Ghost Nails Read Free Page A

cooks
and maids would be out on the street. So we need to figure out who
did this and find proof before we go to the magistrates.”
    Yet I suspected that if we did find out who had tried
to kill Korim, the would-be murderer would never make it to the
magistrates. Caina would see to it that he disappeared quietly.
Five years ago that would have horrified me. But five years ago my
husband had been alive, and no one had ever tried to enslave my
sons. Five years ago, I think, I had been a better woman. Now I
would do what was necessary to protect my sons without
hesitation.
    Besides, someone had tried to murder a guest under my
roof. I would hardly mourn the death of such a man. As difficult as
my work was, I enjoyed giving food and drink to the hungry and the
thirsty. I thought it despicable that someone would corrupt that
and turn it into a weapon. The poisoner is the most reviled of all
men.
    “Yes, yes, you’re right,” said Novaya, wiping at her
nose. “But…but I don’t know who could have done this.”
    “When did you make the cake?” said Caina.
    “This morning, sir,” said Novaya. “I arrived before
dawn, as I usually do, and started work upon the tarts and the
biscuits. I knew the Hakim was coming, so I mixed the batter for
his cake early. Then I finished the tarts, poured the cake into the
pan, and…”
    “After you poured the cake into the pan,” said Caina,
“how much of a pause was there? Did you do something else and come
back, or did you put the cake into the oven immediately?” I saw her
reasoning. The nails had been baked into the cake. Whoever put them
in the batter would have done so before the cake went into the
oven.
    “Immediately,” said Novaya. “I didn’t want it to dry
out. No, wait. I…ah, well…”
    “What happened?” I said.
    “Before I put the cake into the oven,” said Novaya,
“I talked to a…a man.”
    “A suitor?” I said. “I’ve seen you with a man
recently.”
    “He’s only been seeing me for a few weeks,” said
Novaya. “His name is Kamal. He is a carpenter’s journeyman, works
for Master Hagal in the Cyrican Quarter.”
    A carpenter. Those small nails had been the sort of a
carpenter might use to construct a set of shelves.
    “He stopped by to see you, then?” said Caina. “How
long did you talk?”
    “A few minutes,” said Novaya. “Then he left for
Master Hagal’s workshop.”
    “Did anyone disturb the batter while you spoke with
him?” said Caina.
    “I don’t think so,” said Novaya with a shrug. “I
didn’t notice anything wrong with the batter, I mean.”
    “Thank you,” said Caina. “One last question. Where
does Kamal live?”
    Novaya frowned. “He didn’t do this! He’s a good
man!”
    “I don’t think he did it,” said Caina, “but I think
someone used him as a distraction to slip the nails into the batter
while you were not looking. I would like to ask Kamal if he saw
anything unusual.”
    “Oh,” said Novaya. “He lives on the third floor of a
boardinghouse, behind the Street of Carpenters.” Her cheeks turned
red. “Not that…not that I’ve ever been there alone, of course. That
would be improper.”
    “Of course,” I agreed. “Thank you, Novaya. Start
making a new cake for the Hakim at once. I must go and make my
apologies to him.” I looked around. “Send him that tray of tarts
and some coffee with sugar and a double portion of cream. That will
mollify him until the new cake is ready.”
    “Can one man truly eat so much, mistress?” said
Novaya, incredulous.
    “I think the Hakim would consider that an appetizer,”
said Caina. “Thank you, Novaya.”
    I followed Caina to the corner, where we could speak
in relative quiet.
    “What do you think?” I said.
    “It has to be Kamal,” said Caina. “It’s the only
thing that makes sense. Or at least it’s a place to start
looking.”
    “Who would want to kill Korim?” I said.
    She shrugged. “Who wouldn’t? He’s a magistrate of the
Padishah’s