Cruel Zinc Melodies

Gilbey examined the elevations. He ran fingers over them like he might discover some secret not obvious to the naked eye. ‘‘It’s true, Max. And it’s our fault. There isn’t a hint in the specs. But plenty to help beer sales go easier.’’

Max groused, ‘‘Must be because us divine types never have to piss. Take a lesson, Garrett. You’re never so old or so smart that you can’t fuck up.’’

Here came the rain of crap for everything that happened at the World.

I was wrong.

Max and Manvil bickered briefly, like an old married couple. I envied them. I have some solid friends but none that tight, excepting maybe Eleanor.

I couldn’t take the tension. ‘‘When are you go

Max managed baffled perfectly but Gilbey twitched and betrayed a fleeting smirk. Max asked, ‘‘There some reason we ought to come down on your ass? Like maybe for dicking around so long getting the job done?’’

‘‘Yeah. That,’’ I lied.

‘‘I do have to admit, I’ve heard some complaints. I took into account who was whining and said, ‘Good on Garrett!’’’ Max smirked. Gilbey likewise, again.

I got it. They were having fun. I was their proxy on the street, their beard-tugger, now that they were supposed to be too old and responsible. Now that they could afford to indulge in big amusements.

Max’s gaze focused on Ti

‘‘I’ll keep it in the family. Same as you would.’’

Max glanced my way. That flicker of attention told me I’d just volunteered to guarantee my woman’s work.

I said, ‘‘I have one more thing about the World.’’

‘‘What else did we forget?’’

I’d held on to Kip’s papers to this point. I pushed them down to Max. ‘‘It’s about lighting. You’ll need lots of lighting. The usual methods are dangerous, messy, and unpleasant, especially for the people in the high seats. Kip Prose sent you some ideas. His way to make amends for the trouble his bunch caused.’’

Max eyed me narrowly. He smelled me trying to help the kid miss out on a well-deserved head-thumping. ‘‘Get with Manvil on that.’’

‘‘Manvil will need to get with Kip. I’m reporting an opportunity.’’

Gilbey said, ‘‘Manvil needs to have a sit-down with several people before this project goes any further. So right now Manvil is going to go pry Heather loose from her hobby and put her to work.’’ He gave me a dark look. ‘‘I do wonder if we weren’t better off with vandalism, ghosts, giant bugs, and ignorance.’’

Gilbey left. An attendant came in to feed the fire. Job done, he left. I told Max, ‘‘So. While I’m complicating your life, here’s one more thing. Your fireplace guy spends his free time at the Al-Khar.’’

‘‘Really?’’

‘‘Saw him there myself.’’ We discussed my visit with Block, Relway, the prince, me being observed by a parade of worker bees. Max wasn’t surprised or angry. Relway spying doesn’t surprise anyone anymore.

Gilbey came back with Heather. Soames had her business face on but was in a bright mood. She tossed a smile my way. I responded with a sign against the evil eye. She took it in good stead. Ti

Heather said, ‘‘There are all kinds of void spaces under that part of the city. The construction people had trouble setting foundations. Why not evacuate toilet waste into that space?’’

I told her, ‘‘The stench. It would come up into the theater. And the neighbors would object when it leaked into their undergrounds. Plus, the entity down below might consider it disrespectful.’’

Heather grunted, turned away, slipped an arm around Gilbey’s waist.

Masses of human waste are a problem wherever they occur. But the World was uphill from the river. ‘‘Hey, Max. You think we could make money with a sewage disposal company?’’

‘‘You’re chock-full of bad commercial ideas, Garrett. Or great ones for losing money.’’ He explained why a sewer company would go bankrupt.

My feelings were hurt for seconds. Which didn’t last. Most of my schemes eventually reveal big flaws. Why, indeed, would anyone pay to use a sewer system when they can throw the stuff in the street for free?

Heather said, ‘‘Ti

The redhead put on a hard-ass look but that was the best she could expect.

Max, Heather, and Gilbey could have a social impact as profound as Block, Relway, and Prince Rupert. It would be a new world once a theater put real, virtuous, upright women onstage. Relatively speaking.

The visit to the Weider mansion lasted well into the afternoon. Nervous little men came in to talk about deficiencies in the design of the World. We found out that the absence of relief facilities wasn’t entirely an oversight. Competitors had trenches out back—when they had anything. The Edge added quicklime. Infrequently. The architects hadn’t been concerned so the problem hadn’t gotten much consideration.

Heather insisted that facilities with a hint of privacy included would be a big selling point for women. Gilbey told us, ‘‘Trust her judgment in these things.’’

Kip’s lighting notions generated more excitement. Though how he meant to create the flammable gas went over my head.

91

Ti

‘‘I didn’t see no ghost, neither, Garrett. But I ain’t go

‘‘I’ll check it out. There anybody in there now?’’

‘‘That foreman guy, scoping out how to get back into full swing. He said they might hire some extra guys.’’ The way he looked at me told me he was wondering how much longer he’d be employed.

I told him, ‘‘Unless there’s a flare-up I’ll be looking for work tomorrow. You should be all right. Max won’t go back to the fools he had before.’’

‘‘That’s good. It’s been a weird one, Garrett. Awful low-key.’’

‘‘Yeah.’’ Just the existence of TunFaire had been threatened. And a guy named Garrett had stumbled deep into alien territory in his personal life. In both cases the biggest show ever had stirred behind the veil, but quietly, quietly— and had not yet achieved resolution.

Tharpe gri

‘‘Don’t even start. I’m in a state of flying panic now.’’

‘‘Flying panic, eh? So tall, so thin, and Ti

Sarky bastard. ‘‘I’m going to go see Luther.’’

‘‘Later, then.’’

I found the foreman at the edge of the finished floor, which had advanced a half dozen feet. The mess downstairs was gone. Luther seemed bemused. I told him, ‘‘Good progress today.’’

‘‘You got the fear of the gods put in them.’’

I grunted. More likely the fear of unemployment. ‘‘Can we get back on schedule?’’

‘‘If there isn’t any more craziness.’’ He eyed me like he thought I could pass on some valuable scuttlebutt.