"Now who's showin' off?" Gabriel asked in pure good humour from where he leaned on the shoulder of the front passenger seat. His tone was entirely unsurprised by the guess in such a way that implied he, also, knew what it was and had been avoiding the guess just like Skul had been.

He tilted his head in an uncanny (and possibly deliberate) imitation of Skulduggery himself. "Then again, spottin' a truck ain't hard detecting, pardner. I think you're just trying to boast. That's a sin, y'know."

The Archangel nodded solemnly, and yet there was really no mistaking the mischief in his eyes which completely belied the accusation.

~~~

"Triplets," God said reminiscently. "Got a few sets of them Myself. How'd this case go, laddo?" Somehow, it was difficult to tell just how through all the teddy-bears, He managed to reach out and clap a hand to Ghastly's shoulder. "Tell Me a story while we walk, Bespoke."

They were just approaching the carnival gates. A story, even a short one, ought to take up the time to the hospital.