the body. I must ask you all not to enter Councillor Blackstone’s room for any reason, until the investigation into his death is over. I suggest you all go downstairs and wait in the parlour, and I’ll fill you in on the details of what’s happened as soon as I can.”
He turned quickly away before they could start asking questions, and hurried down the stairs to find Gaunt.
Fisher moved slowly around Blackstone’s room, looking for anything out of the ordinary. She’d tried all the obvious things, like looking in the wardrobe and under the bed, but so far the only clue to be found was the wineglass. Fisher scowled. The trouble with searching for clues was that half the time you didn’t know what you were looking for until you found it. And even then, you couldn’t be sure. She stood still in the middle of the room and looked about her. The color scheme was a little garish for her taste, but there was no denying that all the furniture and fittings were of the best possible quality. Nothing seemed to have been moved, or in any way disturbed. Everything was as it should be. Fisher glanced down at Blackstone’s body, and scowled thoughtfully. The killer had to be one of the guests, but they were all supposed to be friends of the dead man. One of them must have a motive. Find the motive, and you find the killer.... Fisher sat down on the edge of the bed and methodically worked her way through the list of suspects again.
Katherine Blackstone had looked to be very fond of Edward Bowman. Perhaps she’d grown tired of being married to a man ten years older than herself, and had decided to get rid of him so that she could take up with a younger man.
Lord Hightower claimed to have joined with Blackstone because of the way he’d been treated by the city Council, but that could have been just a cover, a way of getting close to Blackstone. And Lord Roderik was a military man; he’d know how to kill quickly and silently. But then again, why should he want to? Blackstone just wasn’t that important, outside of Haven.
And then there was the death wound itself. It must have taken quite a bit of strength to ram the knife all the way home. A great deal of strength ... or desperation.
Fisher shook her head. There was no point in making guesses at this stage. She didn’t have enough evidence to go on yet. The door creaked loudly as it swung suddenly open, and Fisher leapt to her feet, sword in hand, as Lord Hightower entered the room.
“That’s far enough, my Lord.”
Hightower glared at her coldly. “Watch your manners, girl. I’m here to take a look at the body.”
“I’m afraid I can’t allow that, my Lord.”
“You’ll do as you’re damn well told. I still have my rank as General....”
“And that doesn’t count a damn with me,” said Fisher politely. “As the only Guards present, Hawk and I have taken charge of the investigation. And at the scene of the crime, we are answerable only to our superior officers. That’s city law, Lord Hightower. Now I’m afraid I must insist that you leave. I can’t risk you accidentally destroying any evidence.”
Hightower started forward, and then stopped dead as Fisher raised her sword. He took in her calm, professional stance, and the old scars that scored her muscular forearm. The sword point didn’t waver, and neither did her narrowed eyes. Hightower stared at her coldly, and stepped back a pace.
“You’ll regret this, Guard,” he said softly. “I’ll see to that!”
He turned and left, slamming the door shut behind him. Fisher lowered her sword. Some days you just shouldn’t get out of bed.
Downstairs, Hawk stood in the middle of the hall and looked around him, but there was no sign of Gaunt. Katherine Blackstone was sitting alone in the parlour. She had a glass of wine in her hand, but she wasn’t drinking it. She just sat in a chair by the empty fireplace, staring at nothing. A door opened behind Hawk and he spun round, axe in hand, to see Gaunt stepping into the hall from the room opposite the parlour.
“Where the hell have you been?” said Hawk quietly, not wanting to disturb Katherine.
“Just checking my defenses,” said Gaunt. “I can assure you that apart from those I invited, no one has got in or out of this house, before or since the murder. I’m now ready to set up the isolation spell. Are you sure you want to do this, Captain? Once the spell is established, this house and everyone in it will be sealed off from the outside world until dawn. That’s a good seven hours.”
“Do it,” said Hawk. “I know; these are important people, and they’re not going to like being held here against their will, but I can’t risk letting the killer escape. In the meantime, I really don’t think we should leave Katherine on her own. I thought I told you to find someone to sit with her?”
“There wasn’t time,” said Gaunt. “I thought it was more important to check my defenses, in case the assassin was still here. Believe me, Katherine will be perfectly all right on her own for a few minutes. I’ve given her a specific of my own devising; it should help to stave off the shock.”
Hawk frowned. “It won’t knock her out, will it? I’m going to have to ask her some questions in a while.”
“No, it’s only a mild sedative. Now, if you’ve finished with me for the moment, I think I’d better set up the isolation spell.” The sorcerer’s mouth twisted angrily. “I still can’t really believe that one of my guests murdered William ... but I suppose I must.”
Gaunt strode down the hall to stand before the closed front door. He stood motionless for a long moment, and then said a single word aloud. The sound of it echoed loudly on the air, and Hawk clutched tightly at the shaft of his axe as Gaunt’s hands began to glow with an eerie blue light. The atmosphere in the hall grew tense and brittle, and Hawk could feel a pressure building on the air. Gaunt threw up his arms in the stance of summoning, and his hands glowed so brightly it hurt to look at them. His mouth moved soundlessly, his eyes squeezed shut as he concentrated. Hawk winced as a juddering vibration ran suddenly through his bones, chattering his teeth. And then the sorcerer spoke a single Word of Power, and a deafening roar filled the whole house. Hawk staggered as the floor shook beneath his feet and then grew still. The sound was suddenly gone. Hawk got his balance back and looked around him. Everything seemed to be normal again. The sorcerer walked back to join him. Hawk glanced quickly at Gaunt’s hands, but they were no longer glowing.
“The spell is set,” said Gaunt. “It cannot be broken. So if there is a murderer in my house, we’re trapped in here with him until first light. I do hope you know what you’re doing, Captain Hawk.”
“There is a murderer,” said Hawk calmly, “and I’ll get him. Now let’s go back upstairs. I want you to take another look at Blackstone’s body.”
Gaunt nodded briefly, and Hawk sheathed his axe and led the way back down the hall to the stairs.. The guests had all assembled in the parlour, but Hawk didn’t stop to talk to them. They could wait a while. He and Gaunt made their way up the stairs and onto the landing. Gaunt stopped before the door to Blackstone’s room and looked hard at Hawk. He took in the scarred wood and shattered lock, and shrugged. Gaunt sighed audibly, and looked away. Hawk pushed open the door and walked in, followed by Gaunt.
Fisher looked up sharply, and then put away her sword as she saw who it was. Hawk raised an eyebrow.
“Any problems while I was gone?”
“Not really,” said Fisher, “I had to throw Lord Hightower out. He wanted to examine the body.”
“You threw him out?” said Gaunt.
“Of course,” said Hawk. “We’re in charge at the scene of a crime. Always. That’s Haven law. On such occasions, anyone refusing to obey a Guard’s lawful orders, or failing to answer his questions, is liable to a heavy fine or a stay in prison.”
“That sounded suspiciously like a threat,” said Gaunt.
“Just trying to clarify the situation, sir sorcerer,” said Hawk.
Gaunt nodded stiffly. “Of course. I’m sorry, I’m a little over-sensitive at the moment; I’m rather upset. I suppose we all are. William’s death is a great loss to us all.”
“Not to everyone, it isn’t,” said Fisher. “Somebody must have stood to gain by it. All we have to do is work out why, and then we should have our murderer. That’s the theory, anyway.”
“I see,” said Gaunt.
Hawk frowned slightly. He’d been watching the sorcerer closely, and Gaunt’s perpetual calmness was beginning to get on his nerves. The sorcerer might claim to be upset over his friend’s death, but if he was, he was doing a damn good job of hiding it. In fact, if William had been the close friend that Gaunt claimed him to be, the sorcerer was being suspiciously cool and collected. Then again, sorcerers weren’t exactly famous for behaving normally. If they were normal, they wouldn’t have become sorcerers in the first place.
“Well,” said Gaunt. “I’m here. What do you want of me, Captain Hawk?”
“I’m not really sure,” said Hawk. “I don’t know that much about sorcery. Is there anything your magic can do to help us detect or re-create the events leading up to William’s murder?”
Gaunt frowned slightly. “I’m afraid not. My magic isn’t really suited to such work. You see, all sorcerers specialise in their own particular area of interest. Some deal with transformational magic, others with weather control, constructs and homunculi, spirits of the air and of the deep.... We all start out with the same basic grounding in the four elements, but after that ... the High Magic takes many forms.”
“What is your specialisation?” asked Fisher patiently.
“Alchemy,” said Gaunt. “Medicines, and the like.”
“And poisons?” said Hawk.
“On occasion.” Gaunt looked at Hawk sharply. “Did you have any reason for such a question?”
“Possibly.” Hawk indicated the wineglass lying on the rug beside the bed. “It seems likely Blackstone was drinking from that glass just before he was attacked. Can you tell whether or not the wine had been poisoned?”
“I’ll need a sample to test before I can be sure,” said Gaunt. “But I can tell you straightaway whether the wine contained anything harmful. That’s a simple spell.”
He stretched out his left hand towards the wineglass and muttered something under his breath. A cold breeze seemed to blow suddenly through the room, and then was gone. Gaunt shook his head, and lowered his arm. “It’s perfectly harmless.” He knelt down beside the glass, dipped his finger into the remaining dregs, and then sucked his finger clean. “One of my better wines. I’ll run some checks in my laboratory, just to be sure there isn’t anything else in it, like a mild soporific, but I’m sure any spell would have detected even that. May I take the glass?”
“I’m afraid not,” said Hawk. “That has to stay where it is for the moment. We may need it for evidence later on. But you’re welcome to take a sample of the wine itself; just don’t disturb the glass.”
Gaunt hesitated. “Captain Hawk, there’s something else ... something unusual in this room.”
“Where?” said Hawk quickly.
“I don’t know, but it’s definitely something magical.” Gaunt frowned, and looked at Blackstone’s body. “Perhaps William was carrying a protective charm of some kind.”
Hawk looked at Fisher. “Have you searched the body?”
“Not yet. I was waiting for you to get back.”
“All right; let’s take a look.”
Hawk knelt down beside Blackstone’s body, took a deep breath to steady himself, and started with the jerkin pockets. He found two handkerchiefs, one badly in need of a wash, and a handful of loose change. He dumped both the handkerchiefs and the money beside the body, then tried the trouser pockets. Some more loose change, and a half dozen visiting cards. Hawk dumped them with his other finds. He thought a moment, and then carefully undid Blackstone’s high collar. He nodded slowly as the stiff cloth fell away to reveal a silver chain around the dead man’s neck. Using only his fingertips, Hawk pulled gently at the chain until the amulet it held came out from under the dead man’s shirt. It was a bone amulet, with a series of tiny runes etched deep into the bone. It was spotted with the dead man’s blood. Hawk held it up so that Gaunt could see it.
“Do you know what this is, sir sorcerer?”
“Yes. It’s an amulet of protection. The witch Visage made it for William. I tested it for her myself a few days ago, to make sure it would work. It was designed to protect the wearer against magical attacks. Any spell aimed at William would have ceased to work in his vicinity. A very useful defense.”
“So curses and the like would have had no effect on him?” said Fisher slowly.
“Not as long as he wore the amulet,” said Gaunt. “Anything of a magical nature would cease to be magical once it came anywhere near William. It would become magical again once it had moved beyond the amulet’s sphere of influence, of course.”
“Of course,” said Hawk. He dropped the amulet onto Blackstone’s chest. “How big a sphere of influence would such an amulet have?”
“No more than a few inches. It’s not a very powerful amulet, but then, it doesn’t need to be.”
“So whatever else happens,” said Fisher, “we can safely assume that Councillor Blackstone wasn’t killed by magic?”
“I don’t see how he could have been,” said Gaunt.
“Thank you, sir sorcerer,” said Hawk. “You’ve been very helpful. Perhaps you would now be so kind as to join your guests in the parlour. My partner and I will join you shortly.”
“Very well,” said Gaunt. He looked from Hawk to Fisher, and then settled on Hawk, his dark eyes steady and disconcertingly cold. “William was my friend. I don’t think I’ve ever known a man I admired more. I’ll do everything I can to help you find the man who killed him. I give you my word on it.”
He nodded abruptly to them both, turned quickly on his heel, and left. Hawk sat down on the bed and stared moodily at the dead man. Fisher leaned lazily against the wall.
“A very pretty exit speech,” she said calmly.
“Very,” said Hawk. “I hope he doesn’t turn out to be the murderer. Trying to arrest a sorcerer as powerful as he’s supposed to be might prove rather difficult. Not to mention extremely dangerous. On the other hand, if he isn’t our killer, we’d better find the man responsible before Gaunt does. At least with us he’d live to stand trial.”
“Yeah.” Fisher leaned her head back against the wall and frowned thoughtfully at the ceiling. “Do we assume that Gaunt is right, and Blackstone wasn’t killed by magic?”
“It’s a simple choice,” said Hawk. “Either the amulet is what Gaunt said it is, or it isn’t. If it is, Blackstone couldn’t have been killed by magic. But if Gaunt was lying ...”
“Unlikely. He must have known we’d check with Visage.”
“Unless they’re working together.”
“I hate conspiracies,” said Fisher.
“Yeah,” said Hawk. “And I hate it when there’s magic involved; it complicates the hell out of a case.”
“Have you found the key yet?” said Fisher suddenly, looking vaguely about her.
“Damn. Knew I forgot something.” Hawk scowled down at the dead man. “It wasn’t in his pockets.” He got to his feet and looked around him.
He and Fisher moved back and forth around the room, but couldn’t see anything that even looked like a key. Finally they both got down on their hands and knees and started combing through the thick rugs with their fingers.
“Here!” said Fisher. She clambered awkwardly to her feet, holding up a key she’d found by the door. “It must have been left in the keyhole, and fell out when you smashed the lock.”
“Assuming that is the right key,” said Hawk, getting to his feet.
“Oh, come on, Hawk! What are the odds on there happening to be another key lying on the floor right by the door?”
Hawk smiled and shrugged. “Sorry, lass. That’s the trouble with cases like this; you start doubting everything. We’ll show Gaunt the key, and he can tell us for sure.”
“Why don’t we just try it in the lock?”
“Because after what I did to that lock with my axe, no key would work it.”
Fisher glanced at the smashed lock, and nodded reluctantly. “I see what you mean. We’ll ask Gaunt.” She slipped the key into her trouser pocket.
“All right,” said Hawk, “let’s try and re-create what happened here. Blackstone was stabbed with a knife. The door was locked from the inside. So how did the killer get in and out?”
“Teleport?” said Fisher.
Hawk frowned. “It’s possible, I suppose, but a spell like that takes a lot of power and a hell of a lot of expertise. And the only person here who fits that description is ...”
“Gaunt,” said Fisher.
“Visage wouldn’t have the power,” said Hawk. “Would she?”
“So far, this case has been nothing but questions with no trustworthy answers,” said Fisher disgustedly. “This case is going to be a challenge. I hate challenges. We were better off with the vampire. At least we knew where we were with him.”
“Come on,” said Hawk. “Let’s go down and face the crowd in the parlor. Maybe we can get some answers out of them.”
“We might,” said Fisher. “But I doubt it.”
They left the room, and Hawk pulled the door shut behind him. It wouldn’t stay closed. Hawk looked at the splintered wood and the shattered lock, and wasn’t surprised.
“You always were efficient,” said Fisher, smiling. “But if we can’t lock the door, how are we going to keep people out?”
“Beats me,” said Hawk. “Ask them nicely? There’s not a lot in the room in the way of real evidence, as far as I can tell.... And any attempt to interfere with the scene of the crime would be a pretty good indication of guilt. So let’s just leave the door open and see what happens.”
“I love it when you’re devious,” said Fisher.
They chuckled quietly together, and made their way down the stairs and into the parlor. Hawk and Fisher paused a moment in the doorway, taking in the waiting suspects. The sorcerer Gaunt stood at the rear of the room by the main table. His face was calm, but his eyes were dark and brooding. Katherine Blackstone was still sitting in her chair by the empty fireplace. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and she had a tired, defeated look. Bowman stood beside her. His face was calm and controlled, as always. The Lord and Lady Hightower stood together by the buffet table. Their backs were straight and their heads erect, and they stood protectively close to each other. Hawk looked at the Lady Elaine’s hands. They were held tightly together, the knuckles white from the pressure, as though to stop them trembling. Anger? Or fear? Not far away, Dorimant was helping himself to another glass of the fruit cordial. His normally ruddy face was pale and strained, and his hands were unsteady. The witch Visage stood beside him. She looked lost and frightened and very young. As Hawk watched, Dorimant put his arm around the witch’s shoulders. Visage leaned against him gratefully, as though all the strength had gone out of her. Adam Stalker stood alone in the middle of the room. He glared impatiently at Hawk and Fisher as they stood in the doorway.
“Well?” he said finally. “What’s happened? And why have we been kept waiting all this time?”
“Councillor Blackstone is dead,” said Hawk quietly. He waited a moment, but no one said anything. Hawk walked forward into the parlour with Fisher at his side, and Stalker reluctantly gave way to allow them to take up the center position. Hawk looked slowly about him, to be sure he had everyone’s attention, and then continued. “William Blackstone was stabbed to death, in his room. So far, we have no clues as to the identity of the killer. At my request, the sorcerer Gaunt has sealed off the house with an isolation spell. No one can get in or out.”
The guests stirred uneasily, but still nobody said anything. For a moment, Hawk thought Hightower might. His face had lost all its color, and his hands had clenched into fists. But the moment passed, and Hightower remained silent. Hawk took a deep breath, and continued.
“Now, as Guards, my partner and I are required to question you each in turn, to help build up a picture of what was happening at the time of the killing. In the meantime, of course, no one is to go near the body.”
“Wait a minute,” said Bowman. “Question us? Are you saying you think one of us is the killer?”
“Ridiculous!” snapped Hightower. “And I’m damned if I’m answering any questions from a jumped-up Guard!”
“Refusal to assist us in our inquiries is in itself a crime,” said Fisher calmly. “I’m sure you all know the penalties for obstructing the Guard in the performance of their duty.”
“You wouldn’t dare....” said Hightower.
“Wouldn’t I?” said Hawk. He locked eyes with Hightower, and Hightower was the first to look away. Stalker stepped forward.
“I’ve had experience with murders before, Captain. If I can help in any way, you have only to ask.”
“Thank you, sir Stalker,” said Hawk politely. “I’ll bear that in mind.” He turned to Gaunt. “Sir sorcerer, is there a room my partner and I can use to talk privately with your guests?”
“Of course, Captain. There’s my library; it’s just across the hall.”
The library proved to be a small, cosy room directly opposite the parlour. Gaunt ushered Hawk and Fisher in, and lit two of the library’s oil lamps with a wave of his hand. All four of the walls were lined with bookshelves, each packed with books of various shapes and sizes. The books were stacked neatly, though apparently according to size and shape as much as contents. There were two comfortable-looking chairs by the empty fireplace, and two other doors, one to the left and one to the right.
“Where do they lead?” said Hawk, indicating the doors.
“The door to your right leads to the kitchen,” said Gaunt. “The door to your left leads to my private laboratory. That door is locked and shielded at all times.”
“Fine,” said Hawk. “This room should do nicely. I think we’ll make a start with you, sir Gaunt, if it’s convenient.”
“Of course,” said Gaunt. “But we’ll need another chair.” He gestured sharply, and the library door swung open. A chair came sliding out of the parlour. It crossed the hall and entered the library, and the door swung shut behind it. Gaunt carefully positioned the chair before the empty fireplace and sat down. Hawk and Fisher pulled up the other two chairs, and sat facing him.
“That was very impressive,” said Hawk.
“Not really,” said Gaunt. “Well, what do we do now? I’ve never been involved in a murder investigation before. What kind of things do you need to ask me?”
“Nothing too difficult,” said Hawk. “To start with, do you recognise this key?” He nodded to Fisher, who dug the key out of her pocket and handed it to Gaunt. The sorcerer looked at the key, and then turned it over in his hand a few times.
“It looks like one of mine. Is it the key to William’s room?”
“That’s what we want to know.”
Gaunt shrugged. “All the keys look the same to me. Since I live on my own most of the time, I don’t have much use for the upstairs rooms. Usually I keep all my keys on one ring, in the right order so that I can tell them apart. And now they’ve all been split up.... Still, it shouldn’t be too difficult to work out which key it is. Where did you find it?”
“In Blackstone’s room,” said Fisher. “On the floor, not far from the door.”
Gaunt looked at Hawk. “Then why ask me if this is William’s key?”
“Because in a case like this we need to be very sure of our facts,” said Hawk. “You can never tell what’s going to turn out to be significant. Please let me know when you’re sure that’s Blackstone’s key. Now, sir Gaunt, what did you do earlier this evening, after your guests had gone upstairs to change?”
“I went into the kitchen,” said Gaunt. “The meal was almost ready. All I had to do was pour the soup into the bowls, and baste the meat one last time. I did that, and then I thought I’d better check that the table was ready. I walked out into the hall, and that was when I sensed the murder.”
Fisher leaned forward in her chair. “You sensed the murder ?”
“Oh, yes,” said Gaunt. “I didn’t know what it was at the time. I just felt a disturbance in the house, as though something terrible had happened. I ran upstairs to check that my guests were all right, and that’s when I found you preparing to cut down my door with an axe. You know the rest.”
“Yes,” said Hawk thoughtfully. “Tell me, sir Gaunt, could anyone use a teleport spell in this house without you knowing?”
“A teleport? Certainly not. Such spells take a great deal of power and skill to bring off correctly. One small mistake in the arrival coordinates, and you’d have a very nasty accident. I can see what you’re getting at, Captain Hawk, but there’s no way the assassin could have teleported into William’s room and out again. I have wards set up all over the house to prevent just such a thing. I have my enemies too, you know. Even I couldn’t teleport in this house, without first dismantling the wards.”
“I see,” said Hawk. “Perhaps we should discuss Councillor Blackstone’s enemies. It’s common knowledge he was unpopular in some quarters, but can you suggest any names? Especially anyone who would profit by his death.”
“There’s no one in particular,” said Gaunt, frowning. “There are any number of people in Haven who’ll breathe easier, knowing that William is dead, but I can’t think of anyone insane enough to murder William in my house. They must have known that I would take this as a personal insult.”
“I see your point,” said Hawk dryly.
“There is one thing,” said Gaunt, and then he hesitated. Hawk waited patiently. Gaunt looked at him steadily. “I really don’t know if this is at all relevant. I feel rather foolish even mentioning it, but ... William had an argument recently, with Adam Stalker. I don’t know what it was about, but it must have been serious. They’ve hardly spoken to each other for weeks.”
“You did the right thing in telling us,” said Hawk. “I shouldn’t think it means anything, but we’ll check it out, just in case. I think that’s all for the moment, sir Gaunt. You can rejoin the others in the parlour now. And tell the witch Visage we’d like to see her next.”
“Of course,” said Gaunt. “I’ll send her in.” He got to his feet and crossed to the door. It swung open before him, and then he hesitated in the doorway and looked back at Hawk. “What should I do about dinner?”
“Serve it if you like,” said Fisher. “But I think you’ll find most people have lost their appetite.”
Gaunt nodded, and left. The door swung shut behind him. Hawk looked at Fisher.
“How am I doing?”
“Not bad,” said Fisher. “Just the right mix of authority and politeness. Do you believe him about the anti-teleport wards?”
“Makes sense to me,” said Hawk. “Every sorcerer has enemies. And again, it’s something we can check with Visage. If there are such wards in the house, she should be able to detect them.”
“Good point. Now, what about the keys? Gaunt said there were no duplicates, but he could be lying. If he did have a duplicate, he could easily have let himself in, killed Blackstone, and left again, locking the door after him.”
“No,” said Hawk firmly. “I don’t buy that. It’s too obvious.”
“So what? Look, there’s already one hole in his story. He said that during the time of the murder he left the parlour with the guests and went into the kitchen. He poured out the soup and basted the meat, and then had his premonition about Blackstone’s death. It doesn’t add up, Hawk. Between everyone leaving the parlour and us breaking the door down, there had to have been at least fifteen to twenty minutes. I remember looking at the clock in the parlour. Now, it doesn’t take that long to pour out some soup and baste a joint of meat. So what else was he doing?”
“Another good point,” said Hawk. “But I still can’t see Gaunt as the murderer. If he’d wanted to kill Blackstone, surely he would have found a more subtle way than to stab the man under his own roof. Remember the Hook? Two hundred and forty-seven dead, and nothing to connect any of them with Gaunt. The forensic magicians couldn’t find a single shred of evidence against him, and it wasn’t for want of trying. I think he injured their pride.”
“All right, I see what you mean.” Fisher stirred uneasily in her chair. “But it could just be misdirection, so that we wouldn’t suspect him. Remember how Gaunt used his magic to move that chair without touching it? Perhaps he could use a knife the same way. Or open a lock, just as he opened and shut that door, just by looking at it. If by some chance we find proof that Gaunt is the murderer, we’d better watch ourselves. If we start getting too close to the truth, he might decide to do something subtle about us.”
“Great,” said Hawk. “Just great. This case is getting more fun by the minute.”
There was a hesitant knock at the door, and then the witch Visage came in. She shut the door quietly behind her and looked uncertainly from Hawk to Fisher. Hawk nodded at the empty chair, and Visage sank into it. Her face was still deathly pale, and she kept her eyes modestly downcast. Fisher looked at Hawk, who nodded slightly.
“We need to ask you some questions,” said Fisher.
“Yes,” said Visage. Her voice was little more than a whisper.
“Where were you when Blackstone was killed?” said Fisher bluntly.
“In my room, I suppose. I don’t know exactly when William died.”
“Gaunt said he sensed the killing,” said Hawk. “Are you saying you didn’t feel anything?”
“Yes,” said Visage. She raised her head and met his gaze for the first time. “Gaunt is much more powerful than I’ll ever be. He’s a sorcerer.”
“All right, so you were in your room,” said Fisher. “Did anyone see you there?”
“No. I was alone.”
“So you can’t prove you were in your room.”
“No.”
“Earlier this evening you said you knew why Katherine Blackstone was acting strangely,” said Hawk. “But you didn’t get around to telling us then. Tell us now.”
“Why don’t you ask Bowman?” said Visage.
Hawk and Fisher glanced quickly at each other.
“Why Bowman?” said Hawk.
Visage smiled slightly. Her green eyes were very cold. “You must have seen him and Katherine together. They’re not exactly subtle about it.”
“They do seem very friendly,” said Fisher.
“They’ve been lovers for at least six months,” said Visage flatly. “That’s why she’s always laughing and smiling. She’s found another fool.”
“Did Blackstone know?” asked Hawk.
“I don’t think so. William could be very good at not seeing things he didn’t want to.”
Hawk frowned thoughtfully. “How long have you been working for Blackstone?”
“Four, five years. Since his first campaign in the Heights area. I protected him from magical threats. He’s always had enemies. Good men always do.”
“You gave him the amulet he wore?”
“Yes. As long as he wore it, no magic could harm him.”
“You mentioned enemies,” said Fisher. “Can you give us any names?”
Visage shook her head firmly. “William wasn’t killed by an assassin. The only people in this house are Gaunt, his guests, and you. There is no one else. I’d have known.”
“Are you sure?” said Hawk.
“Yes. At least...” Visage frowned slightly. “There is a part of this house that is closed to me. I can’t see into it.”
“Where?” said Fisher, leaning forward.
Visage looked at the left-hand door. “Gaunt’s laboratory. It’s surrounded by a very powerful shield. He’s always been very jealous of his secrets.”
“Could someone be hiding in there?” asked Hawk.
Visage shook her head. “No one could have left that room without my knowing about it.”
“Then why mention the room?” said Fisher.
“Because it disturbs me,” said Visage.
For a while no one said anything. Visage’s words seemed to hang on the air. Hawk cleared his throat.
“Gaunt said this house was warded against teleport spells. Is that true?”
Visage nodded soberly. “Of course. It was one of the first things I checked for when I entered the house. It’s not unusual; all sorcerers have such protections. Why are you wasting time with all these questions? Edward Bowman killed William. Isn’t it obvious? Bowman wanted Katherine, and they both knew William would never agree to a divorce. It would have destroyed his political career.”
“That’s an interesting theory,” said Hawk, “but we can’t arrest a man without some kind of proof. For the time being, everyone is equally suspect.”
“Including me?”
“Yes.”
“I could never have harmed William,” said Visage flatly.
Hawk studied her thoughtfully. “Earlier on, I saw Gaunt bring a chair into this room by magic. He just looked at it, and it moved. Could he have manipulated a knife in the same way?”
“Through a locked door, you mean?” Visage shook her head. “That kind of magic is simple enough, but it needs eye contact with the object to be moved.”
“All right,” said Hawk, “could he have used that magic to pick the lock?”
“No. There are wards in this house to prevent such tamperings.”
“Of course,” said Hawk. “There would be. Damn.”
“I think that’s all, for the moment,” said Fisher. “Please wait in the parlour, and ask Bowman to come in next.”
Visage sat where she was, and looked hotly at Hawk and Fisher. “You’re not going to do anything, are you? Bowman’s too important. He has influence. I’m warning you; I won’t let him get away with this. I’ll kill him first!”
She jumped to her feet and hurried out of the library, slamming the door behind her. Fisher raised an eyebrow.
“If she’s prepared to kill one man, she might have killed another.”
“Right,” said Hawk. “There’s a fire burning under that cool and quiet surface. She was obviously very fond of Blackstone.... Maybe she was having an affair with him. It went sour—perhaps she wanted him to divorce his wife and marry her and he refused—so she killed him for revenge. Or maybe she wanted an affair and he didn’t, so she killed him out of injured pride.”
“That’s reaching a bit, isn’t it?” said Fisher.
Hawk shrugged. “This early in the game, how can we tell?”
“No,” said Fisher. “It still doesn’t feel right. If there were hard feelings between Blackstone and Visage, he’d hardly have kept her on as his bodyguard, would he? I mean, that’s what her job amounted to. And anyway, Visage is a witch; if she wanted to kill someone, she wouldn’t need a knife to do it.... Unless she was trying to be misleading....”
“I think we’ve had this conversation before,” said Hawk dryly.
The door opened, and Bowman came in. He smiled briefly, and sat down in the empty chair without waiting to be asked. Hawk frowned slightly. For a man whose friend and employer had just been murdered, Bowman looked very composed. But then, he always did.
“You were Blackstone’s right-hand man,” said Fisher.
“That’s right,” said Bowman pleasantly.
“Would you mind telling us where you were at the time of the murder?”
“I was in my room. Changing for dinner.”
“Can anyone verify that?” asked Hawk. Bowman looked at him steadily.
“No.”
“So you don’t really have an alibi?”
Bowman smiled. “Do I need one?”
“How long have you known William Blackstone?” asked Fisher.
“Seven, eight years.”
“How long have you known Katherine Blackstone?” asked Hawk.
“About the same,” said Bowman.
Hawk and Fisher looked at him silently, but his pleasant smile didn’t waver. The silence dragged on.
“Who do you think killed Blackstone?” said Hawk finally.
“He had a great many enemies,” said Bowman.
“Are you aware of the penalties for refusing to cooperate with the Guard during an investigation?” asked Fisher.
“Of course,” said Bowman. “I am doing my best to cooperate, Captain Fisher. I’ve answered every question you’ve asked me.”
“All right,” said Hawk. “That’s all for now. Wait in the parlour with the others, and send in Dorimant.”
Bowman nodded briefly to them both, rose unhurriedly to his feet and left the library, closing the door quietly behind him.
“Politicians,” said Hawk disgustedly. “Getting answers to questions is like pulling teeth. The trouble is, technically he’s in the right. He did answer all our questions; we just didn’t know the right questions to ask him. We can’t come flat out and accuse him of bedding his employer’s wife. Firstly, he’d deny it anyway, and secondly, if by some chance we were wrong, he’d have us thrown out of the Guard.”
“Yeah,” said Fisher. “But there’s no doubt in my mind. You saw them together—the way they were reacting to each other. It’s as clear as the nose on his face. I can’t believe Blackstone didn’t know. Or at least suspect ...”
Hawk shrugged. “You heard Visage; perhaps he chose not to know. He couldn’t risk a divorce, and Bowman was useful to him....”
“Only as long as Bowman was discreet about it, and in my experience, he’s not very subtle when it comes to approaching women.”
Hawk looked at her sharply. “Oh, yes? Do I take it he approached you somewhen this evening?”
“Yes. I took care of it. I explained that I wasn’t interested, and he went away.”
“Just like that?”
“Pretty much. Oh, I explained that you’d kill him slowly and painfully, and I did have my knife pressed against his gut, but ...”
“Yeah,” said Hawk, grinning. “You’ve always been ... persuasive, Isobel.”
“Thank you. To get back to the subject. If Bowman had been indiscreet about his affair with Katherine, and Blackstone got to hear of it ...”
“No man likes to believe the woman he loves doesn’t love him anymore,” said Hawk. “Older man, younger woman; it’s an old story. But even if Katherine and Bowman were having an affair, it doesn’t mean they committed the murder. It’s not proof.”
“No, but it is a motive. And Katherine was the one who came and told us that something must have happened to her husband....”
There was a knock on the door, and Dorimant came in. He hesitated in the doorway a moment, as though unsure of his reception, and then stepped quickly into the library and shut the door behind him. Hawk nodded curtly at the empty chair, and Dorimant came forward and sank into it. His face was pale and drawn, and his movements were clumsy, as though some of the strength had gone out of him. But when he finally raised his head to look at Hawk, his mouth was firm and his eyes didn’t waver.
“Did you have much luck with Bowman?” he asked quietly.
“Some,” said Hawk.
Dorimant smiled harshly. “I’d lay good odds he’s already told you one lie. You asked him where he was at the time of the murder, and he said alone in his room. Right? I thought so. He wasn’t alone. I saw Katherine go into his room, just after we all came upstairs to change. I was just leaving the bathroom. She didn’t see me.”
“Thank you for telling us,” said Fisher. “We’ll bear it in mind. Now, sir Dorimant, where were you at the time of the murder?”
“In my room.”
“Alone?”
“No. Visage was with me.”
Hawk raised an eyebrow. “Now, that’s strange,” he said slowly. “She told us she was in her room, alone. Why should she lie to us about that?”
“She wants to protect me,” said Dorimant, looking at his hands. “I’m currently separated from my wife, but not yet divorced. The separation is far from amicable, and my dear wife would just love to find some scandal she could use as ammunition against me.”
“So why are you telling us?” said Fisher.
“To prove I’ve nothing to hide.”
“You were Blackstone’s political adviser,” said Hawk. “I’ve heard a lot about Blackstone’s enemies, but so far nobody seems ready to actually name them. How about you?”
Dorimant shrugged. “It’s no secret, Captain Hawk. There’s Geoffrey Tobias; he used to represent the Heights in Council before William took his seat away from him at the last election. Then there’s the DeWitt brothers; they stand to lose a lot of money if William’s bill becomes law. They own property down in the docks. It’s in a foul state, and they’ve neither the money nor the inclination to make the repairs the bill will require. There’s Hugh Carnell, the leading conservative on the Council; old and mean and hates change in general and William’s changes in particular. I could go on, but why bother? You said yourself earlier on that no one could have got into the house to kill William. The murderer has to be one of us.”
“That’s true,” said Hawk. “But someone here could be in the pay of one of those enemies.”
“It’s possible, I suppose,” said Dorimant. He didn’t sound too convinced.
“Let’s talk about Katherine and Bowman,” said Fisher. “Do you think they’re capable of murder?”
“We’re all capable of murder,” said Dorimant. “Providing we’re pushed hard enough by something we want, or fear. Edward Bowman has had years of being second-in-command to William, and he’s always been ambitious. And he knew Katherine would never leave William. She liked the money and the prestige too much, and in her own way, she was always fond of William. Even though she was cheating on him.”
“Let us suppose for a moment,” said Hawk, “that Bowman did kill Blackstone. Would Katherine have supported him in that, or would he have to do it on his own, and hope she never found out he was responsible?”
“I don’t know.” Dorimant shrugged angrily. “I’m not a mind reader. People can do strange things when they’re in love.”
“What about the other guests?” said Fisher. “Is there anyone else in this house with a motive to kill Blackstone?”
“I don’t know about motives,” said Dorimant slowly. “I know William had quarrelled recently with Adam Stalker.”
“Really?” said Hawk. “That’s interesting. What did they quarrel abut?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think anybody knows. Neither of them would talk about it. But it must have been pretty serious. William was very angry about it; I could tell.”
“Anything else you can tell us?” said Fisher.
“Not really. We all admired William; we all believed in him. And most of us liked him.”
“How did you feel about him?” said Fisher.
Dorimant looked at her steadily. “William Blackstone was the bravest and finest man I ever met.”
“Thank you,” said Hawk. “That will be all for the moment. Please wait in the parlour with the others, and send in Katherine Blackstone.”
Dorimant nodded and got to his feet. He left without looking back.
“He seemed very eager to lay the blame on Bowman,” said Hawk slowly. “Almost too eager.”
“Yeah,” said Fisher. “I don’t know about you, Hawk, but my head hurts. The more people we see, the more complicated and impossible this case gets. We’ve got more suspects than we can shake a stick at, and we still haven’t got a clue as to how the murder was committed!”
“Stay with it, lass,” said Hawk, smiling in spite of himself. “After all, we’ve both had experience with Court intrigues in the past, and if we can handle that, we can certainly handle this. Let’s face it. Compared to some courtiers we’ve known, these people are amateurs. Now, how do you feel about Dorimant? He seemed sincere enough.”
“Yeah,” said Fisher. “But we’ve only his word that Visage was with him at the time of the murder. He could be lying.”
“It’s possible. But then again, it’s not the kind of thing you’d expect him to admit if it wasn’t true.”
“Right.” Fisher frowned thoughtfully. “And if Dorimant and Visage are having an affair, that takes away Visage’s motivation, doesn’t it? I mean, she couldn’t be having an affair with Dorimant and Blackstone. Could she?”
“It does seem rather unlikely,” said Hawk, “but we don’t know that Visage and Dorimant were having an affair. All right, they were both in his room, but Dorimant never actually said why. Perhaps they had some other reason for being there....”
Fisher groaned. “My head’s starting to hurt again....”
The door opened and Katherine Blackstone came in. She looked pale but composed. She shut the door carefully behind her and glanced quickly round the library, as though searching for some hidden listener. She looked steadily at Hawk and Fisher, and then sank gracefully into the chair before them.
“Well?” she said harshly. “Who killed my husband?”
“We’re still working on it,” said Hawk politely. “Detective work is a slow process, but we usually get there in the end. There are a few questions we need to ask you.”
“All right. Go ahead.”
“Let’s start with the events leading up to the murder. You and your husband went upstairs to change for dinner. He went into the bedroom and you went to the bathroom. You came back, and found the door to your room locked. You called to your husband, but couldn’t get any reply. You became worried, and went downstairs to fetch Fisher and myself. We went back with you, broke the door in, and found your husband dead. Is that correct?”
“Yes. That’s what happened.”
“Is there anything missing from that account?”
“No.”
“Did anyone see you, or talk to you, on the landing?”
“No.”
“It has been suggested,” said Fisher carefully, “that you visited Edward Bowman in his room.”
“That’s a lie,” said Katherine flatly. “I suppose you’ve also been told that we’re having an affair? I thought so. William’s enemies have been trying to use that slander against him for years. Who said it this time? Graham? No, he’s too loyal to William. Visage. I’ll bet it was that simpering bitch Visage. She always had eyes for William, but he hardly even knew she existed. Edward and I have been friends for a long time, but never more than that. I loved my husband, and no one else. And now he’s dead, all his enemies will come crawling out of their holes to try and blacken his reputation with the same old lies, in the hope they can destroy what he achieved!”
“Who do you think killed him?” asked Fisher.
“I don’t know.” Katherine suddenly seemed very tired, as though all the defiance had gone out of her along with her angry words. She sat slumped in her chair, her eyes vague and far away. “I can’t think straight anymore. William had any number of enemies.”
“Had he quarrelled with anyone recently?” asked Fisher.
Katherine shrugged. “Not that I know of. I know he wasn’t too pleased with Adam about something, but it couldn’t have been that important. William never said anything about it to me.”
“Who actually invited Stalker to this party?” asked Fisher.
“I did,” said Katherine. “William didn’t bother himself with minor matters like that. But he knew Adam would be here. If we hadn’t invited him, it would have been a frightful snub.”
“Thank you,” said Hawk. “I think that’s all for now. Please wait with the others in the parlour, and ask Lord Hightower to come in.”
“Is that it?” said Katherine. “Is that all you wanted to ask me?”
“For the moment,” said Fisher. “There might be a few more questions later.”
Katherine Blackstone nodded slowly, and got up out of her chair. “Find my husband’s killer,” she said softly. “I don’t care how you do it, but find him.” She left the library without looking back.
Hawk scowled unhappily. “If she is lying, she’s a very good liar.”
“From what I’ve heard, she was the finest actress in all Haven,” said Fisher. “In her day. She might be a little rusty after so long away from the stage, but a few lies with a straight face shouldn’t be beyond her abilities.”
“But what if she is telling the truth?” said Hawk. “Dorimant could have his own reasons for lying.”
“Yes,” said Fisher. “He could. But one of the unpleasant truths of murder is that when a man or woman meets a violent end, the wife or the husband is usually the most likely suspect. Katherine could have good reasons for wanting her husband dead. Blackstone might have overlooked his wife’s infidelity in the past rather than risk damaging his political career with a scandal, but if the affair got too blatant he’d have to divorce her, or lose all respect. You heard what Dorimant said. Katherine was fond of her husband, but she loved the money and prestige of being a Councillor’s wife. As his widow, she could have the money and the prestige, and her lover as well.”
“Right,” said Hawk. “And there’s a few holes in her story, as well. According to her, she went upstairs, went to the bathroom, came back and found the door locked, and then came down to us. And as you said, between her going up and coming down again there had to be a gap of about twenty minutes. That’s a long time in the bathroom ... And—if she did bang on the locked door and call out to her husband—how is it that no one else heard her? No one else has mentioned hearing her call out. You’d have thought someone would come out to see what was happening....”
“Yeah,” said Fisher. “Mind you, if you’re looking for another front-runner, the one thing that practically everyone agrees on is that Blackstone had a big row with Adam Stalker not long ago.”
“Now that is pushing it,” said Hawk. “Adam Stalker ... ?”
The library door suddenly flew open, and Lord and Lady Hightower strode in. Lord Roderik slammed the door shut, and he and his wife stood together facing Hawk and Fisher. Their expressions were openly defiant.
“I asked to see you alone, my Lord,” said Hawk.
“I don’t give a damn what you asked for,” said Hightower. “There’s nothing you could possibly have to say to me that can’t be said in front of my wife.”
“Very well,” said Hawk. “Where were you at the time of the murder, my Lord?”
“In my room. With my wife.”
“Is that right, my Lady?” asked Fisher.
“Of course,” said the Lady Elaine, disdainfully.
“Thank you,” said Hawk. “That will be all for the moment, my Lord and Lady.”
Hightower looked startled for a moment, and then his face was hard and unyielding again. “I demand to know why I was prevented from examining the body. What are you trying to hide from us?”
“I said that will be all, my Lord,” said Hawk politely. “You may rejoin the others in the parlour. And ask Adam Stalker to come in, if you please.”
Hightower glared at him. Hawk met his gaze calmly, and after a moment Hightower turned away. He took his wife by the arm, opened the door for her and led her out. He slammed the door shut behind him, and the sound echoed loudly in the small room. Fisher looked at Hawk.
“That’s all? What about all the other questions we should have asked them?”
“What was the point?” said Hawk. “They’ve got each other as an alibi, and Hightower isn’t going to volunteer any information to the likes of us. Whatever we ask, he’ll just say it’s none of our business. If he has anything to say, he’ll save it for our superiors tomorrow. He wants us to fail, lass. That way he can prove to himself that his son’s death was my fault after all.”
“He’d actually risk his friend’s murderer getting away?”
“He knows there’ll be a full forensic team in here tomorrow, once the isolation spell is down and we can file our report. He’ll talk to them if he’s got anything to say, which I doubt.”
Fisher frowned. “The law is on our side. We could compel him to talk.”
“I don’t think so. Hightower’s an important man in this city. He may no longer be Chief Commander, but he still has influential friends. No, Isobel, anything we learn about Hightower will have to come from other people. He wouldn’t give us the time of day if we held a sword to his throat.”
Fisher shrugged unhappily. “I suppose you’re right. The Lady Elaine might not be such a tough nut, though. I’ll see if I can get her on her own, later. I might get some information out of her, woman to woman.”
“Worth a try,” said Hawk. “But don’t raise your hopes too high.”
The door swung open, and Stalker stood framed in the doorway. He held the pose a moment, and then entered the library, ducking his head slightly to avoid banging it on the doorframe. He sat down facing Hawk and Fisher, and the chair creaked loudly under his weight. Even sitting down, Stalker was still a head taller than Hawk or Fisher.
“All right,” said Stalker grimly. “You’ve talked to everyone else and heard their stories. Who killed William?”
“It’s too early to say, yet,” said Hawk.
“You must have learned something!”
“Yes,” said Hawk. “Most of it contradictory. Where were you at the time of the murder, sir Stalker?”
“In my room. Alone. I don’t have any witnesses, or an alibi. But I didn’t kill William.”
“Is there any reason why we should think you did?” asked Fisher.
Stalker smiled briefly. “Someone must have told you by now that William and I hadn’t been getting on too well of late.”
“There was some talk that the two of you had argued about something,” said Hawk.
“We’d decided to go our separate ways,” said Stalker. “William was always too slow, too cautious, for me. I wanted to get out there and do things, change things. William and I were always arguing, right from the start. We both wanted the same things, more or less, but we could never agree on the best way to achieve them. Looking back, it’s a wonder we stayed together as long as we did. Anyway, I finally decided to go off on my own, and see what my reputation could do for me at the next election. I think I’ll make a pretty good Councillor, myself. Haven could do a lot worse. It often has, in the past. But that’s all there was to our quarrel—just a parting of the ways. I had nothing against the man; I admired him, always have. Straightest man I ever met.”
“So who do you think killed Councillor Blackstone?” said Fisher.
Stalker looked at her pityingly. “Isn’t it obvious? William died alone, in a room locked from the inside. Sorcery. Has to be.”
“Gaunt doesn’t think so,” said Hawk.
Stalker shrugged. “I wouldn’t trust him further than I could throw him. Never trust a sorcerer.”
“How long have you known Blackstone?” asked Fisher.
Stalker stirred restlessly in his chair and glanced irritably at Fisher. “Not long. Two years, maybe.”
“Apart from the sorcerer,” said Hawk, “can you think of anyone with a reason for wanting Blackstone dead?”
Stalker smiled sourly. “I suppose you’ve heard about Katherine and Edward?”
“Yes,” said Fisher. “Is it true?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. Women are fickle creatures. No offence intended.”
“What about political enemies?” said Hawk quickly.
“He had his share. No one in particular, though.”
“I see,” said Hawk. “Thank you, sir Stalker. That will be all for now. If you’d care to wait with the others in the parlour, my partner and I will join you in a while. By the way, I gave orders that no one was to go near the body. Perhaps you could remind the others, and make it clear to them that I meant it....”
“Of course,” said Stalker. “Glad to be of help, Captain Hawk.” He nodded briefly to Fisher, got up and left the library. Hawk and Fisher sat in silence a while, staring at nothing and thinking furiously.
“You know,” said Fisher. “I think things were less complicated before we started asking questions.”
Hawk laughed briefly. “You could be right, lass. Let’s try and sort out the wheat from the chaff. What actual suspects have we got? It seems to me that Katherine Blackstone heads the list, with Bowman a close second. Either separately or together, they had good reason to want Blackstone dead. Assuming they were having an affair. Unfortunately, we don’t have any real evidence that they were. Gossip isn’t evidence.”
“Dorimant said he saw Katherine going into Bowman’s room,” said Fisher. “But Dorimant could have his own reasons for lying. Which leaves us right back where we started. So, who else can we point the finger at? I think Gaunt has to be a suspect, if only because at the moment he’s the only one who could have committed the murder.”
“On the other hand,” said Hawk, “he couldn’t have used sorcery to get into the room without Visage knowing.”
“She did say she was nowhere near as powerful as Gaunt.”
“True. And just maybe they were working together.”
“No, Hawk, I still don’t buy that. You saw the witch when she was talking about Blackstone; she all but worshipped the ground he trod on.”
Hawk frowned. “That kind of worship can be dangerous. If something happened to disillusion her, and that worship turned sour ...”
“Yeah,” said Fisher reluctantly. “You’re right, Hawk. Visage has to be a suspect.”
“Ah, hell,” said Hawk tiredly. “Until we’ve got something definite to go on, they’re all suspects.”
“Including Stalker?”
“I don’t know, lass. Adam Stalker is a hero and a legend ... but like Dorimant said, we’re all capable of murder if we’re pushed hard enough. And Stalker was definitely jumpy all the time we were talking to him.”
“So we count him as a suspect?”
“Yes,” said Hawk. “He’s killed often enough in the past, with good reason. Maybe this time he found a bad reason.” He sighed wearily, and stretched out his legs before him. “I think we’ve done all we can, for the moment. Gaunt’s isolation spell won’t wear off until first light, so we’re all stuck here for the night anyway. Let’s call it a day, and yell for some help in the morning. A forensic magician should get us some answers, even if he has to set up a truthspell to do it.”
“Gaunt could set up a truthspell,” said Fisher thoughtfully.
“Yeah, I suppose he could, but we don’t have the authority to order everyone to submit to it, and somehow I don’t see them volunteering. There are some powerful people out there, Isobel. We’re going to need some pretty solid backing before we can start pushing them around.”
“Right,” said Fisher. “Come on, let’s get out of here. The sooner we face our jovial bunch of suspects, the sooner we can pack them all off to bed, and then maybe we can get a little peace and quiet.”
Hawk nodded tiredly, and he and Fisher got to their feet. Fisher started towards the door, and then stopped as she realized Hawk wasn’t with her. He was standing still in the middle of the room, head cocked to one side, listening.
“What is it?” said Fisher.
“I’m not sure,” said Hawk slowly. “I thought I heard something. Something ... strange.” He looked about him, frowning, and then his gaze fell on the closed door to his left.
“Forget it, Hawk,” said Fisher quickly. “That’s Gaunt’s laboratory. It’s private, and it’s locked.”
“Yeah,” said Hawk. “And Visage said she found it ... disturbing.”
He moved quietly over to the door and pressed his ear against the wood. Fisher glanced quickly about her, and then moved over to stand beside him.
“Can you hear anything?” she asked quietly.
“No.”
“What did you think you heard?”
“I’m not sure.” Hawk straightened up and stepped back from the door. He frowned, and looked thoughtfully at the door handle. “It sounded like a growl, or something....” He tried the handle cautiously. It turned easily in his grasp, but the door wouldn’t open. He let go of the handle.
“Hawk,” said Fisher slowly, “there’s something strange about that door.... I’m getting a very bad feeling about it. Come away.”
“Nothing to worry about, lass. The door’s locked.”
“I don’t care. Come away.”
Hawk nodded stiffly. He could feel the hackles rising on the back of his neck. Whatever it was he’d heard, it was gone, but still he knew, with absolute certainty, that there was something awful on the other side of the laboratory door. Something that was listening, and waiting for him to open the door ... He stepped back a pace and the feeling was gone. He swallowed dryly, and looked away.
“I suppose you’re bound to come across a few strange things in a sorcerer’s house,” he said slowly. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Right,” said Fisher.
Hawk moved over to the main door, pulled it open and walked quickly out into the hall. Fisher stayed close behind him all the way, her hand on the pommel of her sword. Once out in the hall, they both felt a little ridiculous. Hawk shook himself quickly and pulled the library door shut. When he had a moment, he’d better have a word with Gaunt about his laboratory.... He glanced at Fisher, and she nodded quickly. Hawk smiled wryly, and then walked confidently forward into the parlour, with Fisher at his side. The sorcerer and his guests looked at the Guards with a thinly disguised mixture of politeness and hostility.
“Thank you for your patience,” said Hawk. “This part of the investigation is at an end. Everything else will have to wait until we can bring in the experts tomorrow morning.”
Bowman stepped forward a pace. “Gaunt tells us we can’t leave the house till morning, because of the isolation spell. Did you order him to cast that spell?”
“Yes,” said Hawk. “I couldn’t take the risk of the killer getting away, and I had no other means of ensuring that he couldn’t leave the house.”
“But that means we’re all stuck here!”
“That’s right,” said Hawk. “I suggest you retire to your rooms and get what sleep you can.”
“Are you saying,” said Hightower slowly, “that because of you we have to spend the night here, when one of us may be a killer?”
“You can always lock your door,” said Fisher.
“That didn’t save William,” said Dorimant.
“All right,” said Hawk sharply. “That’s enough. It’s not a happy situation, I know, but there’s nothing we can do about it. If you’ve got any complaints, you can take them up with my superiors in the morning. In the meantime, I don’t think any of us are in any real danger as long as we act sensibly. I suggest you all go to your rooms and stay there. Fisher and I will be here in the parlour all night, on guard. If anyone feels at all worried, they have only to call out, and we’ll be there in the time it takes to run up the stairs. If anyone starts moving about, we’ll know. So I suggest that once you’re in your room, you stay there.”
“What if I want to go to the bathroom?” asked Bowman.
“Use the pot under your bed,” said Fisher.
There was a slight pause as the guests looked at each other uncertainly. Then Katherine made for the door and the group broke apart. There was a muttering of good nights, and one by one the guests left the parlour and made their way up the stairs to their rooms. Hawk signaled for Gaunt to stay behind, and the sorcerer did so. When everyone else had gone, Hawk and Fisher looked steadily at the sorcerer.
“What have you got in your laboratory, sir Gaunt?” said Hawk bluntly.
“Odds and ends. Chemicals and the like. Why?”
Hawk scowled uncertainly. “I felt something ... something strange....”
“Oh, of course,” said Gaunt, smiling slightly. “I should have warned you. The door has an avoidance spell on it, as a precaution. If you get too close to it, the spell makes you feel so uncomfortable and worried that you daren’t try to force open the door. Simple, but effective.”
“Ah, I see,” said Hawk, trying not to sound too relieved. “Well, sir sorcerer, I think that’s all. Fisher and I will spend the night here in the parlour. One of us will always be on watch.”
“That sounds very reassuring,” said Gaunt. “I’ll be sleeping in my laboratory tonight. If you need me for any reason, just call. I’ll hear you. Well, I’ll see you both in the morning. Good night, Captain Hawk, Captain Fisher.”
He bowed politely, and left the parlour. Hawk and Fisher looked round the empty room.
“We never did get our dinner,” said Fisher.
“Yeah,” said Hawk. “It’s a tough life in the Guard.”
“Toss you for the first watch?”
“Your coin or mine?”
“How well you know me,” said Fisher, grinning.