The Pale Locksmith

CHAPTER 27: THE STRANGE OCCURRENCE

"I told you I would be back."

Adiniah froze where she was, cleaning shelves. She recognised the voice, even with the addition of a mocking tone. She turned slowly, slowly finishing the retying of her headscarf. Her eyes scanned the room for a weapon, but there was none. As calmly as she could fake, she lifted her chin in defiance and looked straight into the same blue eyes as before. They did not seem so watery this time; the man appeared sober this time. He was also wearing the long, dark coat of a Lawkeeper. Adiniah bit the inside of her lip. She had a very big problem. The man once again looked around at the half-empty shelves, his disdain obvious.

"It turns out you were right about your dad being a Lawkeeper. I should have known that Rance would live in a pit like this."

"Um..."

"You still do not seem to have a lot of stuff."

"Well, it is the same as before, this late in the day, there is not..."

"Humph."

She gritted her teeth but said nothing. Problematic customers were part and parcel of owning a store, but this was something new and dangerous. The man stood before her had the power to close down the Bakery, or have her put in prison, or do anything to her without reprimand. Adiniah stood there with her arms folded, watching him as he did very little. Clearly, he was taking the time to enjoy whatever was to come. The Lawkeeper turned his attention away from the food and instead stared at her.

"Where are you from?"

"I was born here."

"I meant where are you actually from."

"I said I was born here."

She did not mean to sound so abrupt. The man moved towards her. He was close enough to Adiniah for her to smell his breath as it came past his rotten teeth, which were both yellow. She took a step backwards. He took another step forward. Brushing hair away from his eyes, he spoke again.

"So, I was told there was a missing girl around here that needed to be found. Really, this should be Rance's job but seeing as he can't be trusted with anything, I got stuck with it. I didn't see how searching for some Salatha rat was worth my time – she is probably in some hole somewhere. But then I realised how close she lived to this little place, and I did promise to visit again. I hope you missed me."

The horrific smile widened in amusement at his own joke. Then, as he had before, he moved towards her.

"I know your father isn't here, he is probably hiding with the Deathnoters lot as usual. And even if he was here, there would be nothing he could do."

Adiniah was out of ideas.

"Get out."

Adiniah had not even realised anyone else was there. She turned to watch as her mother slowly advanced towards them, anger in her eyes. Adiniah wondered if she had heard the way her husband was spoken about.

"Um, he was just..."

"I saw what he was doing. You, get out."

The man turned to his new opposition, grinning at the challenge.

"Or you will do what?"

Adiniah watched as her mother moved to stand face to face with the man. While she was a hand taller, the man carried at least twice as much weight. The hatred between them was palpable.

"Adiniah, clean the oven trays."

Of all the sentences that her mother could possibly have said at that moment, Adiniah was not expecting that. She blinked in surprise then was about to complain, but the look in her mother's eyes made her think that perhaps she should do as she was told. She made her way around the counter, then got to her knees to drag the tray out from the base of the first oven. As she did so, she waited for the argument that was about to unfold. Except it didn't. All she could hear was some muttered words, and then nothing. Silence. Whatever her mother had said, the man had said nothing in response.