The public drawing stayed on the wall. The thief took the version that showed where people could be found.
Elian discovered the difference on the afternoon of day 1243. The new return’s general working diagram remained in its frame beside the yard gate, free for visiting crews to copy. Its pipe sizes, tested range and revised seventh flange were all there. The private operator sheet had gone from Lessa’s locked working drawer, together with two steel layout templates belonging to Dey’s forge.
The sheet named the night keepers, the houses holding spare local keys and the paths used to reach the cooling well. It was not necessary for making a sound sleeve. It was very useful to somebody who wanted to reach a keeper’s door without asking where she lived.
Lessa checked the drawer before accusing anyone. Its lock had been opened under her authority that morning for the paid service operator, who needed the current shift sheet. The operator had signed it out and back. His tools and work order were still on the bench. He had no reason to pretend the drawer had remained untouched.
“I had a runner beside me,” he said. “Company coat. He said he was collecting the returned packing cases.”
