The Tarn of Eternity Part 39

"What has happened? Where is Mercury? The mail is once more piling up!"

"No problem. It'll all be delivered in time. As for Mercury, he was ruining the morale of our normal deliverers. I really couldn't tolerate that, so I placed him in another department.

He is currently acting as our censor. Keeps his eye open for anything that might be controversial. Why, he just found a package of arrows! Never should have let them get into the system. Directed to a Mr. Cupid, on Zeus' staff. Might well have been an attempted a.s.sa.s.sination planned!"

"Arrow? Cupid?" Demo's eyes brightened. "Ah, where are they?

What did you do with them?"

"Turned them over to security. Right now they are rounding up this Cupid character. It'll go hard with him, I a.s.sure you!"

The arrest of Cupid created a furor on Olympus. Zeus was nonplused. Hera, horrified! Venus, however, was the practical mother. "Zeus, you must go his bail. I know it is high. Still, I am sure there are some celestial bailbondsmen who'll cover it for a fraction of the total amount."

Reluctantly Zeus provided the gold.

The problem still remained. Find the arrows!

Demo rushed to Hades, where The Great Detective, better known as TGD, a detective of somewhat dubious character had established office. "Sir, you are famous for the divorce cases you have supported, for the furtive tracing of vanished criminals - indeed, for tracking down lost people and lost items. Your skills are badly needed in support of Zeus!"

TGD smiled. "I am pleased that Zeus has need of me. I would be better pleased if he were to allow me to relocate my office to Olympus. However, for a reasonable fee, I shall be glad to locate the arrows."

"The arrows? How did you know? Well, yes, the arrows must be found. The world is approaching a level of desperation never seen before."

"Great! Then my price shall be adjusted accordingly. Now, where were they last seen? In whose hands? What was the intended disposition by that person?"

"Come, boy, just the facts. Don't waste my time.

Though taken aback, Demo quickly supplied the information.

"We must act quickly! The game, to plagiarize, is afoot. Hand me my cape, my cap, and yonder cane. Been at this too many years, you know. Eh, my pipe, also, if you please."

"But . . . , eh, where are we going?"

"Don't be dense, lad. Where else - we're going to collect those arrows. I don't charge by the hour, I charge by the case. So I don't care to waste time. Come along, now, Wat . . . - Beg your pardon, come along now, Demo."

Demo came along.

TGD had dealings with the postal system before. His interrogation of the Postmaster was cruel. Without hesitation he attacked when any sign of deviousness, confusion, or simple lack of clarity surfaced.

"My dear sir, you're talking pure balderdas.h.!.+ Come, come, to the point, man. Who was the last man known unequivocally to have had possession of those arrows? None of this 'It seems like,' or 'I think it was,' or any of that tomfoolishness. Who do you recall with certainty last had the arrows!"

TGD augured in on the key contact, step by step. With each new suspect he reiterated the above questions. His eyes were brightening. He plainly had a clue!

Demo listened and watched. He was impressed by TGD's step-by-step, inexorable closing in on the culprit.

Mercury recalled finding the package of arrows. In his job as censor he had decided to notify the Postmaster. The latter had called in the security department, and the arrows were transferred to them.

"To whom did you specifically deliver the arrows?" TGD queried.

"Why, to Ja.n.u.s, of course. As doorkeeper Ja.n.u.s is in full charge of security. Would I have delivered them to anyone else!"

TGD smiled. "Thank you, of course you delivered them to Ja.n.u.s.

Eh, did you ask for a receipt?"

"Ask for a receipt! From Zeus' own doorkeeper! Never!"

"Ummm. Yes, I understand. Thank you, you have been most helpful."

"How long have you worked as doorkeeper, Mr. Ja.n.u.s?"

"Oh, for eons. Yes, for eons and eons! I've always been Zeus'

doorkeeper, you know. He'd never have another. Very pleased with me, he is.

"Except that time I closed the door on his foot. Terrible episode, really. Never cared for those sandals, myself. Don't really offer much protection. Lost th' toenail on his big toe, he did! It grew back, of course! My, but he was in a dither.

Said some dreadfully rude things to me. Even, would you believe it, threatened to replace me!" Ja.n.u.s feelings had been hurt, perhaps even more so than Zeus' big toe.

"Yes, I'm sure. Now about the arrows, Mercury gave them to you, did he not?"

"Of course he did. Dreadful conspiracy going on. Arrows are dangerous things indeed. I gave them to Ate for delivery to Zeus. Blessed if I know what she did with them. Be very careless, letting them lie around. Particularly after the release of that dreadful Cupid. Was he plotting an insurrection, do you think?"

TGD smile, turned to Demo. "We are closing in. Ate! Yes, I might have known. The very essence of mischief. Let us first discuss the matter with Zeus. We'll get no straight answers from Ate, of that I am sure!"

Zeus received them with poor grace.

The love that Hera held for him was growing ever thinner. He glared at Cupid with undisguised anger. "You should have had a backup supply. Ridiculous to run out of arrows. They really aren't that costly!"

TGD grilled Zeus with the same methodical approach he used for all. And even Zeus was impressed, and finally cooperated.

"Demo, I am sure you will succeed. Indeed, he is TGD. Must get him to find my wife's earrings. We'll work on that later."

"Yes, Ate did mention the arrows to me. Told her to get them to Cupid, right away. But he claims never to have received them!"

Of course, Ate, true to the reputation for mischievousness, had never delivered the arrows to Cupid. The noose was tightening.

The culprit was now identified!

"Ate, did Mercury give you the arrows?"

"Oh, no. Ja.n.u.s gave them to me. Perfect arrows, well designed for their purpose. Plainly they belonged to Cupid. Talked to Zeus about it, and I delivered them to Cupid the very next day."