75K. Now I can spend tomorrow assessing the book and breaking what parts need breaking. Then I can add 5K more, and then the first draft is done! Huzzah!
“Afternoon, boys,” I said agreeably as I got into the kenwagon. It smelled like body spray and bad beer, in all its wondrous forms, but at least the seats weren’t sticky. I was being arrested in style; they had even splurged for two guards. “Hands where you can see ‘em and no funny moves, right?”
“Yeah, Shamus,” the shorter cop said. “Sorry, Shamus.”
“He’s sorry,” the taller one said. “I ain’t. Don’t mess around, Shamus. And don’t mess with me. You do, you’ll be sorry.”
“I hear you, officer. Oh, and sorry about your dog.”
The taller one frowned. “What about my dog?”
“Oh, my mistake. The way you’re acting, I figured I must’ve run over him.”
Yeah, I know: you shouldn’t crack wise with the cops when they’re arresting you. Well, you shouldn’t. I’m a Shamus; it’s what we do. And sometimes we get cracked wise, upside the head. But if Tall Sour Cop was inclined to take a slap at a prisoner, better to have it where there were witnesses.
But I needn’t have bothered. Tall Sour just said, “I don’t have a dog.”
“You don’t?”
“No. I have a cat.”
“All right.” I paused. “How’s he doing?”
“Who?”
“Your cat.”
Now Tall Sour looked more like Tall Confused. “He’s fine. Why are you asking?”
“Well, you were the one who brought him up. I was worried that something might have happened to him.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“I have a dog,” Short Cop volunteered.
“Wait. When did you get a dog?” asked Tall Confused.
“Three years ago. You know, for the kids?”
“Kids are important,” I interjected. “How’s the dog doing?”
“Ehh,” replied Short Cop, “it’s a dog. She seems pretty happy.”
Tall Sour and I both said something noncommittal, and that seemed to satisfy Short Cop enough. The wagon started creaking itself along.
“Uhh, Shamus?” This was from Short Cop. “I had a question.”
“I don’t think I have a whammy on me,” I said. “I dunno how I could tell, though.”
Short Cop shook his head. “No, that’s not it. Thanks for saying, though.”
“You’re welcome.” I waited for a moment. “So. What’s the question?”
“Oh, right. Do you have a dog?”
I blinked. “Not since I was a kid. Why?”
“I dunno. It seemed important. I guess we had to ask, or something.”
I sighed, inside where it wouldn’t show. This was gonna be a long kenwagon ride back to the Castle.