Frumple is there. For a minute I think he’s dropped his disguise as well, but then I realize that he’s still disguised as a local and that his face is bright red ’cause he’s hoppin’ mad.
“All right, all right!” Don Bruce sez, soundin’ a little annoyed. “We’ll consider that a firm identification. Just get your place fixed up and send us the bill . . • better still, give us a list of what you need in supplies and repairs. We can maybe get you some discounts from the distributors and contractors … know what I mean?”
“I should think so,” Frumple snorts, reachin’ for the wine bottle.
“In the meantime,” Don Bruce sez, movin’ the bottle out of his reach, “why don’t you take a little walk or something. There are a few things I want to discuss with the boys here.”
The Deveel hesitates for a second, then nods his agreement.
“All right,” he sez, but he shoots us a black look as he starts for the door. “I should have known that double-crossing Skeeve was behind you two … I suspected it from the start. Him and this floozie of his …”
“Hold it!!”
Don Bruce’s voice cracked through the place like a whip, and I knew Frumple had made a mistake … a bad mistake.
“What did you just say about Skeeve? … And Miss Tananda here?”
The goons have come off the wall and are startin’ to drift forward.
“I … um … that is …” the Deveel sez, lookin’ around desperate-like.
“Perhaps you should consider being a bit more careful in your selection of words when describing an associate of mine … or a lady who is a personal friend and present at the time.”