To Ask the Living

The shop was weatherworn, with paint peeling off the window frames. Without the recommendation, Greg would have passed the shop without a second glance. Once he stepped into the pharmacy, the complete opposite greeted him. The walls were washed white. The floorboards, although clearly old, were clean and well-maintained. A short man stood behind the counter. The wall of tiny drawers made him appear even shorter. The moment Greg entered the pharmacy, he looked up expectantly.

“Welcome, Constable. How may I help you?”

The voice was warm. Greg could immediately picture Har and the pharmacist chatting with each other. Shaking his head to focus, pain shot up his neck, reminding him why he had entered the shop in the first place.

“I came here for a pain medication. A friend of mine gave me the prescription.”

“A friend of yours? A doctor, I hope. Let me see.”

A frown made the pharmacist’s forehead crinkle like the crumpled paper in Greg’s hand. Handing over the piece of paper, the pharmacist’s face lit up after a quick glance. He flashed a short grin at the constable.

“Ah, I see you have made the acquaintance with Master Peng. Wait here for a moment.”

Without giving Greg time to react, the pharmacist turned around. Greg’s eyes followed the pharmacist’s movements. The older man was opening and closing drawers in a steady rhythm. Despite his age and stature, the pharmacist was quite agile. There was no misstep. No hesitation. Even a small melodic hum was audible. Eventually, Master Erbes passed instructions and ingredients to an assistant who had appeared from the door to the back. Having finished business, Master Erbes returned to Greg.

“Did you get injured during your patrol, Constable?”

“Yes, a few days back. How do you know that Master Peng wrote this?”

“Oh, that Master Peng is an interesting fellow. The way he writes prescriptions even more. Quite old-fashioned.”

“He has worked for you?”

“Oh, no, no. Sadly, I can’t say he has.”

“But wouldn’t it make sense to work for you as an apprentice?”

“You don’t have to ask me, Constable. I tried to convince him over and over again. But he was adamant about not working in a pharmacy.”

Huh? But why?

“He’s quite someone, this Master Peng. From time to time, he drops by. Bringing an idea or a new customer. Today it’s a new customer without the Master himself.”

Hearing this, Greg’s stomach dropped. With difficulty, he reined in his thoughts, which were buzzing through his head. His eyes focused on Master Erbes.

“Do you know if he is in contact with more pharmacies in Olden?”

Master Erbes shook his head. Greg suppressed a sigh and smiled instead, encouraging the pharmacist to explain further.

“As I said, he only comes to the pharmacy once in a while. I think I only got to know him because I’m not part of the guild.”

“The guild? You mean, under Master Peril?”

“Ah, you did your homework, Constable. Yes, I am one of the few independent pharmacists in Olden. There are only two more.”

“Do you know if Master Peng is in contact with the other two pharmacies?”

Greg tried to keep his tone as neutral as possible. A slight shake of Master Erbes’ head made his heartrate settle again.

“He is not. I talked to the others. I thought he might be a runaway apprentice.”

Despite the pharmacist denying a connection, Greg let him write down the names of the other pharmacies and Master Erbes complied without hesitation. Staring at the names, Greg frowned. Har’s smiling face popped up in his mind. Greg’s frown deepened. The young businessman’s unrestrained openness was replaced by memories of cautious glances and elusive answers.

Who are you?

“Don’t make his life more difficult, Constable. He’s eager to make an honest living. Growing up in the countryside isn’t easy. Making a living in Olden without any connections is even more difficult.”

“Don’t worry. As long as he doesn’t break the law, he doesn’t have to fear the constabulary.”

“Then maybe … well … maybe I should tell you that you are not the only one interested in Master Peng.”

Greg blinked a few times.

“You mean there was someone looking for Master Peng?”

“One a few days ago. The other one just this morning.”

“Was it the same person? Could you describe them.”

Readying his pen and notebook, Greg waited for the pharmacist’s description.

“Well, one must be from Master Andros’ house. You know the merchant, don’t you? I recognized the coat of arms. It was one of the guards. He came a few days ago. Big burly fellow. Easy to recognize. The other person this morning was a … hm … I’m not sure. It appeared to be an old man but at the same time he seemed like a youth … I don’t make any sense here, Constable.”

“Do you remember any distinctive features? What made him look old?”

The pharmacist closed his eyes and Greg held back not to start tapping the pencil on the notebook.

Har, are you involved or targeted?

“They were approximately my height. I couldn’t see the face properly because the hair wasn’t tied up. Messy, unwashed hair, some parts appeared to be white but mostly lighter brown. They had a funny walk. Unsteady. In a way …”

“Do you remember anything else?”

“Huh … oh, well. Yes. They had a cane. It was too short to be of any help. Ah … it wasn’t a wooden cane. I remember I heard a distinctive clicking sound. Even on my wooden floor.”

“Could you try to sketch it? The cane, I mean.”

The older man hesitated for a moment, but then he took the offered notebook and pen. In front of Greg’s eyes the sketch of an oddly shaped cane took form.

Looks more like a club.

For a moment, both men stared at the drawing. Greg felt his heartbeat speed up again. He glanced at Master Erbes. On the pharmacist’s face the smile had disappeared.

“Master Peng is in trouble, isn’t he?”