MA10 Sweet Myth-tery of Life Read Free

we ain’t here.”) Then, too, there’s the constant, disquieting reminder that, however swell a fellow you may think you are, there are people out there waiting for a chance to bring your career to a premature conclusion. I had to keep telling myself that this latter point didn’t apply to me, that Don Bruce had insisted on assigning me Guido and Nunzio more as status symbols than anything else. I had hired Pookie on my own, though, after getting jumped during my recent trip to Perv, so I couldn’t entirely discount the fact that bodyguards were occasionally necessary and not just an inconvenient decoration.
    “Got a minute, Skeeve?” Pookie said, stepping forward.
    “Well, I was on my way to say hello to Bunny ...”
    “Fine. We can talk as we walk.”
    She fell in step beside me, and Aahz graciously fell back to walk with my other two bodyguards.
    “What it is,” Pookie said, without preamble, “is I’m thinking of cashing in and heading back to Perv.”
    “Really? Why?”
    She gave a small shrug.
    “I can’t see as how I’m really needed,” she said. “When I suggested I tag along, we thought you were coming back to a small war. The way I see it now, it seems like the crew you’ve already got can handle things.”
    As she spoke, I snuck a glance back at Guido. He was trudging along, his posture notably more hang dog than usual. It was clear both that he was infatuated with Pookie, and that he wasn’t wild about the idea of her moving on.
    “Umm ... Actually, I’d prefer it if you stuck around for a while, Pookie,” I said. “At least, until I’ve made up my mind what to do about this situation with Queen Hemlock She’s been known to be a bit nasty when things don’t go her way.”
    “Suit yourself,” Pookie said, giving another shrug. “I just wanted to give you an easy out if you were looking to trim the budget.”
    I gave a smile at that.
    “Just because we’re going to be working on the kingdom’s finances doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with our treasury. You should know your cousin well enough to have faith in his money managing.”
    “I know Aahz, all right,” she said, shooting a dark look at that individual, “enough to know that before he’d part with money unnecessarily, he’d cut off his arm ... or, more likely, someone else’s.”
    “He’s mellowed a bit over the last few years,” I smiled, “but I know what you mean. If it makes you feel any better, though, I hired you, so I figure you’re reporting directly to me and not to him.”
    Pookie cocked an eyebrow at me.
    “If that wasn’t the case,” she said, “I wouldn’t have come along in the first place.”
    I could have let it go, but my curiosity was aroused.
    “What’s the problem between you two, anyway? More specifically, what’s your problem with Aahz? He has nothing but the highest praise for you and your work”
    Pookie’s features hardened and she broke eye contact to stare straight ahead.
    “That’s between him and me,” she said stonily.
    Her attitude puzzled me, but I knew better than to pursue the subject further.
    “Oh. Well ... anyway, I’d like you to stick around if that’s okay.”
    “No problem from my end,” she said. “Just one thing ... to ease my mind. Could we adjust my pay scale? The prices you’ve been paying are my premium rates for short-term work for long-term employment. I can give you a discount.
    “How much?” I said quickly. As I noted before, Aahz had taught me most of what I know about money, and I had picked up some of his reflexes along the way.
    “Why don’t we knock it down to the same rate as you’re paying those two,” she said, jerking a thumb at Guido and Nunzio. “If nothing else, it might avoid some hard feelings between us professionally.”
    “Umm ... fine.”
    I didn’t have the heart to tell her that Guido and Nunzio were actually earning more than her premium rates. Realizing she was not only from the same dimension, but the same