'You kicked me!'
'I accidentally trod on your sandal, sergeant. I'm sorry.'
Colon tried to see a message in Carrot's face. He'd got used to simple Carrot. Complicated Carrot was as unnerving as being savaged by a duck.
'We'll, er, we'll just be going, then, shall we?' he said.
'No point in staying here now it's all settled,' said Carrot, mugging furiously. 'May as well take the night off, really.'
He glanced at the rooftops.
'Oh, well, now it's all settled we'll be off, right,' said Colon. 'Right, Nobby?'
'Oh, yeah, we'll be off all right, because it's all settled,' said Nobby. 'You hear that, Cuddy?'
'What, that it's all settled?' said Cuddy. 'Oh, yeah. We might as well be off. OK, Detritus?'
Detritus was staring moodily at nothing with his knuckles resting on the ground. This was a normal stance for a troll while waiting for the next thought to arrive.
The syllables of his name kicked a neuron into fitful activity.
'What?' he said.
'It's all settled.'
'What is?'
'You know – Mr Hammerhock's death and everything.'
'Is it?'
'Yes!'
'Oh.'
Detritus considered this for a while, nodded, and settled back into whatever state of mind he normally occupied.
Another neuron gave a fizzle.
'Right,' he said.
Cuddy watched him for a moment.
'That's about it,' he said, sadly. 'That's all we're getting.'
'I'll be back shortly,' said Carrot. 'Shall we be off . . . Joey, wasn't it? Dr Whiteface?'
'I suppose there's no harm,' said Dr Whiteface. 'Very well. Show Corporal Carrot anything he likes, Boffo.'
'Right, sir,' said the little clown.
'It must be a jolly job, being a clown,' said Carrot.
'Must it?'
'Lots of japes and jokes, I mean.'
Boffo gave Carrot a lopsided look.