Soul Music - Interaction

And she might at least have gone to look for a watchman, had it not been for the opening of a door further up the alley. Two men staggered out, arm in arm, and zigzagged happily towards the main street.

Susan stepped back. No-one bothered her when she didn't want to be noticed.

The men walked through the ladder. Either the men weren't exactly solid, and they certainly sounded solid enough, or there was something wrong with the ladder. But the girl had climbed it... . . . and was now climbing down again, slipping something into her pocket.

'Never even woke up, the little cherub,' she said.

'Sorry?' said Susan.

'Didn't have Sop on me,' said the girl. She swung the ladder easily up on to her shoulder. 'Rules are rules. I had to take another tooth.'

'Pardon?'

'It's all audited, you see. I'd be in real trouble if the dollars and teeth didn't add up. You know how it is.'

'I do?'

***

Soul Music - p42