"Lord Friggatebottom," he confirms, slightly regretting the name choice. "He gets his butt in trouble often, and more often than not it's a large amount of trouble. A boat-load, if you will. My first meeting with him was when I stopped him seconds from tackling a wasp's nest."

He'd like no comments on how fitting it is that he's been caught by two guards now and a shepherd and how maybe he should be named Stablemaster Friggatebottom. Detlef takes a breath and a sip of the drink that's far more burn than taste. Maybe it's time to stop the easy topic and get on to whatever they wanted to talk about originally. Like the Vice.

Or maybe not.

"Do either of you have pets?"