How

will you get in?"

"Same way we used to get into parties like that back home," said Kira. "We'll

crash."

"Crash?" said Blood, frowning.

"Excuse me for interrupting," said Archimedes, walking to the edge of the

desk,

"but I've just picked up a message from Constable Shavers."

They all crowded around the computer.

"Put it up on the screen, Archimedes," said Blood. A second later the message

from Danny Shavers appeared.

"Shavers to Chief. Don't know exactly what you're on to, but you're on to

something, that's certain. Re: Lord Nigel Carfax—I've assembled a file of

what

little Information I could find, along with some relevant newspaper clippings

(enter Command LNC for download), but the gist of it is that he's

independently

wealthy, reclusive, and averse to the press, yet entertains lavishly at his

recently renovated castle outside London and his Mayfair townhouse."

"That's it! The townhouse!" Jacqueline said. "Where is it?"

"Must be in the file for downloading," Blood said. "Let's see the rest of it,

first."

"Carfax appears to be extremely well connected, but I have no idea what he's

into. My inquiries, discreet though they were, have met with considerable

resistance. Carfax apparently carries lots of weight. The superintendent

himself, no less, had me on the carpet for looking into his affairs. Demanded

to

know what I was doing and on whose authority. Demanded to know where you were

and what you thought you were doing. I explained that you were undercover,

following up a lead. The superintendent was not pleased. Perhaps I'm being

paranoid, but 1 suspect something very peculiar's going on."

"Christ, he's even got the damn superintendent in his pocket!" Blood said.

"Or someone who can pull his string," said Kira.

"Couldn't discover anything about Carfax's background. The moment I started

looking into it, steel shutters started slamming down. Access denied...

access

denied... all across the board. What is he, a bloody secret agent? S.I.S.?

B.O.T.? I have no idea. No records available. No photographs known to exist,

though Carfax is described as tall, dark, very handsome, mid-twenties, about

twelve stone. Not much help.

"Interesting sidelight: I called Geoff Chalmers, at the Gazette, who owes me

a

few. Had him check with their society page reporter. Apparently there's some

social cachet In knowing 'Nigel' and being able to drop his name, but it

seems

that many of those who have been to 'Nigel's' parties break under

cross-questioning and admit that they had never actually seen Nigel. Word is