Gilded Latten Bones

85

I stayed on the porch waiting for Sarge and Puddle. Let's hope those two never get into a last-man-standing ugly contest. The refs would call a draw after the twenty-seventh round.

"Hey, gents. What's up?"

"We just swung by to see how Morley was doing," Puddle said. Clearly nervous.

"The Dead Man is snoozing."

"You always say that."

"And it's usually true. Even if it isn't right now, you want to see Morley, you got to come inside. Plus, it's too late. You're already inside his range."

Up the steps they came.

Clever me, I scooted in, got Morley out of Singe's office and shut that door before his boys noticed General Block. No need having them wonder why the head tin whistle spent so much time at my house, close to their boss. I took them into the Dead Man's room.

Puddle told me, "I don't like it in here wit' dat t'ing. It's creepy. But da cool air is nice."

"I'm not real fond of being in here, either. But you're right about the air. Penny, my love, can you take a second to show these gentlemen the pictures you and Bird made?"

The girl had sass enough to mutter, "I know a gentleman when I see one. There aren't any in this room."

Sarge said, "Hey, she's cute. I like dat. You wanna sell her?"

Penny stood up to it. Having Old Bones right there fired up her confidence. She said, "We don't 'make' 'pictures.' " Last word gotten, she did do as I asked.

I leaned close to Sarge, murmured, "Little known fact. I need to keep it in mind myself. The kid is Belinda's half-sister."

"Ouch!"

Not that Belinda ever showed the least indication of caring.

The boys ignored the painting of the man entirely. Had a renowned shy girl not been holding the drawings of the woman in leather I'm sure they would have paid the model some crudely enthusiastic compliments.

Morley asked, "You guys know either of these people?"

Heads shook. Sarge stated the obvious. "I wouldn't mind getting to know her. 'Specially if she's got a t'ing for old guys wit' big bellies an' not much hair."

"Get in line."

"Dat figures."

Morley added, "The man is the important one. I've seen him somewhere but I can't remember where or when. He's the boss of a gang of resurrection men. His name is Nat, Nate, Nathan, something like that."

The henchmen shook their heads. Puddle said, "We wouldn't never have nothing ta do wit' dat kinda creep."

I believed him. The street climbed right up and proclaimed itself loudly in his speech. Along with abiding repugnance.

Good to know that Morley surrounded himself with associates who had moral limits.

My interest satisfied, I left Morley with his crew and went back to Singe's office. "We need to keep the door shut for a few minutes."

I stepped back out and went to the front door, where Jon Salvation was tap-tap-tapping.