'He drinks Bearhugger's whisky?' said Cheery.
'I doubt it,' said Vimes.
'The blotter?' said Carrot. 'Poisoned pens? A packet of Pantweeds?'
'Where're they?' said Vimes, patting his pockets.
'Just sticking out from under the letters in the In Tray, sir,' said Carrot. He added reproachfully, 'You know, sir, the ones you don't answer.'
Vimes picked up the packet and extracted another cigar. Thanks,' he said. 'Hah! I didn't ask Mildred Easy what else she took! But of course they're a servant's little bonus, too! And old Mrs Easy was a seamstress, a proper seamstress! And this is autumn! Killed by the nights drawing in! See?'
Carrot crouched down and looked at the surface of the desk. 'Can't see it myself, sir,' he said.
'Of course you can't,' said Vimes. 'Because there's nothing to see. You can't see it. That's how you can tell it's there. If it wasn't there you'd soon see it!' He gave a huge manic grin. 'Only you wouldn't! See?'
'You all right, sir?' said Carrot. 'I know you've been overdoing it a bit these last few days - '
'I've been underdoing it!' said Vimes. 'I've been running around looking for damn Clues instead of just thinking for five minutes! What is it I'm always telling you?'
'Er ... er ... Never trust anybody, sir?'
'No, not that.'
'Er ... er ... Everyone's guilty of something, sir?'
'Not that, either.'
'Er ... er ... Just because someone's a member of an ethnic minority doesn't mean they're not a nasty small-minded little jerk, sir?'
'N - When did I say that?'
'Last week, sir. After we'd had that visit from the Campaign for Equal Heights, sir.'
Well, not that. I mean... I'm pretty sure I'm always saying something else that's very relevant here. Something pithy about police work.'
'Can't remember anything right now, sir.'
'Well, I'll damn well make up something and start saying it a lot from now on.'
'Jolly good, sir.' Carrot beamed. 'It's good to see you're your old self again, sir. Looking forward to kicking ar - to prodding buttock, sir. Er... What have we found, sir?'
'You'll see! We're going to the palace. Fetch Angua. We might need her. And bring the search warrant.'
'You mean the sledgehammer, sir?'
'Yes. And Sergeant Colon, too.'
'He hasn't signed in again yet, sir,' said Cheery. 'He should have gone off-duty an hour ago.'
'Probably hanging around somewhere, staying out of trouble,' said Vimes.
Wee Mad Arthur peered over the edge of the wall. Somewhere below Colon, two red eyes stared up at him.
'Heavy, is it?'
S!'
'Kick it with your other foot!'