A Trace of Rabbits (Part One)

May 24 - Al Raqis

It was the day after my appearance at the Laandsrat council.



I decided to wander about the region and see what had changed since my last visit, while I reviewed the log of Sgt. Macarthur's interview of LilyBell Snoodle.

----

Date: May 23

Location: Main Square, Al Raqis

Transcript begins. Time stamp 21:23.

"Miss LilyBell," said Sgt. Gage Macarthur, "it's been a while."

"You want to buy a souvenir?" asked LilyBell.

Gage looked over the items. "What got you interested in selling these trinkets?" he asked.

"Jade gettin' big news," replied Lily, "This here is genuine jade. I maked them myself......"

Gage nodded, "You were friends with her?"

"With who?"

"Jade."

"I seen her," said Lily, "She came to my stores. But we fighted."

"Fought? About what?"

Lily replied, "She want to arrest someone..on their day of honeymoon. I tell her you not do that, Jade Moonkill. You NOT. I end you right here."

"Why would she have someone arrested?" asked Gage.

"Her frowed me out of her house," added Lily.

"So you threatened her?"

LilyBell nodded. "Yes, I tell her I end her."

"Did you hurt her?"

"Probably, yes," said Lily.

"Physically?"

"I kill her......" said Lily, then she added, "Just kidding, just kidding... I not."

"Did you kill her?" pressed Gage.

"No, Mister," replied Lily, "I go back to end her but..nobody answer the door."

"Who do you think did?"

"Too late anyway," continued Lily, "my honeymoon night was wif a guard and my new man."

"Who were these two men?" asked Gage.

"Jade not very strong, Mister," said Lily, "Anybody could easily end her. Just not even give her her medicine."

"I know she was fragile," said Gage, "From what I know, she was an albino. Rare."

"She nice," said Lily, "Actually, if it had answer door, I not have hurted her. She and me, we a lot same. I don't know who did. Probably they not want her to tell."

[File copy - Jade Moonkill and LilyBell Snoodle]

Gage continued, "I was wondering, did you hear or see anything when you went to the house?

LilyBell nodded, "Yes. Birds."

"Birds? Here?" asked Gage.

"I hear birds," said Lily, "I miss her. She played and make sittings wif me, at my home. And she like to do naughty things."

"LilyBell," said Gage, "we're trying to find out who might have killed her, who had motive."

"All them people sittin' in there had motive," answered Lily, indicating the Laandsrat.

Gage frowned.

"She had 'em all locked up," she added.

"You mean the delegates?" asked Gage.

"The organ leggers," went on Lily, "them probably not happy she renege on that deal."

"I'm aware there was a mass imprisoning of the delegates," said Gage, "Was that Jade's doing?"

"Yes," replied Lily. "I think somefing wrong wif her medicine. She said she was going to have some operations."

"Her medications, What about them?"

"Cause of her family," replied Lily.

"Operation...." prompted Gage.

"Yes, from the organ leggers." Lily shook her head. "You know? She growed parts. I tell her, her not gotted to do it."

"Organ thieves," reflected Gage.

"I take her in the store," added Lily. "That naughty...them not allowed. We go in and eat candy too. Miss Jade gotted a family and them get taked care of if she getted operated. But I tell her, I can give her money. Not gots to do that. I don't know if it was supposed to do it or not....." Suddenly, Lily looked at Gage, "Him got some BIG feets. So about Mister Pete. When can him come? He say coming back for me but...never came. Them never do, actually." She shrugged.

"Probably sometime this week," said Gage.

"You want to buy something?" she asked again.



The crowd from the Laandsrat had begun to arrived by now.

"I will retire to Morloch. This Jade business is all Star Born, not of interest to me." This was Lady Rashad speaking with someone as she drew closer.

Gage sighed, "LilyBell, I may need to talk to you again about the Jade movement and about Jade again.

"I ain't got nothing to say," said Lily, "I only want to sell this stuff while people still talking about it. So what you want?"

"You may speak to me," interrupted Lady Rashad, "She is in my clan."

Gage nodded politely to Lady Rashad.

"Good deal on lawn ornament.... nice necklaces... You going to buy something or you just wasting my time, Mister?" Lily held out a necklace "Make good deal."

"Maybe later, LilyBell," said Gage.

"She does good work," added Lady Rashad, "I have some of the figurines."

With a smile, Gage acquiesced, "All right." He pulled out a package of sweets and offered them to Lily. "Will these do?"

"Okay," agreed Lily. She handed him a little jade rabbit and took the candy, "That a nice one," she said. "Well, them all nice. You remember where you got it, this get more news, I sell more and more."

Gage nodded and accepted the small trinket. "Thank you."

LilyBell smiled then turned her attention to people in the crowd. "Hello Miss. Can I interest you in some nice souvenir? Sure you hear about the Jade Revolution. This here authentic jade merchandise."

The Reverend Mother Ariadne looked over the pretty objects and smiled, "They are all nice... a clever enterprise."

"Them all highest quality items," declared Lily, "I make them all."

Mr. Senet, the Al Raqi ambassador to Botany Bay, looked at the cart. "A very interesting collection of trinkets Miss LilyBell." He smiled. "I thank you very kindly. It's quite nice I say."

LilyBell continued her sales pitch. "Special deal. Next time you see one of them Jades, you tell them can get them rabbits cheaper from me. Not just souvenirs. Good coin." she smiled.

"I'll remember, and it's a good point," said the Reverend Mother, "A little statue for the fountain might be just the thing.... I'll think on it."

LilyBell smiled.

"A very enterprising idea, Miss LilyBell." Ambassador Senet grinned widely.

"Thank you for compliment Miss," said Lily, addressing the Reverend Mother. "I good wif claws. Like it. Well, you folk have good evening and no let nobody do any bad things."

Ambassador Senet whispered to the Reverend Mother, "Don't you love trade on this planet."

End of transcript. Time stamp 21:44.