Slippery Creatures (The Will Darling Adventures, #1)

by K.J. Charles

He’d been apprenticed to a joiner before the war, but that felt like decades ago: all he was good at now was killing people, which was discouraged.

“My dear chap, this is a bookshop. There’s never anywhere better to be.

He had no idea what civilians, or civilised people, would say in these circumstances. Thanks for that, old chap, much obliged, perhaps? Ought he apologise for coming in his mouth? Would this be a good moment to restart the conversation about where Kim had learned to use a knife? Thank God they were British. He took a deep breath. “Cup of tea?”

Kim exhaled hard. “We appear to be locked in competition as to who has less of a spine.”

If you couldn’t have a thing without hurting someone who didn’t deserve it, you shouldn’t have it.

They are driven by staggering greed at the top and fanatic idealism below, and between greed and fanaticism people can justify anything.

Kim came over, walking with a lot of grace for a man in purple slippers, especially one sporting a solid cockstand.

Kim rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. You know who you are, and you wear it well. I really don’t know why you listen to me.” “Nor do I, you corkscrew-tongued bastard. Jesus wept. You could open wine bottles with that.” “I do my best.” Kim’s eyebrow flickered suggestively, then he made a face, as if recalling himself.

“You’re a bit of a mess, aren’t you?” “My friend, you have no idea.”

“What do you want to talk about?” “I don’t know. The football results? Politics. The pictures. Why the blazes you’re called Kim when your name is Arthur.” “My name, since you raise the topic, is Arthur Aloysius Kimberley de Brabazon Secretan. What would you do in my place?” “Leave the country,” Will said wholeheartedly. “You poor bastard, you never stood a chance.”