After her parents had gone to bed Carmen crept out of the house, followed by Grim.

When she got to Slops's place she tapped on his bedroom window. Waking Slops was usually difficult, but this time his light came on straight away. He lifted the window. Grim poured through the gap and Carmen clambered after him. Leif stirred from the pile of Slops's dirty clothes that served as his nest, glaring at Grim as the fel stalked about the bedroom.

Carmen got to the point. "We're going to Corvus."

"He's not home."

"How do you know?"

"What?" Slops said, stroking Grim's chin. The fel was pretending to enjoy it immensely while conspicuously avoding Carmen's eyes.

"How do you know Corvus isn't home?"

"Oh," Slops said. He had clearly been thinking about something else. "The archon told me."

"Ludwig?"

"No-wer. The one on the door."

"You were there?"

"Just got back. Didn't we Leif?"

Leif showed no signs that he had heard. He was baring his buck teeth at Grim. Carmen sometimes wondered if he knew he was a gillywig.

"What did it tell you exactly?" Carmen said.

"What?"

"The archon Slops. On the door."

"Oh. You know. The usual. Password please and all that."

"About Corvus. Did it tell you where he's gone?"

"On holiday."

"Seriously?"

"Ahuh."

"Corvus has gone on holiday?"

"Ahuh."

"Where?"

Slops shrugged.

Carnen swore.

Slops made a face. He didn't like bad language. "What's wrong?" he said.

"Everything," she said, flumping down on Slops's bed. Then she told him what had happened.

"Fidelma's here?"

Carmen pointed at her pocket but didn't take the dore out. Grim was watching her closely.

"Maybe Nick and Ward are back already?" Slops said. "We should go see Mildew." This had been his answer to everything lately. Ask Mildew. This time she had to agree though. If Nick was back, Mildew would know something. And she'd surely know about Lightfinger. She and Wrinkler – especially Wrinkler – wouldn't just be twiddling their thumbs while their friend sat in Bedlam waiting for a visit from the Brothers.

"Let's go," she said.

Slops didn't wait for her to change her mind. He put Leif in his pocket and led the way back out the window.

I sometimes wonder if you realise you're a dung beetle.