Very creative. Shed wondered how much Lisa suspected. "Save the dramatics. You want your money. I want your ugly face away from my place. Let's get on with it."

The extortionist looked puzzled. "You talking tough? They told me you were the biggest coward in the Buskin."

"Who told you? You working for somebody? This not a freelance play?" The man's eyes narrowed as he realized his mistake.

Shed produced a handful of copper. He counted, counted, counted again, put a few coins away. "Hold out your hands."

The extortionist extended cupped hands.

Shed had not expected it to be this easy. He dumped the coins, grabbed the man's wrists.

"Hey! What the hell?"

A hand clamped over the man's mouth. A face appeared over his shoulder, mouth stretched in a grimace of effort. The extortionist rose to his toes, arching backward. His eyes widened in fear and pain, then rolled up. He slumped forward.

"All right. Perfect. Get out of here," Shed said.

Hastening footsteps faded quickly.

Shed dragged the body into shadow, quickly covered it with wood scraps, then dropped to hands and knees and began collecting coins. He found all but two.

"What are you doing, Mr. Shed?"

He jumped. "What're you doing?"

"I came to see if you were all right."

"I'm fine. We had an argument. He knocked some coins out of my hand. I can't find them all."

"Need help?"

"Mind the counter, girl. Or they'll steal us blind."

"Oh. Sure." She ducked back inside.

Shed gave it up a few minutes later. He would search again tomorrow.

He got antsy waiting for closing time. Lisa was too curious. He was afraid she would look for the missing coins and find the body. He did not want her disappearance on his conscience, too.

Two minutes after he closed, he was out his back door and heading for his wagon and team.

The tall being was back on duty. He paid Shed thirty pieces of silver. As he was maneuvering to leave, though, the thing demanded, "Why do you come so seldom?"

"I'm not as skilled as my partner."

"What has become of him? We have missed him."

"He's out of town."

Shed could have sworn he heard the thing chuckle as he went out the gate.

Chapter Twenty-Two:
JUNIPER: RUNNING SCARED

A long time had passed and nothing had happened. The Taken were not pleased. Neither was Elmo. He dragged me into his quarters. "Were the hell did Raven go,Croaker?"

"I don't know," I told him. As if he were the only one disturbed. I was scared and getting more so by the day. "I want to know. Soon."

"Look, man. Goblin's done everything but torture people trying to pick up his trail. He flat vanished. He got wind of us somehow."

"How? Will you tell me how? We've been here half our lives, it seems like. And nobody else down there has noticed. Why should Raven be any different?"