Swamped

Well. You have questions about a lot of things. But when it comes down to it, Nual sent you here to settle one specific matter, and you haven't really gotten a clear sense of what that's going to involve.

So maybe you can get a little more direct.

"I think someone's trying to sabotage Nual's festival," you say. "But I don't know much more than that. Heard there were some thefts, and I've heard some strange things about the theater troupe here, but I haven't really had a chance to look into it and it might turn up nothing. I don't suppose you've heard anything about either?"

"The troupe's leaving at the crack of dawn," Mortimer says, reaching down for a bag. "The festival doesn't formally start until noon. If they're involved in anything to do with the festival, they've already set it up."

Nual said you were only dealing with one believer, though. So if they're with the troupe, they wouldn't be attending to the sabotage themselves...

Unless they were staying behind. You should definitely try to fit in a talk with someone in the troupe, just to be sure. Your preference would be Laikenne, but the timing is going to be difficult no matter what.

"What about the thefts?" you ask, as Mortimer finally manages to stand up.

"Yeah, there's been a lot of stuff going missing. Uncle Leo was worried that one of his rivals might be setting something up. He was also worried that they'd try to grab..."

Mortimer pauses a moment as he approaches the door. You open it for him.

"Grab what?"

"Can't remember exactly. He wanted to send some extra security, but his aide didn't think they had enough people to spare. Come to think of it, that was when he asked for a look into some characters in the local underworld? Maybe he was trying to get helpers."

You have a feeling he remembers more than he's letting on. Maybe if this works out you can ask Leonard directly. But that hasn't been how your luck's gone lately.

You step out and Monty has arrived with the wheelbarrow. Mortimer drops the ice in there. They head back to the ice room - apparently annoyed by your presence.

To be honest, you wouldn't mind stepping away to question a member of the troupe. But you also aren't entirely sure these two don't need a chaperone.

So you watch as they load more bags on. When they're at seven bags, Mortimer grabs an eighth and Monty starts pushing the wheelbarrow.

"All right, toss that on there and I'll take this to the boss," Monty says. "And, ah, could you do us both a favor and not tell her Mort was here? She, ah, kinda gave me a big chewing out the last time she caught us."

"I guess I should head back to the hospital," Mortimer sighs. "Where I'll get in trouble."

"Like you haven't before. Least you got your uncle to back you up. Me, this is the only job I've been able to hold on to."

You definitely don't want to get any more involved in this business than you absolutely have to.

"Let's just get this done," you say, sighing deeply. You head out, with Monty following.

Patterson clearly looks annoyed.

"What was the hold-up, Monty?"

"Eight bags is a lot of ice, boss. Took me a bit to get the hang of lifting the bags."

She looks at you with a glare that suggests she won't put up any sort of trickery. This is definitely deeper in than you wanted to get.