!"
He turned and saw Shrike running after him through the sand.
"Im here," he said quietly, and she followed his voice over.
"Ive been thinking about it and I have a proposition for you," Shrike said, a little out of breath. "This client Im meeting, shes expecting me to have a partner. But my partner isnt here. Stand in for him and Ill pay you. "
"My rents covered. I want my life back. "
"I cant give you that. But some of the people I work with have power. If this client is who I think it is, she might be able to help you. "
"Might?"
"Its the best I can do. "
"What would I be? Your bodyguard? Your wind-up -rabbit?"
"Your job will be to stand by me and say absolutely nothing," said Shrike. "Ill do all the talking and ask all the questions. "
"Im a mute?"
"People interpret silence as strength. The less you say, the more formidable youll appear. I need you to be more dangerous than a two when we meet her. "
"And maybe she can help. "
"No guarantees. "
Spyder walked down the dune to where Shrike was waiting. He stood a little above her in the sand. "Ill help you get your bags from the hotel," he said.
"Thats not necessary," Shrike said. She removed a battered leather book from an inside pocket of her coat. "Everything I need is right here. " She opened it and little paper shapes stood up from the pages. Horses. Swords. Things that might have been exotic fruits or vegetables. To Spyder, it looked like a kids pop-up book.
Shrike put the book away and led Spyder over the dune in the opposite direction. "Jean-Philippe,
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