gether from time to time, and help each other out when one
of us gets in a jam.”
“Uh-huh. Would you describe your relationship with the
Mob the same way? You know, friends who work together
and help each other out of jams from time to time?”
186 Robert Asprin
Whoops! There it was. Well, now that the subject was
on the table, it was probably best to deal with it openly and
honestly.
“That’s different,” I dodged.
“I’ll say it is!” the captain snarled. “In fact, I don’t
think different begins to describe it! In all my years on the
force I’ve never heard of anything like it!”
He scooped up a handful of paper and held it up dramat-
ically.
“From Klah, we have conflicting reports. One source
says that you were instrumental in keeping the Mob from
moving in on Possiltum. Another has you down as being a
sub-chieftan in the Mob itself!”
He grabbed another handful.
“That’s particularly interesting, seeing as how Deva re-
ports that you stopped the Mob from moving into that dimen-
sion. What’s more, you’re being paid a fat retainer to main-
tain the defenses against the Mob, even though it seems
that much of that retainer is going toward paying off your
staff . . . which includes two bodyguards from the Mob and
the niece of the current head of the Mob! All of which, of
course, has nothing to do with the fact that you own and
operate a combination hotel and casino and are known to
associate with gamblers and assassins. Just what kind of
game are you playing, MISTER Skeeve? I’m dying to hear
just how you define ‘different!’ “