The Factions Make Their Moves

At noon, Klein was enjoying a hearty lunch at the Quelaag Club. Just as he was finishing the food on his table, Talim Dumont approached with a man in a heavy overcoat and a half-top hat.

It was Reporter Mike of the Daily Observer. After Talim introduced them, he and Klein briefly exchanged information before getting down to business.

Mike had noticed a hidden pattern in the serial killings and found a recent exception. He wanted to hire a detective as a bodyguard while he investigated a brothel with powerful connections.

He was willing to pay one pound for the job... or five pounds if they ended up fighting.

Klein did not answer at once. Under Talim's puzzled gaze, he smiled and said:

"I'll wash my hands before I give you an answer."

He excused himself politely and strolled to the washroom. There, he tossed a coin and received an affirmative answer.

On his way back to the dining room, Klein spotted a young woman with a shortbow on her back and a long glove on one hand, heading toward the stairs to the basement.

That shortbow... It looks like the Fire Crow Shortbow sold at the Eye of Wisdom's gathering. And a woman wearing a long glove did buy it...

As Klein watched the woman leave, lost in thought, Talim and Mike came over together.

Following Klein's gaze, Reporter Mike shook his head and said quietly, "That's Senator Macht's daughter, Miss Hazel. She has very high standards..."

He paused, then sighed. "Forget it. I think I said the same thing to Detective Braine last time, and look what happened..."

"What happened?" Talim asked curiously.

"Nothing. It's just that Miss Hazel was also among the people who saw Detective Braine off this morning." Mike said no more. Abner was his