Meanwhile, in Seoni.
Keith spent some good time with Reis and his family, but he had to go. The next night he went looking for the other side of the silver lining and found the woman's head.
"Are you the one who killed her, Mister Show?"
'No, I don't kill people that roughly. Must be someone dangerous living in this village.'
"Could it be Ned?"
'No, you scared the man so bad he ran off his tail between his legs. I didn't see him ever after.'
The head had begun to deteriorate. It was obviously hidden behind wooden planks, in a tissue marked by dry blood. If flies could find it, so could people. They were both wondering how could no one find it before them.
When Keith lifted the package, he found no stain under.
'That means it changed position recently. After the blood dried. Judging from the freshness of the body from yesterday, it probably moved.... Just now.'
A man was next to Keith, his eyes were full of fear.
"Who are you kid? Give it to me! That's mine."
The man had short hair, he had an average body fat but he was quite tall. His clothes made him resemble a merchant.
Their eyes met. Both gaze were devoid of light.
'If he is the murderer, you better make a friend out of him.'
"Goo.. good evening."
Keith said timidly.
'Come on kid! If you ain't creative enough, then you better repeat after me. Don't you dare changing a word.'
"I think I need you mister. I know what's here. I am not here to cause you trouble. Here."
Keith handed the man the bloody, heavy package while his stomach rumbled and his eyes turned full black, thinking about food only. He did not let go of the bag.
"What are you talking about? You have no idea. No one knows! I don't even know! Shoo! Go away..."
The man squinted his eyes. He couldn't distinguish properly his surrounding, nor identify the kid. Keith didn't loosen his grip on the package, he said.
"I can make things vanish. I already did. I'm sure you are currently wondering the how and the why. We can help each other."
"How could you help me?
'I am not saying that, Show!'
'Do it.'
"I may stand as tall as a monkey but I can assure you we can help each other."
'Shut up, now we do a magic trick! Quick, put the head under your shirt!'
Keith pulled the package silently until the man let go of it, he was relatively reluctant but he did as instructed.
The bump on his belly vanished under a second, and so its weight.
The man quickly approached to palpate the boy's body to his greatest discomfort. He even lifted him from the ground to be sure.
"By the gods, what kind of trickery just blinded my eyes?"
'Good, one finger pointing toward the sky, but don't exaggerate the gesture too much, and... repeat.'
"See, no traces! I have many secrets and so do you. If you really want to be out of trouble you better quit Seoni. Mind if I accompany you? I am an opportunity you won't see twice in your life."
The man extended his opened hand.
"Moore."
'Shake it, and give a name. Not yours for pity's sake.'
"...David."
'Of all of the names you could've think of, you've chosen fucking David?'
If Show had a table to flip, he would've flipped it.
"Follow me David."
The two went to a house with a floor. There was light inside. They entered by its front door and Moore did not bother to knock first.
'He's the owner.' Keith concluded.
The man worn the most beautiful moustache Keith had ever seen. Black and silky. Almost looking fake. It was often brushed by a hairy hand. Mostly when the man was deep in thoughts.
Moore offered Keith a seat, and some tea in a fine cup. While he poured, he observed Keith then he spoke.
"I can't believe you are this young. Kids nowadays. What can I help you with?"
"I am heading north. I need someone to look less alike a lost child. And you mister Moore, why did you... Why...? Who was the head again?"
'You are too explicit.'
'I have no idea what's explicit.'
After a deep breath, the man spoke.
"It was Jutile, my beloved. Well to be exact she was supposed to be my spouse. I have been courting her since her fourteenth birthday and I even bribed her parents. But alas! She became more and more beautiful. Her sprouting shapes could be seen from a city away and...!"
He saw Keith's eyes not showing any interest and interrupted his flow of erotic thoughts.
"More pretenders came to court her. She decided to marry another man and I overreacted a little. There you came. Wait there's not enough space under your shirt for... How did you hide it?"
"It's complicated. Let me keep both your secrets and mine."
To those words, Moore realized he was too talkative, he pursed his lips.
'Judging from the stuff he has next room, this guy's a merchant. Ask him to cover yourselves as travelling merchants, head north.'
There was no room for negotiations. Moore was curious about the kid, but he had no counterbalance to make him speak.
Ten houses farther. Reis was waiting in vain. Keith would not come back. The two boys departed before dawn. Moore woke up his buffalo and set his carriage for the travel. Their first stop was a city next to a great lake, Chhapara. It was about forty kilometers as crow flies. But they needed to go around the mountain range.
The day they departed, two man arrived Seoni, Picco and Yotoh. They had no idea what to look for first and decided to rent a room for a week. They only needed a few hours to meet their frustration with the unfruitful and inefficient research so they decided to see Seoni's village chief.
The village chief hadn't been notified of a problem for years. Seoni appeared to be the perfect village. And so the first day passed.
Picco noticed the fact there was almost no patrol whereas this village was bigger than his. So he chose to walk outside at night, hoping to find something.
---
Picco later found himself face to face with a night wanderer, the man was agitated so he questioned him.
It seemed his secret lover had gone missing for four days now. No one of her family knew where she had been but one of his rivals couldn't be found either.
That had absolutely nothing to do with their search, they were back from scratch.
The next day on the market place, there was a brawl. One man beating another, both surrounded by a crowd.
Picco's arm was grabbed by Yotoh, the man had a serious look on his face. They got close to the fight and Picco identified one of the fighters.
"Toothless Negh? Then ...!"
Picco's eyes scanned the public until he found the other guy, Randi. He was covered with a shabby cloth that covered from his shoulder to his hips.
"The big one is still quite healthy, let's grab Randi and question him while those are entertained."
He said while pointing at people. Yotoh nodded and they both grabbed Randi while keeping a hand on his mouth. They dragged him behind a house, in an empty alley and they started questioning the man. But he had no will to speak. They left Randi tied up to a wooden structure and asked a passer-by to watch him for a few coins.
"Call village chief as last resort. Else kick in his arm if he is too loud."
On the market place, Ned had vanished and had left blood stains all over the stands. His victim had a broken nose, and could barely stand, he probably had internal injuries.
Picco approached him and saw a hint of happiness quickly vanishing in the merchant's eyes.
"What was that?"
"You are very short! I thought someone came back. But I don't remember him with a beard, nor baldness."
Picco put his hand on the top of his head and replied. He was tired of asking the same question the whole day, being stamped on by most people that wouldn't even pay attention. But he asked nonetheless.
"Have you, by the merest chance, met a young boy named Keith, and his mother, Raima?"
Of course the name rang a bell. Reis was so happy to hear about him he spoke without restriction.
"The boy yes! A weird one for sure, and quite shy. I gave him refuge for two moons. But He exited my house last night and did not come back. What do you mean, you don't know about his mother?"
Yotoh and Picco tightened their fist and asked in unison.
"What about his mother?"
Reis wasn't used to inform people from a death, it took him a lot of effort to speak out loud.
"She... well when the boy and her were travelling from Seoni to.. what was it again?"
"Kodra?"
"Kodra!"
Reis exclaimed while pointing at Picco. He recovered his composure and a quieter tone.
"Yes Kodra. An hermit came and assaulted both. Resulting on his mother's death, and the boy's multiple traumas I guess. My sincere condolences."
Reis fixed the ground for a few second of heavy silence, the time stretched to no end and when he looked at both men, he was suddenly unsure. Their eyes were wide open. He added.
"I'd gladly share my chair with you but I feel bad already."
Picco's asked.
"Do you recall the moment she died?"
"Three moons ago I would say."
Picco turned toward Yotoh to whisper.
"Why would Keith tell this poor man his mother died? To gain his trust and find shelter. But where's Raima then? She was pretty much alive last season."
Yotoh narrowed his eyes and said.
"The merchant is lying."
"He was beaten half dead! I don't think he's in the mood to lie, give him some rest."