Page 59 of Bloody Business

“I'll wait out here,” he offered, and leaned against the wall.

She sent him a grateful look.

It was hard.She couldn't bring herself to close the door all the way, counting on Artur to keep anyone from coming in.

The garbage can was difficult.She stared at it, feeling her heart accelerate.She forced herself to look away, to wait quietly while Neomi finished in the stall.

Gal came in and helped Neomi wash up, and Julep hurried and took care of her own business.It was the scariest bathroom experience she had ever had, but she wasn't going to change her routine.Era wasn't going to win.

Gal winked at her when she came out.She didn't say anything, and she didn't need to.

That wink cheered Julep right up.She felt like she had passed some kind of test.

To celebrate, they took Neomi to Mushroom Park.She had never been, and she loved the giant mushrooms and the pretty fish.

“Can we catch them?The girl asked.

“No, but I can take you fishing someday,” Gal said.“Even my brother will go along with that.”She was surprisingly good with children.She had always wanted a sister, and had taken to Neomi right away.“Gog makes tasty fried fish.Sometimes we make it into sandwiches.”

Artur made a face behind Neomi's back.He didn't care for fish, and he thought fishing was boring, but he didn't mind if the kids went.

Amused, Julep said, “I'd like to try fried fish.When would you like to go fishing?”

Artur gave her a dark look, because she had just made it a family event.If she was going, he would go.

He glanced at the kids and reluctantly smiled.Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

She woke up wrappedin a canvas tarp.The fabric was rough against her cheek and smelled of fish, but it blocked the spitting rain.Not only was she soaked through and chilled, she was cradled in someone's arms like a foundling.

The sky was lightening, but it was foggy.She could barely see the high rock walls flanking the river.

There were boxes all around and very little room.There was nowhere else to sit even if she'd been able to.

A cough caught her by surprise, and she curled up, hacking.When she could see again, she realized she was in the lap of a greasy-haired fisherman.His few remaining strands of hair were plastered to his green scalp and he didn't smell so good.

“Easy,” he said.“We fished you out of the river last night.Lucky for you, the fish were busy with another body.Don't worry though, we're downstream and the kraken can't get through here.”

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