The Detective (Johannes Cabal, #2)

by Jonathan L. Howard

He disliked extemporised activities, not least because going without preparation usually meant being unprepared.

They could hang him only once.

If that hand comes up holding a gun, thought Cabal, I’m sunk. If he’s holding half a billiard cue, however, I’m in with a chance.

probably brewed from dark malts, fast-fermenting yeast, and slightly coagulated dragon’s blood. It seemed likely the dragon was very drunk when it died.

It was obvious from Cabal’s face that he was working down a list of possible sports. The slight expression of consternation indicated that he had arrived at cricket.

Cabal considered saying that if she would prefer to be dead as a doornail, and head down in the barrel, it still wasn’t too late for him to organise that for her, but he did not.

It had to be the best part of a litre, and people tend to get very distressed when they find themselves missing such a large portion of their vital bodily fluids. That, or dead.

The only more immediate alternative that I can think of is a Tantric ritual involving necrophiliac sodomy and, frankly, I don’t think my back is up to it.

“Of course you will,” said Cabal tersely, in what he believed was an acceptable bedside manner. He was mistaken in this.

He had once been forced by circumstances to be vaguely polite to children for a whole year when he ran the carnival, and the experience had scarred him. When he saw that the source of their amusement was a puppet show, the day darkened still further.

“For somebody who fancies himself a great thinker, you don’t tend to let it get in the way of doing something stupid, do you?”

politics can be a more ruthless killer than any number of wild-eyed maniacs.

Then, I have little doubt, I shall kill some people for no better reason than that they dismay me with their activities and I have decided to prevent them ever

He wanted so very much to fire, but he had an ugly feeling that he had been outmanoeuvred.

“I’ve outmanoeuvred you,” said Cabal, confirming those fears.