By the time we find Inspector Freeman, Harold's constant blathering is starting to get to me. He was scouring alleyways when we got to one of the men assigned to relay messages. How does he manage to root around in the alleys all day and not get even a smudge on his breastplate? places are quite filthy.
“Sir, this is Harold Wordweaver, a business partner of Peter Moldmaker, he's here to tell you what he knows. We have an enchanted stone of his appropriated for the investigation and he would like it back, if it proves irrelevant to the case.”
“Well, I wouldn't say I'm a partner, more of a-”
“Thank you Nivar.” Interrupting someone? He must be exhausted. “If you could take Ken and do a sweep of the alleyways, it'd speed things along nicely. This area looks like the center of the more recent disappearances.
“Mister Wordweaver, let's go talk someplace more comfortable, no sense standing out in the sun.”
Even something like this is preferable to standby, pretty sure he knows that much about me. Otherwise, it would probably have been an order, most of the others hate alley work. We spend a fair deal of time searching, and bump into another pair of watchmen that are on the same task, nothing to report except which areas they've already scoured. At least there wasn't any muck around to have to dig through, surprisingly dry around here. Ken is rather adept at avoiding and maneuvering around the detritus that is clogging up some of these alleys.
“It's getting close to the end of our shift, lets check one last set across the street from this one and head home, don't worry it's a small one.”
“Starving here, can't wait to get home and eat dinner.”
“Do you do the cooking at home too? When we were out in the woods before you made some surprisingly good stuff.”
“Only one at home to do the cooking, taught myself to cook when I was tired of paying too much for food or eating junk.”
“No one else at home? Have you been looking? I'm sure a lot of women would be impressed by the uniform, and that you can cook like that.”
“No, saving myself for someone back in the hometown, we've been keeping in touch via a pair of enchanted brooches I... obtained from a previous employer. Waiting for the situation down there to be appropriate to get her out.”
“Is it really that bad?”
“Worse, I really wish I had-”
“Hey! Stop, thief!” We're just approaching the street, they aren't crowded, stall owners are starting to pack up. Probably a snatch and run. Hope he's running this way, I bet there'll be a great look on his face when two watchmen pop out of an alley.
