From the Dumps I make my way back to the sheriff''s keep, to see if my men have found any better leads from sweeping the granary again for clues or questioning the soldiers that were on duty the night of the theft, the first time allowed to my absolute annoyance, although I do completely understand the soldiers have more important obligations.


    The yard is filled with people of all stripes and divisions, lining up to get inside, all waiting to report a crime. Sadly, we won''t be investigating any of them until the theft has been dealt with. That is top priority, transcending even murder.


    Jac''s in the entrance hall, a domain lit by stained-glass windows that have dulled with time and cobwebs. He''s taking down people''s reports one at a time. Though not imperative, being seen doing at least something helps to quell any possible growing descent.  More deceit.


    ''While my family and I were in the bunker last night, someone broke into my home and stole my corset,'' I hear a woman tell Jac, making him cough in embarrassment.


    ''Can you tell me what it looked like?'' Jac stutters, going red in the face.


    Appearing as if she engages in harlotry, for her cheeks are rouged with possibly wild cherries, the woman replies, ''It''s a fucking corset. What do you think it looks like? I want it back. It''s my only one. Go out there and find it this instant.''


    Poor man, I say to myself, and quickly leave him to it, hobbling up the hall''s staircase and to my office at the back of the landing.


    Rolls of messages wait for me on my desk. One, I can clearly see, is from the king, a blood red seal marked with his insignia, a dagger and an ax.


    Sitting down, I open it and read:


    The Palace


    Dear Sheriff Harg, The Queen and I invite you to the celebration of the Princess'' nineteenth day of birth on the Twelfth of Mirra.


    We hope you can attend this glorious anniversary.


    It''s signed by the king.


    After five years of their people confined, waiting for the end, the palace still lacks sensibility. But at least celebrations are not as lavish as they once were. A day of birth before the siege would bring a parade down every street in the city.


    I''m not in the least bit interested in going but it''s my duty. I must reaffirm my fealty to the king and this kingdom and my presence is the only manner of doing such.


    I begin writing my response, a frayed quill in my hand dripping with a mixture of soot and water, when there''s a knock on my door.


    ''Enter,'' I say loudly.


    Aldo, Tready and Scar walk in and approach, all three looking eager to tell me something.


    ''Find anything in the granary?'' I ask. ''Please say, yes.''


    ''Sorry, sir,'' replies Tready, ''but there''s something else.''


    ''We talked to the soldiers who were on duty the day of the theft as you asked,'' continues Scar.


    ''Go on,'' I say.


    ''On the day, before the theft happened, half of the soldiers were ordered to the southern wall.''


    My eyes widen at the news before frustration creeps through me like poison slithering through my veins.


    ''Do you think there''s a connection?'' Aldo asks with a look of bewilderment and disbelief.


    Surely not. Right?


    ''I don''t know,'' I say. ''It could be that our thief just exploited the circumstance as we''ve seen many times.'' I then suddenly shove my response to the palace off my desk in anger and slam the quill down. ''You''d think they, someone would tell us this right after the theft. We''re just the ones investigating.''


    I seethe a bit longer before Tready asks, ''How do we proceed with this information?''


    ''Proceed that the thief could have just taken advantage and also not,'' I reply. ''Journeying down every avenue is a lawman''s charge.''


    ''What do you want us to do?'' asks Scar.


    ''Go question our city''s suspected thieves, like we''ve been doing.''


    ''I''ll go question Ma and Pa,'' says Aldo.


    ''They''re too old to have stolen the food,'' says Scar.


    ''Let''s leave no stone unturned,'' I say. ''There''s always a possibility, though slim it is, they were behind it.''


    ''I''ll go to the prison,'' says Tready, ''See if there are rumors flying around. People like talking there. It gives them something to do.''


    Again with rumours. We need more than that but I reply, ''Good idea.''


    ''I''ll continue working the vigils,'' says Scar.


    ''And I''ll go see if I can find out who ordered the soldiers to the wall,'' I say.


    It''s time to see my old friend again, but first I need to respond to the palace. And as I''m writing the letter alone in my office, my elixirman decides to show up again, barging through the door. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ''Again with no knocking?'' I say to him. ''And the only reason I should be seeing you now is if you have elixir for me. Do you?''


    ''Nothing has changed with that,'' he replies. ''Still no ingredients to brew it.''


    ''Then why have you come to see me?''


    ''I was passing by, on my way to see my other patients, and thought I''d drop in. You forget that I was your wife''s elixirman too. And in that time I was, we became close. She would have wanted me to check on you and I feel it''s my duty to do so.''


    ''Sending her to you was definitely a mistake on my part. I regret it ever since.''


    ''Be that as it may, you still did. And here I am.''


    ''Look, I can''t jabber all day. I have duties too. Writing a letter to the king is one.'' I glance down at the parchment before looking back up.


    And he''s left.


    The fucking nerve of that man. He doesn''t knock or say goodbye or even finish a conversation.


    Once I finish writing the letter to the king and send a bird to deliver it, I leave the keep and take the carriage to the southern wall. Unlike me, May has had enough rest.


    I find Seamil is not in the catapult tower but high atop the observation tower in the observation room. I can''t feel my leg when I see him looking through the Peering Rod, a long, thick metallic tube. It makes far distances look as if they were only feet away.


    I wait until he''s finished before acknowledging my presence.


    ''See a fair lady in the ranks of the enemy,'' I jest.


    He turns around and replies with a smile, ''I wish. I''m getting a little lonely here at the wall. How does Lorma look?''


    ''She looks incredible as always. Good to see you weren''t injured during the attack.''


    ''Likewise, Pannor. Likewise.''


    ''Quite the spectacle, wasn''t it?''


    ''Indeed.''


    ''So, what were you looking at?''


    ''It looks like King Jabora has come to watch the siege,'' Seamil replies, ''I can see a mammoth tent in his colors being erected. It has to be him. Take a look.''


    I totter over to the Peering Rod and place my eyes up to the two small lenses on its side.


    I can see it. It definitely is. I''ve seen that tent numerous times on the battlefield.


    ''Hopefully this doesn''t mean a big offensive is in the near future.'' I shake at the thought. ''But if not, he has to be here for something.''


    ''Who knows, maybe he''s here to sign a peace treaty. Maybe he''s had enough.'' Seamil bursts out laughing.


    I copy his amusement. ''Good quip.''


    ''And what brings you back to see me? I have a sense it''s important, being that you walked all the way up here.''


    ''It''s about the theft.''


    ''The theft of the food at the granary?'' Seamil looks taken aback.


    ''Yes. I found out today that on the day of the theft that half the soldiers from the granary had been ordered here to the southern wall. Coincidence I''m sure, the thief just taking advantage, but I was wondering who gave the order.''


    ''Why ask if you think it''s just coincidence, which it is?'' Seamil seems offended.


    ''Friend,'' I say with a smile, hoping to ease his hurt feelings, ''I just need to know so I can vacate it from my mind and be done with it. It''s the way of being a sheriff, the way of investigating. Everything needs to be looked at. It''s like a commander going through every strategy before a battle. There are obvious strategies and the clearly ridiculous ones. You look at them all to bolster the right ones.''


    ''Hmmmm. You know you talk like a commander,'' Seamil says.


    ''I command my men,'' I reply.


    ''If it wasn''t for your leg, you''d be in my shoes right now.''


    ''There''s no doubt about that,'' I smirk.


    He smirks back. ''You know a good friend would have said, "No, Seamil, you are better at me in every soldiering way.'''' And to answer your question, it was the king who ordered the soldiers to the wall.''


    ''Why would the king do that?''


    ''Sir Blouf came to me and asked for an update on our enemy. That day I had seen a small build-up of troops near the siege line. I didn''t think much of it but I told Sir Blouf and he relayed it to the king, who then ordered more soldiers to the wall. The king says, I do.''


    ''I wonder if Sir Blouf suggested the movement.''


    ''It''s more than likely. Like it''s more than likely he was the one that suggested we attack the enemy. And Pannor– ''


    ''Yes?''


    ''It wasn''t just soldiers from the granary who came, but all over.''


    I bow. ''Thank you, old friend. And may I ask, did you get an invitation to the princess'' day of birth celebration?''


    Seamil furrows his brows. ''I did and I can think of nothing worse. Apart from being attacked that is. Although, it would be nice to have some time with Lorma. Pannor, would you like a quick drink?''


    I wag my head in sadness. ''How would I love that but I must be on my way.''


    We shake hands and I depart, leaving Seamil to spy on King Jabora once again.


    Back at the keep, I flop down on my chair for a well deserved rest. I start opening more of my letters when Jac comes into my office followed by a woman.


    I recognize her. She''s the woman I called upon, advising her to close her shutters. The one with the meagre candle. I wonder what this is all about.


    ''Sorry for barging in, sir,'' says Jac, ''but I thought you may want to hear this considering.''


    Considering?


    ''Is this about the theft?'' I ask.


    ''It''s not, sir. This woman says she was assailed last night during the attack—''


    ''I don''t say,'' spurts the woman. ''I was attacked. And it was after the attack, after I was heading back home from the bunker.''


    My heart sinks. Jac would only bring her up to see me if there was a connection. Even just the smallest detail.


    ''Please, take a chair. . . .'' I say.


    ''It''s Pearl,'' the woman responds.


    ''Please, a chair, Pearl. And you can leave Jac. Thank you.''


    Jac bows and withdraws back to the entrance hall. Meanwhile the woman sits down in front of my desk.


    ''First off, Pearl,'' I say, ''are you injured? Do you need to go the elixary? I can take you there now if you want?''


    ''Thank you, sheriff, but I''m not injured,'' says Pearl. ''Just shaken.''


    ''Do you want me to send a bird to your husband? I''m sure he can get some time to come down. I''m sure it would be granted.''


    ''Please don''t do that. I don''t want him to worry.''


    I nod. ''So tell me what happened?''


    ''Like I said, I was walking back home from the bunker. Alone.''


    ''No children?''


    ''Not yet.''


    ''Which bunker? And which route did you take?''


    ''I usually go to the bunker under Rambula Temple during an attack but that was full – I heard the warning bells rather late – so I went to the one below Carry Avenue, which is a lot further. After the attack, I headed back home using the alleyway behind the Workshops – a silly idea, I know–''


    ''Not silly. This is not your fault. Then what happened?''


    Pearl shakes her head. ''I didn''t hear him. I just remember the shadow of a gloved hand in front of my face before it clutched my mouth.''


    My heart starts to race.


    ''Did he say anything?''


    ''He called me a swine.''


    I put my hand to my head. I can feel a dizzy spell coming.


    ''What did he sound like? Did he have an accent?''


    ''I can''t remember, sorry.''


    ''That''s fine. How was his stature?''


    ''Taller than me.''


    That rules out Leech but I already knew it wasn''t him.


    ''Go on,'' I say.


    ''He pushed me against the wall but I was able to free myself. We struggled for sometime before I gave him one heck of a punch to the face.''


    ''You hit him?'' I reply, surprised, impressed.


    ''Sure did. My husband taught me a few things before he left for the wall. He said I might need it. He was right.''


    ''Did the assailant come after you again after you hit him?''


    ''No. He just giggled before taking off.''


    I nod and nod and nod again, my thoughts to the past. ''I apologize for this happening to you. Thank you for telling me all of this. And I promise to try my utmost to find this man so he can face the punishment that he deserves.''


    ''Thank you, sheriff.''


    ''We have a female vigil here if you''d like to talk with her. She''s very kind.''


    ''Yes, I''d like that.''


    ''Good.''


    After I take Pearl, I return to the office and pace around, my entire body feeling like I''m about to go into battle again.


    This can''t be happening. It can''t be him. I pray it''s not him. What terror this monster could bring back to this city.