Sorry the last two chapters have been short, hope you like this one! (it's the starts of the series)
Danielle watched as Jesper disobeyed the boss, Kaz, and gambled with one of the customers. Rain was poring and it could be heard from inside.
A gambler spoke, "you take Zemini Coin, yes?" He asked one if the workers in the pub. The man took it only for Jesper to ask for it.
"Let me see that."
The worker tossed it to Jesper, the latter catching it with one hand. He stopped resting his foot on the table and leaned in.
"The lucky nine casino up the block has had trouble with counterfeit coin lately." Jesper stated, playing with the coins in his hand. "Heavy. But brittle."
The bearded gambler scoffed, "oh come on now. I've been here for hours. my money is good, no?" He looked to the dealer who's been doing the play.
"Zemeni coin can take a bullet. But a knockoff..." Jesper flipped up the coin after a wink then pulled out his gun to shoot the coin. A few gasps were heard from the sudden noise, the men at the table looked up in the air at the coin that was shot at.
The coin landed, spinning on the dealing table. A hole was in it. "Busted." Jesper sang as he flipped his gun around and put it back in its holister.
"What does that prove?!" The gambler shouted at Jes. Danielle looked to the guards and gave a curt nod motioning to the man. The guards got off the walls and stalked over to him. "Hey! Wait- what are you doing?"
Jesper smirked and climbed on the table to get the money. A cane stopped him from doing so. Kaz shook his head mockingly. "No loud noises at the table Jesper." He leaned in a bit and whispered, "you'll scare off the pigeons."
"Wouldn't want that boss." Jesper spoke back.
"Shouldn't you be on the door?" Kaz asked, clutching his cane that was still on the table.
"Yeah. Right away, boss."
Kaz stared at him for a moment then walked off. Danielle walked around the bar to follow him.
"Early for action, innit, Kaz?" Rotty spoke from besides the pub owner.
"What do you want Rotty?" He asked annoyed.
By that time, Danielle had caught up to them. Rotty noticed this and gave her a smile and continued. "Someone stole a DeKappel from a merch's private residence last night."
"Is that so?" Kaz asked him, obviously not caring.
"It's a painting!" Rotty told him. "A landscape of Ravka! The fold. Oil on parchment."
"We know who DeKappel is." Danny smiled.
"Well he don't do nudes, so I never heard of him." Rotty looked at Danielle while he said this.
Kaz scooted closer to Danielle and Rotty. "Get to it Rotty." He had made Danny uncomfortable and he doesn't like when she's upset.
Rotty fiddled with his pockets to eventually find a small model type thing of the painting. "Worth something like ten thousand kruge. The theif had to get past four roving guards, high fences, padlocked doors, and a security system designed by one of them Grisha witches."
"Frabrikators." Danielle corrected.
"Whatever." He silenced. "The point is, either it was a group effort or a ghost."
Kaz raised his eyebrows and looked to the shorter man. "Why does this concern me?"
"I got a buyer lined up. Legit money. So uh. If you hear a whisper..." he clicked his tongue. Kaz leaned in close.
"Who can hear a whisper here?" Then the two crows walked away to his office, Danny and Kaz smirking as they did so.
Thunder rumbled as the two made their way to his office, one they got in the room, she locked the door knowing he'd want it locked.
As they went to the office, there hung the DeKappel painting.