Echoes
(or The Case of the Smashed Pondu)
(continued)
Abane arrived at work at her regular sanno, located her employer to
extend her deepest sympathies, then escaped to her office, where she
immediately questioned her aide as to whether her husband was in the
compound. "Undoubtedly that would be where the body is," she
reasoned.
"Oh, the body has been taken away," replied the aide. It
was fortunate for Abane that her assigned aid had very loose emissions,
although that could occasionally backfire. Because of the aide's loose
emissions, Abane was able to find out all sorts of interesting gossip.
Bodies were never taken away until the Guardians had completed their
studies of the crime scene. "But how is that possible?" she
asked. "People have been sent to work camps for doing less."
"Oh, it is possible when you have the right amount of power,"
said the aide.
"And who would have the right amount of power?" asked Abane.
"Well, who do we work for?" replied the aide.
Lao led Mureek through the narrow door of the Santorium. It was a small
though luxurious room, lit from overhead by sky windows.
He glanced up at the windows. "Do these open?" he asked.
"I don't know," she replied. "I am not in charge of
maintenance."
Mureek set down his bag of essentials. "If you do not mind then,
please lift me up."
The servant was shocked but bent to her knees to allow Mureek to crawl
upon her shoulders, then stood up. He could now see that there were
indeed latches. He noticed a small clump of soil at the edge of one
of them.
"All right, put me down," he ordered. Once back in place with his dignity restored, he emitted, "Now show me where the body was and demonstrate for me the position it was in."
Abane found an excuse to get out of her office and roam the compound.
"Must deliver these notices to Her Honor's campaign crew,"
she told the aide. She was holding a pile of blank reed paper, but the
aide did not notice. Everything was in an uproar anyway; it was not
everyday that someone was murdered, certainly not a person of such prestige.
It took questioning three servants and four clerks before Abane ducked
her head to enter the Santorium to see Mureek clumsily being let down
by Lao.
"What's going on?" she emitted. She was not pleased when
other females touched Mureek, even a servant.
He dismissed Lao and looked up at his mate. "How interesting it
is that of all the people in the compound and of all the sons of Kater
Lawfene, the one who is dead should be the one you were assigned to
spy on. Now your employer will have little to worry about in the coming
election."
Abane's beautiful eyes widened. "What?" she emitted in a
huff. "You are implying..." She tilted her shiny head. "No,
Mureek, no. I know that you feel little in the way of kindness about
Kater Lawfene, but I do know her vibrations. I can see her energy halo,
and I assure you that she is not evil. She would never hurt her own
offspring, she..."
Mureek interrupted. "I see that Healer Daq has been warping your
mind. That is all right, but I cannot let it inhibit my work. The individual
with the clearest motive for murder is indeed your employer. Some people,
most likely a couple of her hired hands, murdered Kato Geffno, then
lowered his body through those sky windows and placed him on this divan.
It was to appear as if he had died by accident of zin overdose. But
clearly, Wogan must have his reasons for knowing the death was no such
thing. The body is gone, but I am certain Wogan has ordered it to be..."
A rap at the door interrupted him and a rank and file guardian stepped
in. "Sir," he emitted nervously, "a message from the
Chief."
