(Untitled)

[slayer_fray]

Mel pins the following notice to the bulletin board:

THERE IS A MERMAID IN THE LAKE.
(a new one)
She's expressed an intention to eat male swimmers. We'd like that not to happen.
Go swimming AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Then she leaves a note at the bar for the rest of Security:
What are we gonna do about this mermaid?

Then she grabs a bottle of Tequila and proceeds

Comments

[ostro_goth]

"Only go swimming while female?" Teja suggests, almost flippantly, as he gets the note after reading the notice.

Pause.

"And I was wondering only the other week, it would seem, why there are no mermaids in the lake. Perhaps I should not have."

[slayer_fray]

"We've always had 'em," Mel says idly. "You go diving deep enough. They don't like people so they kinda leave us alone.

"This one's pract'ly a lurk in gets-under-my-skin-itude."

[ostro_goth]

"Did she attack any yet?" Teja asks. "Should we arrest her?"

[slayer_fray]

"Mmmm," Mel says, "but I don't know who. Vic hasn't said anything, and only witness I've got is ruttin' Urquhart."

[ostro_goth]

"Rutting is roughly right," Teja nods in grim agreement. "Which victim?"

[slayer_fray]

"Dunno," Mel says. "He's not come forward, I only got her word for a young cowboy and Urquface refusing to be helpful out of spite."

[ostro_goth]

"Young cowboy," Teja says. "Who Urqface, as you call him, speaks much with. I think I know which boy you mean. He helps in the stables, and takes care of an even younger boy."

[slayer_fray]

"You got a name?"

[ostro_goth]

"You know these men, the outlaw and the good man who died on his account, and are still friends in this place?" Teja says. "Dan Evans and Ben Wade. The boy is related to one of them."

But he cannot recall which, or he would say so.

[slayer_fray]

"Don't know them," Mel admits. "But I'll talk to him. I don't wanna freak him out any more than he's already been."

[ostro_goth]

"We could bring Irk-face in for questioning," Teja says. He likes that nickname.

[slayer_fray]

"What's the point?" Mel asks. "He'll only get smug and annoyed and refuse to help his friends just for not liking us."

[ostro_goth]

"It might be slightly unethical," Teja says, "to suggest we might have seen Alfred Spangler go swimming?"

That might get Urquhart's cooperation, Teja thinks.

[slayer_fray]

"Jesu, Teja," Mel says, after blinking several times. "Yes that's unethical."

And she's a thief.

[ostro_goth]

"Ethics have ever come second to dire needs to me," Teja says, "but the need may not be dire yet."

They can still use it if ever the mermaid problem becomes more urgent.

[slayer_fray]

"Yeah," Mel agrees shortly.

"We ever need his help that much, I'll get myself killed first."