‘We get the Ghostie stuff,’ Prozor said, with deliberation in her voice. ‘If we can get it. That ain’t under our belts yet. First we’ll have to persuade Trusko. Then he’ll have to magic up a team that’s at least as good as the one Rack had. Then we’ll find out if they’ve got the spine to go as deep into that bauble as they’ll need to, and that’s assuming no one’s been there since we did.’

‘Bauble?’ a voice asked.

It was Gathing. He’d approached us along the corridor that ran past the bone room, too quietly for it to be accidental.

‘No law against conversation,’ I said.

‘Didn’t say there was, did I? But you were talking about something in particular. Going deep. That’s an odd line of conversation to have.’

‘Case you forgot,’ Prozor said, ‘I’m the Bauble Reader.’

‘But a Bauble Reader concerns themselves with auguries, surfaces, and not much else,’ Gathing said. ‘Never been a Bauble Reader’s business to talk about what’s inside.’

‘We all share the same profit,’ I said. ‘Stands to reason we’d have an interest in the particulars.’

‘No one’s been there since we did,’ Gathing said, parroting Prozor’s manner of speaking. ‘Those were the words, I think. Care to clarify who’s “we”, and where and when it was that “we” were there before?’

‘You misheard,’ Prozor said.

‘Seems I must have. Well, at least it’s good to see the two of you having a civil conversation, instead of being at each other’s throats. I must remember to tell Trusko how well you’re getting on all of a sudden. Captain could use some good news, after that wash-out at the first bauble.’

Prozor shrugged. ‘Tell Trusko what you like. Had my doubts about Fura, that’s all. Weren’t you the same?’

‘Difference is,’ Gathing said, ‘I don’t let go of my doubts in such a hurry.’ He flashed a quick, cynical smile. ‘I’ll leave you to it, shall I? Expect there’s plenty more you’ve got to talk about.’

We watched him go. I waited until I was certain he was out of earshot before turning to Prozor.

‘He knows.’

‘No,’ she said. ‘He don’t. Just thinks he might, is all, and that’s not the same thing. But we’ll have to keep an eye on that cove.’

‘If he asks me too many questions, he might see through the both of us. I can’t let that happen.’

Prozor looked at me with a wicked fascination. ‘You thinkin’ of killin’ ’im?’