The Truth (Discworld 25)

'Could be people of that style of kidney, yes.' 'But the only werewolf I know is in the Watch,' said William. 'So you're just telling me to pay you a hundred dollars so that I could hand Wuffles over to the Watch?'

That'd be a feather in your cap with old Vimes, wouldn't it?' said Deep Bone.

'But you said you didn't trust the Watch, Mr Bone. I do listen to what people say, you know.'

Deep Bone went quiet for a while. Then:

'All right, the dog and an interpreter, one hundred and fifty dollars.'

'And the story this dog could tell deals with events in the palace a few mornings ago?'

'Could be. Could be. Could very well be. Could be exactly the kind of fing I'm referrin' to.'

'I want to see who I'm talking to,' said William.

'Can't do that.'

'Oh, well,' said William. That's reassuring. I'll just go and get a hundred and fifty dollars, shall I, and bring it back to this place and hand it over to you, just like that?'

'Good idea.'

'Not a chance.'

'Oh, so you don't trust me, eh?' said Deep Bone.

'That's right.'

'Er... supposin' I was to tell you a little piece of free news information for gratis and nothin'. A lick of the lolly. A little taste, style of fing.'

'Go on...'

'It wasn't Vetinari who stabbed the other man. It was another man.'

William wrote this down, and then looked at it. 'Exactly how helpful is this?' he said.

That's a good bit of news, that is. Hardly anyone knows it.'

'There's not a lot to know! Isn't there a description?'

'He's got a dog bite on his ankle,' said Deep Bone.

'That'll make him easy to find in the street, won't it? What are you expecting me to do, try a little surreptitious trouser lifting?'

Deep Bone sounded hurt. That's kosher news, that is. It'd worry certain people if you put that in your paper.'

'Yes, they'd worry that I'd gone mad! You've got to tell me something better than that! Can you give me a description?'

Deep Bone went silent for a while, and when the voice spoke again it sounded uncertain. 'You mean, what he looked like?' it said.

'Well, yes!'

'Ah... well, it dunt work like that with dogs, see? What w-- what your average dog does, basic'ly, is look up. People are mostly just a wall with-a pair of nostril holes at the top, is my point.'

'Not a lot of help, then,' said William. 'Sorry we can't do busin--'

'What he smells like, now, that's somethin' else,' said the voice of Deep Bone, hurriedly.

'All right, tell me what he smells like.'