After the Magistrate's man departed, Shed told Lisa: "I'm going out." He wanted one last fling before he settled in to the dreary business of managing the Lily.

He bought the most skilled, most beautiful woman he could find. She cost, but she was worth every copper. He returned to the Lily wishing he could live that way all the time. He dreamed about the woman that night.

Lisa wakened him early. "There's a man here who wants to see you."

"Who is he?"

"He didn't say."

Cursing, Shed rolled out. He did nothing to hide his nakedness. More than once he had hinted that Lisa should include more than barmaid's chores in her duties. She was not cooperating. He had to find a handle. . . . He'd better look out. He was getting obsessed with sex. That could give somebody a handle.

He descended to the common room. Lisa indicated a man. He was no one Shed knew. "You wanted to see me?"

"You got someplace private?"

A hard case. Now what? He did not owe anyone. He did not have any enemies. "What's your business?"

"Let's talk about your cousin. The one who didn't disappear the way people think."

Shed's stomach knotted. He concealed his distress. "I don't understand."

"Suppose somebody saw what happened?" "Come into the kitchen."

Shed's visitor peeped back through the kitchen door. "Thought the split-tail might try to listen in." Then he gave Shed an accurate account of Wally's death. "Where did you get that fairy tale?" "I saw it."

"In a pipe dream, maybe."

"You're cooler than I heard. Here's the way it goes, friend. I have a trick memory. Sometimes I forget. Depends on how I'm treated."

"Ah. I begin to see the light. This is about hush money." "There you go."

Shed's thoughts scurried like frightened mice. He couldn't afford hush money. He had to find another way out. But he couldn't do anything right now. He was too confused. He needed time to get himself together.

"How much?"

"A leva a week would buy a first-class case of amnesia."

Shed goggled. He sputtered. He choked back his protest. The extortionist made a what-can-I-do? gesture. "I have problems too. I got expenses. A leva a week. Or take your chances."The black castle flickered through Shed's thoughts. Low cunning grabbed it, turned it over, looked at the possibilities. Murder did not bother him anymore. But not now. Not here. "How do I pay you?"

The man grinned. "Just hand me a leva."Shed brought his coin box into the kitchen. "You'll have to take copper. I don't have any silver." The man's smile grew broader. He was pleased. Why?