"Yeah, like that. That's th'look I want t'be seein' from ye, marm." Zhi peered at Thatcher and then looked away, out to the wider street beyond the narrow one that housed the alcove.
Thatcher's last words drew Zhi's attention back to look at her, however. Her face took on a thoughtful cast. She looked directly at Thatcher before looking away again as she spoke. "Would I'd learned o'the mess wi'time t'spare. 'Twas too late t'warn ye. Things've been. . . "
Zhi didn't like excuses. She didn't like hearing them, and she didn't like giving them. So it was that mid-sentence she shook her head and looked back to Thatcher, dipping her head. "Won't happen again, marm. I've one o'me own takin' a wider gander 'round La Noscea. I'd thought I'd me finger on th'right one, but it's worse'n that. Ye got two enemies -- way th'scales is tippin' might be moren' that, though I've only surety on th'two. Haven't tracked down names, but I'm after 'em all th'same. I got a feelin' in me tail that ye got a turncoat in yer ranks. Fer now I'm lookin' at yer outskirts -- them what ye deal wi' on th'side. If I was yerself, I'd be takin' a second looksee 'round me own hearth.
"Why'd ye call fer me? Still early. Fer th'hits?"
Thatcher's last words drew Zhi's attention back to look at her, however. Her face took on a thoughtful cast. She looked directly at Thatcher before looking away again as she spoke. "Would I'd learned o'the mess wi'time t'spare. 'Twas too late t'warn ye. Things've been. . . "
Zhi didn't like excuses. She didn't like hearing them, and she didn't like giving them. So it was that mid-sentence she shook her head and looked back to Thatcher, dipping her head. "Won't happen again, marm. I've one o'me own takin' a wider gander 'round La Noscea. I'd thought I'd me finger on th'right one, but it's worse'n that. Ye got two enemies -- way th'scales is tippin' might be moren' that, though I've only surety on th'two. Haven't tracked down names, but I'm after 'em all th'same. I got a feelin' in me tail that ye got a turncoat in yer ranks. Fer now I'm lookin' at yer outskirts -- them what ye deal wi' on th'side. If I was yerself, I'd be takin' a second looksee 'round me own hearth.
"Why'd ye call fer me? Still early. Fer th'hits?"
