James couldn’t believe his eyes. Guardsmen were carrying bodies from one of the two large cells. James instantly saw what had likely transpired. The large man had come down, perhaps with henchmen, perhaps alone, and had found two cells occupied, six empty. The small cell across the way had been ignored, while he had opened the large cell. The door lay on the floor, and James wondered what sort of man could pry it off its hinges.
Three men lay dead in the cell, and a fourth was being carried out. Three of these men had died by the blade, killed quickly from the evidence before James’s eyes, but the fourth man look as if he had literally been torn limb from limb. Eyes fixed wide in pain and terror, the wizened-looking little man lay with his left arm ripped off at the shoulder, his right leg smashed and broken in several places, and his left leg severed below the knee. His blood had splattered the walls across the room.
James glanced at Jazhara and saw her looking at the corpse without flinching. William looked pale, though he had seen dead men before. The young lieutenant said, “Who could do such a thing?”
“Someone who could kill barmaids and fire orphanages,” answered Jazhara.
James knelt beside the corpse and said, “I know this man. His name is Knute. Pirate working up the coast, used to come down from time to time to fence stolen property. Clever bastard, but obviously not clever enough.”
“What do you mean?” asked William.
“I have an idea, but I’m keeping it to myself until I get more information,” said James. With a slight smile he glanced at his companions and added, “Don’t want to look too stupid if I’m wrong.”
He stood and turned to the guard. Pointing at the other cell with the single living man in it, he asked, “What’s his story?”
The guard shrugged. “Can’t get much out of him. Local drunk, I’m guessing, Squire. Scared to madness, I’m thinking.”
James motioned his companions to come with him. He crossed to stand before the drunk, who stood gripping the bars as if afraid to let go. His hair was gray and his face drawn and pale, damaged from too many nights lying drunk in the gutter. His eyes were tightly shut and he muttered, “Gods, gods, gods! Calm, calm, try to be calm. They’ll be along soon. Any moment now, they’ve got to come soon . . .”
James said, “Scovy?”
The man opened his eyes wide, and tensed as if ready to leap away. Seeing James he said, “Jimmy! Dala bless you! You’ve come to save me!”
James said, “Not so fast, old man. Did you see what happened?”
Words came tumbling from Scovy’s lips. “Oh, yes, yes, I saw it! Would that I had gone to Lims-Kragma’s Hall before seein’ what was done to that poor soul!”
“You mean Knute?”
Scovy nodded vigorously. “Knute it was. Pirate from up near Widow’s Point. Smug he was, saying he wouldn’t hang. Said the Prince himself would sign his pardon once he heard the secret Knute was keepin’.”
“What secret?” James asked.
“Blast if I know, Jimmy. Knute wouldn’t say. I’m thinking treasure. Knute probably had it hid . . . that’s what all this fuss is about.”
Jazhara said, “Tell us what happened tonight.”
Scovy looked at Jimmy and said, “Get me out?”
James nodded. “If I like what I hear.”
Scovy said, “Well, first this sound comes from above, like the gods’ own thunder was shaking the building. Twice it rocked the building. I was sitting down, but I damned near hit my head on the ceiling I jumped so high. Scared me sober, it did. Then this man comes down the stairs. Huge fellow, with a beard and a scar through one eye, murder in the other. Knute called him ‘Bear.’”
“What then?” asked William.
“Well, Knute’s about to piss himself, swearing to all the gods he didn’t betray Bear. The big man seems to believe him, then he reaches over and rips the door right off the cell. Calm as you please he walks in, draws a long dagger and kills those other three sods in there. The he tells Knute to follow him, and Knute takes a step forward, then Bear’s grabbing him by the throat and lifts him clean off the ground.
“Knute’s kicking and squealing like a pig heading for slaughter, and Bear keeps asking Knute where ‘it’ is. ‘Where did you hide it?’ he keeps asking. ‘What did you do with it?’”
Jazhara said, “And then?”
“Knute just keeps screaming he hadn’t done nothing. . . Bear says Knute’s a liar and starts cutting into him, slicin’ him apart piece by piece. He wouldn’t even wait for an answer. He only stopped when he heard fighting upstairs. Then he screams like an animal and rips what’s left of Knute into pieces.” Lowering his voice, he said, “I’m only alive because this Bear ran out of time, I’m thinking. He was insane, Jimmy. Something about him . . . it’s not right. I’ve seen strong men, but nothing like this one. I’ve seen crazy men, but this man is the craziest ever.” His lips quivered as he finished his story. “Get me out?”
James nodded to the guard and said, “Release him.”
The guard produced a key and opened the door. “Thanks, Jimmy. I won’t forget.”
“See that you don’t, Scovy.”
The prisoner hurried up the stairs and James turned to his companions. “Any ideas?”