Chapter Fifteen
FIFTEEN
Vesper stood on the curb across from City Hall several hours later.
In daylight, Capitol Avenue was a bustling hub of activity as coaches rolled up and down the arterial road while its sidewalks filled with people.
At night, the entire street fell quiet and still.
That didn’t mean it was unoccupied—just a month ago, Vesper had written a piece on a string of unsolved burglaries here linked to the Thally Rousers, one of the city’s more notorious crime syndicates.
The thought of them now made her shiver, and again she looked up and down the street, nervous.
It had been a few days, but she still remembered the looks of the ones who’d been sitting outside the library, as though they were watching her.
Unease needled through her resolve the longer she thought of them, until her eyes locked on something, and she relaxed.
Two men were making their way toward her, materializing from the evening fog like ghosts.
They were walking side by side, their steps brisk and synchronized, but one of the men was noticeably larger than the other.
They stopped before Vesper, and the larger man moved slightly into the light.
He was ruddy and clean-shaven with broad shoulders, dark thinning hair beneath his busboy cap, and a defiant glint in his copper-brown eyes.
He touched the tip of his hat to Vesper and nodded in greeting.
“Evening, Miss Evans.”
“Mr. Owen.” Vesper smiled. “Thank you again for meeting me.”
“You know you can call me Cliff.” The man winked at her.
“And it’s no problem. I found someone who I think will be able to help you with your predicament.
” He clapped the shoulder of the young man standing next to him, prompting him to step into the light too.
He was fair-skinned with straw-colored hair.
“This here’s Elmer. He works on the night cleaning crew for City Hall.
He’s the one who’s going to get you in.”
Elmer gave a small wave.
“I really appreciate it.” Vesper looked between both men. “Truly, I owe you one.”
“No.” Cliff suddenly looked very serious.
“We’re the ones who owe you. The Basalton Laborers’ Union has been fighting for good press all year.
The Globe’s the only newspaper in town that would give us a chance to let our voices be heard in the community.
It’s made a real difference when we needed it most. Things have gotten tougher for us since we last spoke. ”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Vesper.
“I told you to call on us anytime you needed anything, and I meant it.” Cliff checked his watch. “You two had better get going. Elmer’s shift starts at nine.”
Vesper thanked Cliff one more time before she and Elmer bade him good night. The young man shrugged off a small sack and handed it to her. Inside, she found a gray cleaner’s uniform and a matching cap.
“Smallest size I could find,” he said apologetically. “So long as you tuck your hair in and keep your head down, we should be able to get you in with no problem.”
Vesper looked up and down the street. It hadn’t occurred to her until just now that she had nowhere to change.
She moved as far out of the light as she could, then stepped into the uniform, tucking her skirt into the pant legs before buttoning it up.
It felt slightly strange, but when she looked down, she was pleased to see that her legs looked bulkier, which was helpful because the suit was slightly too big.
Elmer rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish.
“All right,” she said, looking up. “I’m ready.”
“Take this.” He handed her a bucket and a rag. “I don’t think you’ll run into many people in the office this late, but it’s just in case. Come on.”
Together, they crossed the street. Elmer fished a ring of keys out of his bag, unlocked the front door, then gestured for her to follow him inside. The dim golden light of a gas lamp illuminated the front lobby.
“City Hall’s got three branches,” Elmer explained, pointing to the three corridors before them, and the signs above each one.
“North, east, and west. To get to the archives, head all the way down the north corridor until you get to the last door on the right, then take the stairs to the basement. Once you’re done, just ditch the uniform in the alley outside the building, one of the boys will grab it. ”
“Thank you.”
“One last thing.” Elmer looked suddenly wary. “Lloyd’s the other cleaner on duty tonight. He didn’t scab during the strikes, but he didn’t join the union’s protests either, bit of a freeloader if you ask me.” He grimaced. “If you see him, be careful.”
“Got it.” Vesper nodded.
Elmer offered a final nod before going down the east corridor.
Vesper waited a beat, then headed into the north corridor.
Sconces on the wall lit the way, but the utter quiet was still unnerving.
At last, she reached the door he’d indicated, left the bucket and rag Elmer had given her, and headed down a set of concrete stairs.
Moving still felt odd in her cleaner’s uniform, but eventually she reached the bottom and found herself standing before a second door.
She tried its handle, but it wouldn’t budge. Her heart sank.
Come on. She tugged at the door harder to no avail. It was locked. Elmer must have forgotten. She’d have to go back upstairs and find him.
She took the stairs two at a time, grabbed her bucket and rag again, then started back toward the main lobby. Elmer wasn’t there, and she didn’t immediately see him when she looked down the east corridor where she’d last seen him. He could be in any number of offices by now …
“Who are you?”
Vesper whirled around. Another custodian was now approaching from the west corridor. She ducked her head and hid her face as he drew nearer.
“Uh … just looking for Elmer. I need the key to the patent archive.” Vesper did her best to lower her voice. The custodian had dark brown skin and wore his black hair in long thick locs that reached his elbows. This had to be Lloyd. He was frowning.
“The patent archive?” he repeated. His words were touched with a low, slightly musical accent. “That’s only cleaned once a month, and it’s in my section.”
“Oh.” Vesper realized too late that she hadn’t thought out her lie at all. “My mistake, then, I must have misunderstood.”
Lloyd squinted. “What’s your name? I’ve never seen you before.”
“Name’s Max,” Vesper said quickly. “I’m new.”
Lloyd shook his head. “No one said anything about a new guy on this shift, and I’m not taking a pay cut because the boss can’t afford the hours for three people.” He shook his head and turned. “I’m going to get in contact with our supervisor.”
Vesper watched his retreating back, horrified. She racked her mind trying to think of anything she might say to make him turn around. After a few seconds, she said the first thing that came to mind.
“How long have you lived in Basalton?”
Lloyd stopped walking and looked over his shoulder, frowning. “What?”
“How long have you lived in this city?” Vesper pressed. “You’re not from here, not originally. I can tell by your accent.”
Lloyd turned around to face her again. He crossed his arms, looking immediately defensive. “I’m a legal Victerran citizen.”
“But it’s not where you’re from originally, is it?”
The man opened his mouth, but Vesper spoke up before he could.
“That necklace you’re wearing.” She pointed to a simple cord with a small wooden fish around his neck. “That’s the sign of Saint Moziah, isn’t it?”
Lloyd squinted. “What do you know of the water saint?”
“Not much,” Vesper admitted quickly. “But when I was a little girl, I used to hear stories. There was one in particular that I liked, the story of a man who gave his life for his children by sacrificing himself to a giant rainbow fish that swallowed him whole. For his courage and selflessness, his people made him a saint.” Vesper paused. “At least, that’s the version I know.”
Lloyd was staring at her, cautious. “Who told you that story?”
“My grandfather,” Vesper said. “It was a story his father told him, and one he passed on to me and my sister.”
Sudden understanding dawned on the man’s face. “You’re Calidan.”
“No. Not really,” said Vesper. “My great-grandparents immigrated to Victerra when they were young. I never knew them, and I’ve never been to the Calida Isles. The stories are all I have.”
For a long time, Lloyd said nothing. Then, slowly, he shook his head. “Blood is blood.”
“What?”
“Blood is blood,” he repeated more firmly. “Your ancestors are of the Isles, and so you are of them too. No one can take that from you, ever.”
Vesper swallowed hard. Her parents had died before she could ask them more about their family’s heritage. Lloyd’s words resonated with surprising force.
“Thank you,” she said quietly. “Thank you for saying that.”
Lloyd cocked his head to the side. He no longer looked angry, only slightly bemused. “What are you really doing here, child? You’re no cleaner.”
Vesper took a deep breath, then made a decision. “I need to get into the archives,” she said. “It’s for a project, a really important one. I tried to come during the day, but the man who manages it wouldn’t let me in because I’m a woman.”
For the first time, Lloyd looked properly disgusted. “I will never understand Victerrans and their closed-minded attitudes toward women. In the Isles, we would do no such thing.” He shook his head, then reached into his pocket and produced a key.
“This is the one you need,” he murmured.
He said nothing else as he walked away, leaving Vesper in the hall alone again.