Guards Guards - Detective

“It must have been terrible,” said Vimes. “Imagine what must have gone through his mind. He called it up, and then found it wasn't just some sort of tool but a real thing with a mind of its own. A mind just like his, but with all the brakes off. You know, I wouldn't mind betting that at the start he really thought that what he was doing was all for the best. He must have been insane. Sooner or later, anyway.”

“Yes,” said Wonse hoarsely. “It must have been terrible.”

“Ye gods, but I'd like to get my hands on him! All those years I’ve known the man, and I'd never realised ...”

Wonse said nothing.

“Run,” said Vimes softly.

“What?”

“Run. I want to see you run.”

“I don't underst-”

“I saw someone run away, the night the dragon flamed that house. I remember thinking at the time that he moved in a funny way, sort of bounding along. And then the other day I saw you running away from the dragon. Could almost have been the same man, I thought. Skipping, almost. Like someone running to keep up. Any of them get out, Wonse?”

Wonse waved a hand in what he might have thought was a nonchalant way. “That's just ridiculous, that's not proof,” he said.

“I noticed you sleep in here now,” said Vimes. “I suppose the king likes to have you handy, does he?”

“You've got no proof at all,” whispered Wonse.

“Of course I haven't. The way someone runs. The eager tone of voice. That's all. But that doesn't matter, does it? Because it wouldn't matter even if I did have proof,” said Vimes. “There's no-one to take it to. And you can't give me my job back.”

“I can!” said Wonse. “I can, and you needn't just be captain-”

“You can't give me my job back,” repeated Vimes. “It was never yours to take away. I was never an officer of the city, or an officer of the king, or an officer of the Patrician. I was an officer of the law. It might have been corrupted and bent, but it was law, of a sort. There isn't any law now except: 'you'll get burned alive if you don't watch out'. Where's the place in there for me?”

***

Guards Guards - p283-284