Chapter 13: Smugglers

I shoved the three men into the room and let a guard take them, “three stupid idiots that were trying to break into a closed moneylender’s shop.”

The day commander shook his head, “everyone knows they do not keep money in the shop after they close.”

I nodded as I sat across from him, “they smell like swamp weed and old burnt rope.”

He sat back, “we catch the users all the time. It is the damn smugglers that are the problem.”

I started writing the report and he waited until I was done before clearing his throat, “if I can get the duke to authorize payment would you hunt the smugglers down?”

I pushed the parchment across the table, “yes.”

I stood and left and found Maria waiting across the square at the café. I grinned as I slipped my arm through hers, “now we can go home.”

She smiled, “why were those men breaking into the shop?”

I sighed, “they were looking for anything to make money so they could buy more swamp weed.”

She shuddered, “foul smelling stuff.”

I smiled and put my arm around her waist, “you smell much better.”

She grinned and slipped her arm around me, “will you say that when it is time to speak to my father?”

I grinned, “I have already spoken to your father. He said your mother is waiting to set a date as soon as you are with child.”

She laughed and squeezed me, “in that case we will have a long night lover.”

It was a pleasant night and I hated seeing Maria leave in the morning. I glanced back at the door at someone knocking. I walked through the house and opened it to see the day watch commander, a magister and duke Justice. I opened the door wider to let them in and led them to my parlor.

After we were sitting the duke cleared his throat, “I have spoken with his majesty and he agrees. The smugglers need to be caught.”

I nodded and the magister smiled, “the price is twenty gold plus five silver per man you catch.”

I sat back, “I want baron Henry’s estate lands with the taxes paid for the next five years.”

The duke smiled as the commander and magister looked at each other, “you thinking of your lady?”

I shrugged and he grinned, “I will speak with his majesty.”

After they left I sat back to think, sure the smugglers could be bringing the swamp weed in through the docks but I did not think they were. First there was to many people around the docks, second there was always a chance a customs officer might be there. The same for the shipping warehouses, there were too many workers around the warehouses.

Now the stockyards were a different story, especially if they brought it in at night during the dark of the moon like tonight. I stood and headed out and then across the city. I talked to a few people along the way but did not get anywhere. What I was looking for was a merchant that was doing well but did not have workers or inventory.

It took all day to find the vacant looking slaughter house. Most of the stock pens were empty except for a few horses. Everyone agreed that Merchant Adams was doing something right because he made a lot of money. The few men I saw at the slaughter house were thugs. I went to a small diner nearby and had dinner and listened to the men talk.

It was just starting to get dark when I left and walked back to the empty pens by the slaughter house. I stayed in the shadows and waited, if they were bring the swamp weed in it would be at night. It was midnight before the line of horses came in with two men. Each horse was carrying a large pack.

I moved through the pens silently and was just starting to approach when I saw the customs inspector. I stopped to watch as he spoke with a well dressed merchant and accepted a heavy pouch. I slipped away and around to wait in an alley and a little later I heard the inspector walking down the street.

I walked out with one of my night sticks along my leg. The inspector stopped, “I am a customs inspector.”

I smiled as I continued towards him, “tell me inspector, what is his majesty going to say when he finds out you are being bribed to let smugglers bring drugs into his city?”

He pulled his dagger, “what do you want?”

I brought my stick up and jabbed into his stomach, “everyone.”

He folded and I slapped his dagger away with my stick. I picked up the dagger and spun the man before shoving him into the alley. I pushed him against a wall and tied his wrists before turning him around, “who else is he paying? Who distributes the weed?”

His lips tightened and I shook my head, “okay broken it is.”

I smashed my stick into his upper arm and then down onto his collarbone. He screamed and I jabbed him in the gut again, “names inspector.”

He tried to run and I kicked his feet out from under him. I knelt and smashed his other shoulder, “names.”

From his shoulders and arms I started hitting his legs but not hard enough to break them. It took thirty minutes, “Commander Macbride!”

I leaned back, “the night watch commander?”

He nodded, “he makes sure his guards stay away and clears the area the weed is taken to.”

I prodded him, “Who distributes the weed?”

He shook his head and I struck him in the ribs, “names!”

He jerked, “Merchants Smith, David, Samson and Taylor!”

I stood and pulled him to his feet before pulling a long piece of cord out. I made a noose and slipped it over his head, “yell and I will tighten it and let you strangle.”

I pulled him after me as I headed back to the slaughter house. I shoved him back against a corner post and tied the cord to the post, “if you turn or move around the cord will tightened until it strangles you.”

I pulled both sticks as I headed towards the building. The guard beside the door was smoking a large pipe of swamp weed. He did not see me until I hit him in the head with a night stick. I tied him and then walked into the slaughter house. The others did not realize I was there until I moved into them as they spilt the large packs of swamp weed.

I moved through them striking each in the head and smashing arms or wrists. Merchant Adams was the only one with a weapon and lunged suddenly. I deflected the blade but it stabbed into my left thigh and I snarled as I swung a back hand. My nightstick slammed into his face and he went down gushing blood from a broken nose.

I looked around as I pulled the sword out and let it fall. I started moving through the moaning and groaning men and tied them and pulled them to their feet. I yanked merchant Adams up and shoved him towards the men, “I want the names of everyone you pay.”

He did not say anything and I brought his sword back and let him see it, “you used an edged weapon. Now you face charges of importing a banned item. Bribing a king’s official and armed assault of a minor noble ... That means hanging.”

He jerked, “you can not prove...”

I hit him with the sword pummel, “I am going to cut your manhood off before we walk to the guard building.”

He looked around as his men shifted away from him, “I will talk.”

I slipped the sword blade between his legs and brought it up, “speak.”

He gave me the same names as the customs inspector. I tied them together and pulled them out before adding the other guard and the inspector. I prodded them down the street as I thought and finally pushed them into the guard building. When I entered I looked at the guard commander and his face was white.

I shoved merchant Adams towards the two guards walking from the cells. I tossed the sword on the floor as I walked towards the commander, “commander Macbride I am taking you for accepting a bribe and assisting in the import of a banned item.”

He straightened, “you do not have the authority.”

I pulled a nightstick as he pulled a dagger and brought it across into his wrist, “I am a licensed thief taker and have two witness against you.”

I brought the stick back to strike his head and he went down. I knelt as I glanced at the stunned guards, “get these men locked up and one of you go get the captain of the guard. The other go wake duke Justice and a magister. Make sure Customs Inspector Jenkins and merchant Adams are locked in a isolated cell.”

I yanked the commander up and shoved him towards the other prisoners, “now!”

They started moving again as I went to the table and stripped to look at the sword wound. I hissed and pulled a wax sealed packet from my pouch. I glanced up when the two guards returned looking worried. One cleared his throat, “the commander demands we free him and take you.”