Teacups & Tentacles | ONC 2022

15. Details

"What was it?" Godwin asked when they were safely out of earshot of both the Metropolitans and the other Masterminds flocking into the bar or trundling back down to the labs to continue work on secret, or not-so-secret, projects. "What did Clanker say that sparked a thought?"

Amelia paused, glanced up and down the corridor -- and yanked Godwin by the black satin waistcoat into a side storage alcove.

With a thwap, the heavy curtain that served as a door swept closed behind them.

Between the wall shelves loaded up with boxes and tins, two self-propelling Hoovers and an elderly deactivated automaton waiter, only a tiny wedge of space was available for both of them to squeeze into.

Godwin was immediately uncomfortable.

Excepting a few afternoon omnibus rides, he hadn't found himself this physically close to a woman in years. The irrational fear that Alistair could see them pressed up together like two slices of bread struck him out of nowhere before he grabbed it, shook it, and threw it out with a swift kick to the arse. 

He was not doing anything untoward. And even if, Alistair would find the situation amusing. Too amusing.

"It was the smell," Amelia whispered.

"What?" replied Godwin, still occupied with the thought of a spying Alistair chuckling at him and making jokes at his expense.

"I thought there was something fishy about the octopus and that was it. Or not it, as the case may be."

"Its smell was fishy?"

"No," Amelia shook her head, "the lack thereof was fishy."

"Let's start again from the beginning," suggested Godwin. "For the benefit of the guests in the cheap seats. What on earth are you talking about?"

"My goodness, for a mind reader you are somewhat slow, if you don't mind me saying. Fine then. You know that moist stink most sea creatures have? Similar to rotting seaweed. Wasn't there. Not even a whiff. In fact, as far as I recall, it was...it smelt of nothing in the pavilion but water. And people."

Godwin thought a longer moment remembering what he could of the place before the psychic waves had started. "You're right. I hadn't noticed that in the slightest. I suppose because the creature itself was so... well, you saw it. It rather draws all of one's attention."

Amelia nodded. "I'm not sure it means anything, though, that lack of scent. At least, I don't see how that bit of trivia will bring us closer to capturing the damned thing. I mean, where does one find a scentless octopus? Poppycock. Still, it is peculiar, as Stephen put it."

Both of them fell into a silent round of pondering.  Godwin reached out and began to feel the material of the curtain, pinching it between his thumb and first finger. His mouth formed itself into a pout and his eyes narrowed as if honing in on something.

"What?" whispered Amelia, watching him carefully, one eyebrow arched in curiosity. "Have you thought of something?"

"I was wondering about the Zoo. We all, both the Metropolitans and ourselves, are entirely concentrated on finding the thing lurking somewhere out there, but not how it got out in the first place. Or who let it out in the first place, which is probably far more important."

"The mystery man with the nefarious intentions." Amelia squinted in thought. "So you think he's associated with the London Zoo in some fashion?"

"I don't know, but he must have been there. Perhaps someone saw something, even if it was in the middle of the night. I'm sure the police have done their questioning but they didn't mention it to us."

"Nor did we think to ask."

"No." Godwin paused. "Perhaps there's nothing fishy about that part. But if he was there and he let it out, it follows that he would also know where it currently is. Or where he wanted it to go, wouldn't it?"

"And so far, if the papers can be believed, he wanted it to go to North London," concluded Amelia, head nodding like a pigeon pecking at seeds. "Which means that's most likely not where he's planning to use it. His target is somewhere else."

"We can't be sure of that. Perhaps he simply wants North London empty of witnesses for whatever he's got up his sleeve. You know from Society capers how important a clear coast is."

Neither one of them spoke a word.

Godwin continued to absentmindedly stroke the curtain.

Amelia put a finger to her chin and gazed into the distance. "The owner. He would be the most logical choice for the mystery man. Or do you have another guess?"

Godwin shook his head regretfully. "I dimly remember the papers saying they couldn't find him. But all that could mean is that he was hiding under his bed when they came knocking. I mean, we all appreciate Reginald, but he can be rather prying when he believes he has picked up on an undisclosed scandal."

"True. We must find one or the other, however," Amelia said. "Either the octopus, or the mystery man. Provided your feeling about that is correct."

"Oh, it is," Godwin reassured her, a dark undertone in his voice. "It most certainly is."

"Then here is what I suggest: I take to the skies bright and early with Jeremy and you take a pleasant jaunt back to London Zoo. Perhaps there's something the beetle crushers overlooked you could unearth that would put us on his trail. Or their collective trail."

"Sounds like a plan," said Godwin, secretly relieved not to be going up in Jeremy's machine. He'd seen it once and had formed a definite and not overly positive opinion about the contraption. But just the thing for Amelia. "And now I think I need a drink."

"Which sounds to me like an even better one," agreed Amelia, and jerked open the curtain for them both.