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Arethusa. My name is Mumphrey, Inspector Mumphrey.”
    “Ah. Well, Inspector, excuse me—I must be slipping. I had your friends pegged, but you just don’t fit the profile of someone in the SSB.” The man seated across the aisle gave a short, chopped laugh.
    “Really? You think that’s the case. Well, my dear boy, I’ll take that as a compliment.” She clasped her hands together and surveyed him for a moment. “You have a fine record and quite a reputation. When I heard that you’d been summoned to the capital, I just had to meet you. You must have been called in for something very important. Could it be this dreadful business about the attack on that Gerrhan base? You wouldn’t care to share would you, Mr. Carr?”
    The State Security Bureau was the civilian government intelligence agency, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Carr worked for the OMI—the Office of Military Intelligence. The civilian and military portions of the government had a somewhat unhealthy rivalry. Sometimes each seemed to forget that they were both working for the same side. It wasn’t unusual for SSB inspectors to hassle OMI operatives from time to time, usually shadowing them or eavesdropping on communications. A personal introduction though? This was audacious even by SSB standards.
    “The reality is, I don’t know yet myself, Inspector.”
    Mumphrey eyed him for a moment and must have decided he was telling the truth. “Mr. Carr, we have a limited amount of time, so I will be direct. In my line of work, I tend to pry into other people’s personal business quite a lot. It’s my job, you understand.” Pausing for a response from Carr, who remained quiet, she continued. “I’ve noticed that your finances are, let’s be honest, in horrible shape. And, I also know that recently your enthusiasm for your work has diminished considerably.”
    “And so?”
    “And so, the Home Ministry would be willing to make a generous contribution to, let’s call it your ‘medical fund,’ if you would just pass on the occasional tidbit of information to us, such as the nature of your assignments and some information from your briefings. I mean, after all my boy, we both work for the same government. Technically, it’s not like you would be doing anything that would be hurting the national interest.”
    Carr grinned as he responded. “Well, Inspector, you are right that my, what was it you called it, my enthusiasm for my work is not what it used to be,” he said in a measured voice. “But that doesn’t mean I have any greater love for the SSB, or anyone else in the government for that matter.”
    He moved his head to glance out the window and saw the train was pulling into the Esterkeep station. Turning back to her, he reached for a sarcastic tone. “I see we’re pulling into the terminal now. I’m sure you and all of your men probably have somewhere else to be—busting up a gambling ring, or whatever plainclothes cops do. I assure you, when I do find out why I’ve been called to town, you’ll be the very last to know, Inspector Mumphrey.”
    Mumphrey scowled. “Somehow I doubt that. Remember, we’ll be watching you. Your people are forever trying to cut us out of the loop. Something big is in the air, Mr. Carr, and we won’t just sit back and be spectators, not on my watch. Good day to you.”
    Carr’s grin broadened, which further rubbed Mumphrey the wrong way. As she rose to depart, she leaned over and spoke to him in a smug voice. “Oh, and by the way Mr. Carr, as you yourself observed you are slipping. You see, I only have one man with me.”
    The satisfaction migrated from Carr’s face to Mumphrey’s as she turned to leave the carriage. “Come, Bretz!” she called, as the man across the aisle followed, smirking at Carr.
    Just as the train came to a halt in the Esterkeep Terminal, the first of the rain fell to the ground.
    * * * *
    Carr walked up the steps and through the front door of the handsome