The House That Jack Built by Robert Asprin & Linda Evans

“Skeeter,” Malcolm sighed, “you have a distressing knack for handing out problems it would take Sherlock Holmes, himself, to untangle.”

Skeeter grinned and dug out Goldie Morran’s counterfeit banknotes and his Pinkerton badge. “Maybe so, but this time, I’ve got an ace or two up my sleeve . . .”

* * *

Kit Carson had narrowly avoided death hundreds of times during his career as a time scout. But no one had ever tried to crush him by shoving luggage off a five-story platform. The man who’d crashed the Britannia scored a first in Kit’s life. Kit saw the big cases slither over the edge of the platform, slither and topple and fall straight toward him, where he stood trapped in the middle of a sardine-packed crowd.

He did the only thing he could. “Look out!”

Then shoved aside three women, knocked down two reporters, and lunged sideways, himself, trying to get as many of them as possible out of the way. People screamed and bolted, trampling one another in a rising panic. Then he was down, sprawled flat under running feet, as the enormous steamer trunks revolved in a slow-motion tumble . . .

Steel struck sparks when the first trunk smashed into the lobby floor. Catches burst and contents exploded as the other four trunks and a deadly rain of portmanteaus cannoned into the wild crowd. One of the smaller cases bounced, cracking down one whole side, then rebounded like a grenade into a hapless tourist just above Kit. The blow struck the man’s arm so hard, all that broke loose was a sick gasp.

A woman in high heels ran straight across Kit’s back, digging divots through his ribs. Kit dragged himself under the rope barricades into the departures lounge, away from the outward rush of fleeing spectators. He’d no more than pulled himself under the nearest staircase when the man who’d crashed the Britannia leaped over the railing, landing atop the hapless tourist with the shattered arm. The man went down with a scream. The gate crasher staggered, going down under the weight of the woman slung over his shoulder, then someone slammed against him and he dropped his hostage. The woman slithered, unconscious, to the floor as the gate crasher disappeared under the feet of the wild throng.