“I saw everyone else leaving, so I decided that this might be an opportune time to come over,” he said with a smile. “I’m glad to see you’re still alive.”

He walked past Cain and stared at the two corpses.

“Well, I’ll be damned!” he muttered. “Both of them!” He turned back to Cain. “I thought I saw two bodies being carried out.”

“Father William and Moonripple,” said Cain. “They’re still alive.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I’ve got a sneaking fondness for that fat old man.” He rubbed his hands together. “Well, here we are—the Three Musketeers! Who would have thought that we’d actually make it?”

“What do you want?” asked Cain.

“What do you mean, what do I want?” laughed the Swagman. “You’ve got the reward, Virtue’s got her story—I want the artwork.”

“No deal,” said Cain.

The Swagman frowned. “What are you talking about, Songbird?”

“My name’s not Songbird.”

“All right—Sebastian.”

“It’s not Sebastian, either.”

“Well, what do you want to be called?”

“Santiago.”

The Swagman laughed heartily. “He’s got that much stashed away?”

“What I have is none of your business.”

“All right,” said the Swagman. “This has gone far enough. We made a deal. The artwork’s mine!”

“You made a deal with a man who no longer exists,” said Cain.

“Now listen to me!” said the Swagman. “I don’t know what kind of double cross you’re trying to pull, but it’s not going to work. You’ve got the reward; I want the artwork.”

“What you want doesn’t interest me.”

“Do you think that just because you’re the one who killed him you’re entitled to everything?” demanded the Swagman. “It doesn’t work that way, Sebastian!”

“His name’s Santiago,” said Virtue.

“You, too?” he said, turning to face her.

“I’m his biographer,” she said with a smug smile. “Who knows Santiago better than me?”

The Swagman turned back to Cain. “I don’t know what kind of scam you two have worked out, but you’re not getting rid of me that easily. I’ve put as much work into this as you have; I deserve something for my time.”

“Some alien artwork?” suggested Cain.

“Of course some alien artwork! What the hell do you think I’ve been talking about?”

“All right,” said Cain. “You’re entitled to something.”

He walked to Santiago’s body, knelt down, and removed a gold ring from one of his fingers.

“Here you are,” said Cain. “Now go away.”

The Swagman looked at the ring, then hurled it against the wall.

“I’ll tell what I know,” he said threateningly.

“Do whatever you think you have to do,” said Cain.

“I’m not bluffing, Sebastian. I’ll tell them he’s dead.”