Page 16 of Capitol Matters

“Why what?” Grimm countered.

It was time for the real questions now. This was a lot of effort to spare some people Grimm couldn’t possibly have cared about. And he certainly wouldn’t go to such lengths to keep my hands clean.

“Why keep them alive?” I asked. “You’ve never minded murder before.”

Disappointment clouded the older man’s features. Apparently, I understood the lesson but still managed to fail the test.

“You should know by now that whatever Maximus Lyle wants, we want the opposite,” he said. “If he wants these unfortunate souls dead, we want them alive.”

I tipped my head, doubtful. “Maximus is gonna notice if the people he thinks I killed suddenly reappear one day. It’ll take him all of two seconds to figure out who and how.”

Grimm didn’t falter. If anything, his confidenceincreased. “That’s very forward-thinking of you, Fitch, but you shouldn’t be concerned,” he said. “All you need to do is bring the people to Donovan, and all he needs to do is keep them secure and alive.”

My brother and I shared a wary look. I supposed this did work as a way of keeping Donovan out of harm’s way. A “bunch of politicians,” as Nash had put it, were far from the most dangerous citizens in our city. Certainly less menacing than the thugs Donovan might encounter while in the company of the Bloody Hex.

“They’ll have seen us, though,” Donovan chimed in. “They’ll know what we did.”

Grimm waved a hand toward the bar area. “We happen to be in the proximity of an exceptionally skilled alchemist who is more than capable of formulating a draught that will erase a few weeks of memories. And blur faces better forgotten.” He winked at Donovan.

Pleased as I was about a nonviolent solution, I remained skeptical. Too bad Grimm hadn’t been around to offer the same reprieve to the night janitors at DiaLogix Labs.

“Memory potions aren’t cheap,” I told Grimm. “I assume you’re paying?”

The older man’s smile spread. “Why should I, when you could simply add them to that hefty bar tab you’ve been whoring yourself out for?”

The taunting arch of his brows made my neck prickle, and I turned aside.

Grimm chuckled. “Of course, I will handle all the arrangements. And payment, if necessary.” He nodded at us both. “With that settled, I have news for the rest ofour group. Would you boys care to join me?”

We followed him into the bar, where I found a seat at the counter a few stools down from Ripley and Maggie.

Donovan returned to the crowd at the dartboards, but the games had paused in anticipation of Grimm’s planned speech. Some kind of monologue was a given in the presence of a captive audience; the man loved little more than the sound of his own voice.

A knock on the copper-topped counter summoned Nash, who slid a drink over to me.

“You read my mind,” I told him and took a sip.

In the middle of the room, Grimm stood surrounded by the gang’s newest members. Those of us with longer tenure kept our distance, and I heard Avery whining about the interruption of what he’d thought was a night off.

“Gentlemen!” Grimm crowed to his followers. “Things have greatly progressed since you joined our illustrious organization.”

I snorted into my glass.

“You have maximized citywide closures by looting to build quite a stockpile of weapons and materials and, I dare say, we’ll never go hungry.”

Scattered laughter came from the recruits.

Grimm carried on. “You have made our presence known, a task that would have been impossible if left to our previously marginal numbers. For that, I thank you.”

Everyone applauded. Everyone being the dozen or so hangers-on circled around Grimm.

Down the bar, Ripley rattled the ice ball in his glassof scotch. He murmured something to Maggie, who draped over his shoulder, so attached she looked ready to crawl inside his skin.

“Vinton?” As quiet fell, Grimm beckoned to his most loyal follower.

The bald man rose to weave a path through the group to stand at Grimm’s side. Literally at his right hand like a dog taught to heel.

“I am pleased to say your command of these ranks has come to an earlier end than expected,” Grimm told him. “A position has opened in the Capitol morgue, and I have made preparations for you to fill it.”

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