The Windup Girl(116)

His finger twists in Akkarat's grip. Snaps.

Anderson howls into the wall as Akkarat supports him.

When he's done whimpering and shaking, Akkarat grabs him by the hair and pulls his head back so that they can look into one another's eyes. Akkarat's voice is steady.

"She is military, she is a killer, and you are the one who introduced her to the Somdet Chaopraya. Where is she now?"

"A killer?" Anderson shakes his head, trying to think straight. "But she's nothing! A Mishimoto discard. Japanese trash-"

"The Environment Ministry is right about one thing. You AgriGen animals can't be trusted. You call the windup a simple pleasure toy, and so conveniently introduce your assassin to the Queen's protector." He leans close, eyes full of rage. "You might as well have killed royalty."

"But that's impossible!" Anderson doesn't even try to keep the hysteria from his voice. His broken finger throbs, blood fills his mouth again. "She's just a piece of trash. She couldn't do something like that. You have to believe me."

"She killed three men and their bodyguards. Eight trained men. The proof is unassailable."

Unbidden, he remembers Emiko huddled on his doorstep, soaked in blood. Eight men? Remembers her disappearing over the balcony, plunging into darkness like some kind of spirit creature. What if they're right?

"There's got to be another explanation. She's just a goddamn windup. All they do is obey."

Emiko in bed, huddled. Sobbing. Her body torn and scratched.

Anderson takes a breath, tries to control his voice. "Please. You have to believe me. We would never jeopardize so much. AgriGen doesn't benefit from the Somdet Chaopraya's death. Nobody does. This plays right into the Environment Ministry's hands. We have too much to gain from a good relationship."

"And yet you introduced the killer to him."

"But it's insane. How would anyone get a military windup here and keep it under wraps? That windup has been around for years and years. Ask around. You'll see. She bribed her way with the white shirts, her papa-san had that show running for ages…"

He's babbling, but he can see Akkarat listening now. The cold rage is gone from the man's eyes. Now there is consideration. Anderson spits blood and looks Akkarat in the eye. "Yes. I introduced that creature. But it was only because she was a novelty. Everyone knows his reputation." He flinches as a new surge of anger twists Akkarat's face. "Please listen to me. Investigate this. If you investigate, you'll find out it wasn't us. There has to be another explanation. We had no idea…" He breaks off, tiredly. "Just investigate. "

"We cannot. The Environment Ministry has the case."

"What?" Anderson can't hide his surprise. "By what authority?"

"The windup makes it a case for their Ministry. She is an invasive."

"And you think I'm the one behind it? When those bastards are controlling the investigation?"

Anderson works through the implications, hunting for reasons, excuses, anything to buy time. "You can't trust them. Pracha and his people…" He pauses. "Pracha would set us up. He'd do it in a second. Maybe he's caught wind of our plans, he could be moving against us right now. Using this as cover. If he knew the Somdet Chaopraya was against him-"

"Our plans were secret," Akkarat says.

"Nothing's secret. Not on the scale we're working. One of the generals could have leaked to their old friend. And now he's just assassinated three of ours, and we're pointing fingers at each other."

Akkarat considers. Anderson waits, breath held.

Finally Akkarat shakes his head. "No. Pracha would never attack royalty. He is garbage, but still, he is Thai."

"But it wasn't me, either!" He looks down at Carlyle. "It wasn't us! There has to be another explanation." He starts to cough with panic, a cough that becomes an uncontrolled spasm. At last it stops. His ribs ache. He spits blood, and wonders if his lung is punctured from the beating.

He looks up at Akkarat, trying to control his words. To make them count. To sound reasonable. "There must be some way to find out what really happened to the Somdet Chaopraya. Some connection. Something."

A Panther leans forward and whispers in Akkarat's ear. Anderson thinks he recognizes him from the party on the barge. One of the Somdet Chaopraya's men. The hard one with the feral face and the still eyes. He whispers more words. Akkarat nods sharply. "Khap." Motions his men to push Anderson and Carlyle into the next room.

"All right, Khun Anderson. We will see what we can learn." They shove him down on the floor beside Carlyle. "Make yourself comfortable," Akkarat says. "I've given my man twelve hours to investigate. You had better pray to whatever Grahamite god you worship that your story is confirmed."

Anderson feels a surge of hope. "Find out everything you can. You'll see it wasn't us. You'll see." He sucks on his split lip. "That windup isn't anything other than a Japanese toy. Someone else is responsible for this. The white shirts are just trying to get us to go after each other. Ten to one says it's the white shirts, moving on us all."

"We will see."

Anderson lets his head loll back against the wall, adrenaline and nervous energy firing under his skin. His hand throbs. The broken finger dangles useless. Time. He's bought time. Now it's just a matter of waiting. Of trying to find the next fingerhold to survival. He coughs again, wincing at the pain in his ribs.