***Disclaimer**** This is not my story, it is the work of Ka Hmnd AKA Kenneth Hammond. I have not changed or edited this story in anyway. Please enjoy
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CHAPTER FIVE
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I sat beside the salle as Sam began her practice, our son rested beside me in his basket. Several guards nearby had just finished and were trying to cool down. Lieutenant Belet poked his head out the back door of the guard building and then came out.
He stopped to watch Sam and a very pregnant Mona before shaking his head, “I would tell her to stop until she had the child but…”
I laughed, “What happened the last time you mentioned that?”
He grinned, “She beat me around the salle until I gave up.”
I smiled and looked at Mona before looking at him, “Did you need me?”
He sighed, “Captain Able wanted to know if you would look at a murder.”
I sighed and reached for the baby’s basket, “we have a job Sam.”
She laughed as she backed away from Mona, “I was finally getting the better of her.”
Mona grinned, “Just keep thinking that.”
I carried the basket and Sam quickly stripped the padding off and ran to catch up, “Who’s dead?”
I shrugged as we walked through the guard building, “I don’t know yet, Lieutenant Belet hasn’t told me.”
He chuckled as he walked on my other side, “It was a sailor. He was behind the Laughing Fox.”
I glanced at him, “That’s a long way from the docks.”
He nodded as he held the front door for me, “That was why Captain Able wanted you to investigate.”
We stopped just inside our door for Adelia to come take young William and Sam to grab her scribe things. As we headed towards the Laughing Fox, Peter, Dett, Edward and then Chris fell in beside us. We met Able at the side of the inn and he turned to lead the way, “I made sure no one touched anything.”
I stopped everyone and nodded to Dett. He moved forward slowly and Edward followed after. I waited and then slowly started following. When I caught up, Dett was squatting beside the body. He looked up, “It was quick and clean. They searched him after.”
I looked around, “They?”
He nodded, “At least two.”
I looked around and Edward came out of the shadows beside two large crates, “They waited back there for him.”
I nodded and glanced at Chris, “Check around front.”
He started off as Peter headed the other way. I knelt beside the body and glanced up at Sam, “He was struck by a weighted throwing club and then his throat was cut by a short bladed curved knife.”
I nodded to Dett and Edward, “Start asking questions at the docks. Find out what ship he came off of.”
I stood up as Peter and Chris returned. Chris nodded, “There was a watcher across the street according to the innkeeper.”
I looked at Peter and he nodded, “A neighbor said a stranger was hanging around and trying to look like he belonged so that makes four.”
I sighed, “Get a description from both of them and then join Dett and Edward on the dock. Make sure one of you goes to the merchant hall to ask around too.”
I looked down at the body and then turned to walk out to find captain Able talking to the tavern keeper. He looked at me and finished before turning, “My lord Kristin?”
I watched the tavern keep leave and looked back at him, “It’s strange in more ways than one. The clothes and hands suggest a sailor. It wasn’t just a robbery, he went back there to meet someone and was ambushed by at least two men. Two other men acted as lookouts so that makes four.”
I glanced at Sam as she came to stand beside me, “Four men robbing one sailor is not normal. Killing him just to rob him is not normal.”
Able sighed, “Just what I need.”
I grinned, “Wait until Tess has the baby.”
He grinned, “I’ll make sure I have plenty to do by then.”
Sam snorted, “She’ll just make you watch the baby when you’re off.”
Able frowned, “Spoil sport.”
I laughed and turned towards the street leading to the harbor, “I’ll go speak with the harbor master and see if anything strange has happened on the docks.”
Sam fell in beside me, “I made a quick sketch of his face.”
I nodded, “I’m almost willing to bet he was a smuggler.”
When we reached the harbor master’s office it was full of sailors. When we walked in they started making comments about Sam. One made the mistake of reaching out to touch her as we passed. His scream and the slam of his body to the floor had the whole building turning to look. It fell silent and Sam smiled sweetly, “Next time I break more than your wrist.”
I shook my head and turned back towards the counter to see the older man that was the Harbor Master, “Your ship captains need better training David.”
He grinned, “My lord Kristin, welcome.”
I nodded, “We had a killing last night that might be one of yours.”
His eyebrow rose as he looked around the room, “No one has said anything about anyone missing.”
I looked at Sam as she opened her pad and flipped to the sketch. The harbor master frowned and then looked around, “Anyone know him?”
The captains came forward and looked and one tapped the sketch, “I seen him my lord. Down toward the private docks.”
I looked at the harbor master and he nodded reluctantly, “Maybe one of the courier ship captains will recognize him.”
I sighed as she put the sketch away, “Pass the word that we are asking around would you?”
He grinned, “Since your young miss has been so nice, I’m sure word will make the rounds.”
Everyone snickered except the man Sam had thrown. She grinned, “He shouldn’t feel bad. I threw my father just the other day.”
They laughed and we turned towards the door. I stopped after the door closed behind us, “Something isn’t right Sam. The harbor master knew him.”
She glanced from me to the door behind us, “Maybe it’s time for a city inspection of his books?”
I snorted as I headed towards the private docks, “Which set?”
Sam laughed as she fell in step, “We could ask those northern merchant captains to help find the right set.”
I grinned and turned to stop at the old sailor sitting on a crate next to the gate into the private dock. I nodded to Sam who he was staring at and she held out the sketch, “Do you know which ship this man came from?”
He grinned and glanced down. His grin froze and he looked up at me, “Never seen…”
I shook my head, “Listen close old timer. If you try to tell me you don’t know him or what ship he came from I will put you in the stocks before having you whipped out of the city. Now, his name and what ship did he come from?”
He swallowed and looked around, “The duke will have my head.”
I smiled, “I’m his Kristin.”
He nodded and looked around again, “There be a ship that comes in from Tellerman. It off loads during the night and everything is taken into the city by the crew. They be protected from the normal customs. It’s the last ship on the dock.”
I nodded and glanced back as Peter, Chris, Dett and Edward walked up. Peter grinned, “Still ahead of us.”
I smiled and nodded to the dock, “We take the last ship. Everyone gets detained.”
I looked at the old sailor and fished out a gold piece, “Go find a guard and tell him the Kristin wants two squads with restraints.”
He grinned as he caught the coin, “Don’t be easy on them my lord, they be an ugly lot.”
Peter laughed as he started down the dock with Chris, “They be an ugly lot indeed.”
Sam and I followed after Dett and Edward. The two men on deck saw us coming and one disappeared as the other moved to block the plank leading onto the ship. Peter barely slowed as he slugged the man blocking our way. The man flew back and crumpled as several men began crowding onto the deck.
A large man in a brightly colored uniform appeared as we spread out, “What is the meaning of this! We are The Duke’s men…”
His eye fell on me and his face paled, “Killed them!”
Peter lashed out and knocked two over the side while Chris seemed to slide right passed them only to have them collapse behind him. Dett and Edward were neat and precise, Dett blocked and Edward struck them down. The man that made the mistake of reaching for Sam screamed as she brushed his arm aside and grabbed his privates.
I pulled two daggers and moved forward, I stabbed through one man’s wrist and kicked another in the knee, breaking it. The fight didn’t last long before the rest of the crew was hastily backing away. The captain had disappeared below and I moved through the hatch to follow. I kicked open his small cabin door and stepped in as he spun from a small chest of gold.
He looked around in desperation as I walked closer. Finally he gasped, “I have protection!”
I slugged him and grabbed him as he fell. I spun him and yanked his hands behind his back, “You aren’t protected from me.”
I slammed him into the wall, “Who are you working for?”
He didn’t say anything so I turned him and shoved him out the door and then up onto the deck. The men still alive were being tied up and I shoved him towards Peter, “If we don’t get answers start hanging them.”
The captain stiffened, “YOU CAN”T!”
Peter laughed, “Want to bet your life?”
Sam kicked one man that looked like he wanted to say something, “Do you have something you want to say?”
The other men glared and he swallowed before shaking his head. I sighed, “Very well. I know that at least four members of this crew committed murder. You have obviously been smuggling. I sentence one and all to twenty years of hard labor for the murder…”
One man shifted, “You can’t do that!”
I smiled, “Actually I can. You see by not talking you have declared the act a conspiracy shared by the entire crew.”
I looked around, “Once I search the ship and its logs and records I will find the evidence of smuggling and I will add another twenty years to the sentence.”
I glanced towards the beginning of the dock to see the harbor master hurrying towards us. I looked around, “anything else?”
They were silent and I nodded to Peter, “Would you find a few guard to help with the prisoners?”
He grinned, “They’re a quiet bunch of lambs. We can take them in.”
I looked at the harbor master as he puffed up and stomped onto the ship, “My lord Kristin, this is not your purview. You will release these men at once.”
I nodded to Chris who absently slammed the back of his hand into his face. I walked towards him, “The docks and city as well as the whole duchy are my purview harbor master, by the Duke’s seal and authority. As for these men, they have been found guilty in the simple murder of a sailor and are suspected of smuggling.”
The harbor master glared up at me, “I will have you broken.”
I smiled and looked at Chris, “Put him in chains for suspicion of smuggling and treason.”
The harbor master gasped, “You can’t!”
I raised my eyebrow, “And just why can I not?”
He looked around, “The duke.”
I nodded, “Very well.”
I gestured to Peter, “Get the guard and put them all in cells.”
I looked at Chris, Dett and Edward, “Search this ship from the keel out. Take everything to the Custom warehouse.”
I waited with Sam as Peter left and Chris, Dett and Edward headed below decks. Sam glanced at me, “Want me to go talk to father?”
I grinned, “Not yet.”
A couple of minutes later Peter was back with two guards. He grinned as he walked aboard, “They were looking for you. It seems the harbor master sent a protest to the duke.”
I nodded and gestured, “Put these men in separate cells and make sure they are not allowed to speak to each other or any visitors.”
The guards nodded and began yanking men to their feet. The harbor master protested and the guard slugged him in the mouth, “Shut up scum.”
I looked at Peter, “We’ll be in the custom warehouse.”
He nodded and turned back to watch the two guards shoving the crew towards the dock. I led Sam off the ship and headed towards the warehouse at the end of the wharf. When we walked in the clerk stood up from the desk next to the door, “Can I help you?”
I nodded to the open space before the rows of shelves, “I’m having items from a suspected ship brought here. Hopefully I can find what they are smuggling.”
He grinned, “Actually that is my specially. If they are hiding it, I always find it.”
Sam laughed and bumped me, “Have him go look at the ship.”
I grinned, “It’s at the end of the private dock if you want to go help search it.”
He grinned, “Anything to get out for a little while.”
We watched him leave and Sam sat on his desk, “Let see, we have the murdered man that was part of the crew. The assault and attempted murder of the duke’s Kristin. A conspiracy to smuggle something into the city and a corrupt harbor master.”
I smiled as she made notes and turned as the door opened. Guards began bringing small crates in and I frowned. The clerk marched in between two and grinned, “I think I know what they are snuggling.”
I crossed to where he had the guards set the crates down. The clerk knelt and touched the side of one crate, “See the slight change of color to purple? If you were to smell it, you would be smelling a sweet bitter smell. They were smuggling Dream leaves.”
I glanced at Sam as she sucked in a breath, “What?”
She was looking angry, “My aunt Katharine died of dream weed.”
I nodded, “Some people become so addicted they use more each time and until finally it kills the brain.”
I looked at the clerk, “have you checked the records yet?”
He shook his head, “Not yet.”
I glanced at Edward as he carried in a small stack of ledgers, “Start looking at everything.”
I turned to Sam, “We are going to see your father and then I am going to see the captain again.”
The whole walk to the Keep was in silence. I nodded to the two door guards and walked through into the audience chamber. Several merchants and minor nobles were milling around as we headed towards the duke. Henry slipped out of his seat below and in front of the duke.
He quickly walked to us, “What is it? We have a lot of nobles and merchants raising hell about you interfering in city business.”
I looked at the duke, “We need to speak to the Duke. Tell him it concerns dream leaves.”
Henry hissed and made a gesture to the door guards before walking to the duke. He whispered in the duke’s ear and the young baron talking to him waited. The duke’s face turned red in anger, he stood and looked me, “My Kristin are you certain?”
I shrugged, “I’ll know for sure after speaking with the captain again. I do know they killed one of the crew and the harbor master was taking a bribe. He was also letting a ship use the private dock under your name. It sailed from Tellerman.”
The merchants and nobles had shifted and begun moving towards the doors but stopped when more guards hurried in and blocked the doorway. The duke glared at the milling men, “These men are part of whatever you are investigating. Guards, take them to the city cells to be questioned!”
The men protested but the guards were in no mood to listen and stripped them of any weapon before leading them away. I waited and the duke looked at me coldly, “The men responsible for bringing it into my city are to be executed slowly and in public with a crier announcing the judgement.”
I bowed, “As you command.”
He sighed, “I’m sorry Charles, it’s...”
Sam took my arm, “I told him father.”
He nodded, “Let me know what you find.”
I turned and left, heading back to the guard building. Not only was Peter, Edward, Dett and Chris there but the young clerk was there. The men brought from the Keep were already talking and guards were letting them. The clerk looked grim, “The records show the cargo wasn’t from Tellerman, it was from Sierra. They were using Duke Concord’s seal.”
I nodded and headed into the cells. I pointed to the captain of the ship, “Bring him out.”
I looked at the clerk that had followed us, “Did you find proof it was dream weed?”
He nodded and I turned to the captain who was grim faced, “You will tell my men who else was involved. Who you got the weed from and who you gave it too.”
I looked at Peter, “If he doesn’t talk, cut off his hands.”
I turned and walked into the other room. Both captain Able and Hurst were there with Jonathan. I crossed to them with Sam and nodded to Jonathan, “Bring a crier. The duke commands that those responsible are to die slowly. Have strangle poles struck.”
He blinked and looked at the merchants and nobles, “Perhaps I should speak with his grace.”
I sighed and looked at Sam. She shrugged, “He might calm down.”
I nodded and the sheriff turned and left. I looked at the two captains, “Strike the poles and get the crier just in case. At least four will be taking that trip for murder anyway. We also need the whipping posts.”
Able nodded and turned to a guard. I gestured to another, “When the whipping posts are struck, have the harbor master brought out. Strip him to his breeches and have him fastened to the posts.”
He nodded, “Yes Kristin.”
I looked at Sam as Peter walked out grim faced. He looked me in the eye, “He made the deal with Duke Concord himself. Four of the crew witnessed it.”
I turned to Sam, “Put them in the isolation cells Peter.”
He nodded and turned to do as I told him. I looked at the two captains, “They are not to have visitors. Hold everything until I return.”
I looked at Sam, “Wait for me at home.”
She bit her lip but nodded. I left and headed towards the Keep at a fast walk. When I walked into the duke’s study Jonathan was still arguing with him. They turned and the duke opened his mouth but I beat him to it, “You need to send a fast runner to the King.”
He blinked and looked at Jonathan, “Why?”
I sighed, “The captain of the ship made the deal with Duke Concord to bring the dream weed here.”
The duke sat, “Are you sure?”
I shrugged, “four crewmen witnessed it. We need his majesty’s intercession.”
The duke nodded and turned to start writing, “Have the nobles and merchants whipped with the crew. Keep the crew isolated and let the nobles and merchants go after you tell them the next time they are caught they will be hung and their patients stripped.”
I nodded and returned to the guard building. It was several days before the king’s magister arrived to question the captain and the four crewmen. The duke was summoned to return to the king’s court with the magister and the crewmen to give witness.
Two weeks later he returned looking satisfied. The king had stripped Duke Concord of his title and had him executed.
