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I knew the atmosphere of warm confidence and absolute trust couldn't last for ever. Best to accept that the moment had passed. Maybe it's just my self-effacing personality, or something, that encourages people to confide in me at the slightest acquaintance. Or maybe I'm just lucky. Damn lucky, sometimes. "Your Grandmother has formed the opinion that you had taken her necklace, for some reason," I said levelly, sitting back in the chair, "She sent me to ask you about it." "She thought I'd taken it?" she said furiously, standing up suddenly and putting her hands on her hips accusingly. "Yes," I answered calmly, looking up at her, "She did. You can see how she might have come to that conclusion, if you think about it. You did ask about the necklace, repeatedly. You did handle it, very recently. You may even have been the last person to have seen the bling before it was stolen." I stood up slowly and looked down at the beautiful Goblin glowering at me. The advantages of being tall for a Goblin. "Your dear Grandmother may be a bit old and distracted, even a touch senile sometimes," I went on slowly, "But she's not stupid. She's knows you could have robbed her. But she loves you. Enough to get me to talk to you, ask you to return it. She could have just called the cops. And they would be much less gentle in their approach, I can tell you. Count it as a lucky escape, if you like." As I spoke, Mayfield's expression changed from moment to moment. Now, she looked more horrified than angry. She must have been realising that her aged relative was doing her a favour by engaging the discreet services of yours truly rather than a formal complaint to the police. It could have been a good deal worse. "But I didn't take the necklace!" she insisted, pouting prettily. I looked back at her levelly. "No, I don't think you did," I responded eventually, keeping my voice calm and unthreatening, "But I have to make sure." Glen the human piped up again. He had been very quiet earlier, perhaps reassured by his girlfriend's presence and apparent comfort, or maybe his knowledge of the nuances of Goblin society and body language was insufficient to realise exactly what I had been doing. But now he seemed surprised and alarmed by Mayfield's reaction to my insinuations. He stood up suddenly and tried to look threatening. Sure, he was taller than me, and very probably heavier too. But I wasn't impressed. He probably thought he was protecting Mayfield's honour, or something. But he needn't have bothered. I was certainly stronger and faster than he was, and even Mayfield herself could probably best him in a fair fight. "Look," he rumbled, "We haven't stolen anything. Take a look around if you don't believe me." I didn't bother. I couldn't see it being stashed here. For one thing, there simply weren't enough likely hiding-places. And, in any case, it was difficult to get sophisticated glamours to conceal hiding-places up here. Even when they are transferable, undeployed magics are carefully prevented from being transported to the human-dominated surface world. Plenty of incentives for the customs officials make that a near-certainty. All of which was just as well, since I didn't get the chance to poke about in hidden recesses looking for secret hidey-holes. Just at that moment, a loud voice came from outside. "I know you're in there," the voice called out, in English, adding, "I'm coming in."
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Part 14