“My condition screws up the team,” I said. “Idris is now the only one who can perform the necessary arcane maintenance. It helps that Pellini can see the arcane, but it’s not enough. We need to find a solution as soon as possible.” I looked over at him. “Do you think you could ask Seretis what he thinks?”
My eyes were adjusted to the gloom enough to see his grimace. “I already tried with no luck,” he said, regret coloring his words. “I couldn’t get the specifics across. I’m sorry.”
“Oh. Yeah, okay,” I said with the lightness of a bowling ball covered in concrete. “It was worth a shot. Thanks for trying.” Back to square one—wherever that was. Stupid tears pricked my eyes, and I blinked furiously, grateful for the darkness.
His shadow shifted, and he put his hand over mine on the chair arm. “I’ll connect with Seretis in the morning from the nexus. It’s the best time of day, and the link is always stronger there. I think I’ll be better able to get my point across to him then.”
I turned my hand over, threaded my fingers through his, drew from his strength. “Thanks, Bryce.” Any other words on the topic seemed unnecessary. I squeezed his hand. “What about you? What has you brooding in the dark with the mosquitos?”
He exhaled. “Security gets trickier when long-range weapons come into play.”
“Good news is they don’t seem to want Jill dead. They could have accomplished that today. They want the baby—alive.”
He disengaged from my hand and stood, moved to lean on the porch rail and lifted his gaze to the moon. “I need to get you and Pellini up to speed on the camera security system,” he said. “While you and Idris were gone, I made notes on everything I could think of regarding Jerry, McDunn, and Carter. The file is on Paul’s system and the laptop.”
Ice slid between my ribs. “You’re leaving?” I barely got the words out then couldn’t stop the torrent. “I understand. I really do. Better for you to be close to Paul. And Seretis. Mzatal shouldn’t have sent you here in the first place. Did he even ask if you wanted to come? I know he can be presumptuous—”
“Kara! I’m non-essential.”
“No! That’s bullshit! We’d be up shit creek if you weren’t—”
“Kara. So was Steeev.”
The ice drove deeper as his meaning penetrated my thick skull. Non-essential to Katashi. “Oh. Damn.” I stood and joined him at the rail. “You think you’re next.”
“Knocking out security is a sound plan,” he said. Clinical. Detached. “With Steeev, they didn’t have a body to deal with. No need to worry about police involvement. I believe the only reason they haven’t taken me out yet is because the right opportunity hasn’t presented itself. It makes sense to give you everything I know while I’m still alive and kicking.”
I placed my hand on his shoulder. “You could go to the demon realm.”
He turned to face me. Moonlight lit his features in shades of grey like a charcoal drawing. “I’m staying.”
The words rose on my tongue to argue, to tell him to go where he’d be safe. His eyes met mine, and I swallowed my words. He knew his business. He’d put his life on the line for assholes like Farouche and taken a bullet to the chest for Paul. He’d take one for Jill, or any of us.
“Damn glad to have you.” To hell with Katashi and his crew. They didn’t have half the heart of my posse.
Chapter 27
Idris and Pellini were already gone by the time I woke up, but a note in Pellini’s handwriting by the coffeemaker informed anyone who cared that the coffee had been made at 6:30 a.m. I certainly cared because, even though I was no kind of coffee snob, I disliked stale coffee as much as the next sane person. As it was barely 7:15, the coffee was still good and drinkable, and all was right with the world, at least for a few minutes.
Bryce came into the kitchen before I finished my first cup, poured one for himself then plopped into an empty chair. “I take it there’ve been no reports of them killing each other yet?”
“Yet,” I said, sipping my coffee. “The day is young.”
He chuckled. “They’ll be all right. Idris would never admit it in a million years, but I have a feeling he has a lot of respect for Vince.” At my disbelieving look he went on, “Yesterday was a turning point for them. Vince has a lot of issues, but he keeps his head in a crisis. I think deep down Idris appreciates that.”
I had to nod in agreement. “I’ve worked in the same department with Pellini for years, but never worked with him on a case. This is the first time I’ve really seen him in action.”
Bryce’s mouth twitched. “And Idris really likes his silly dog. After you went to bed, he came out and threw the tennis ball for Sammy.” He took a sip of coffee. “Not sure, but I might have heard him laugh.”
“Now you’re talking crazy. That dog can’t laugh.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” Bryce said with a smile. “It was late.” He glanced at the clock. “Gimme ten minutes, and then I’ll head out to the nexus and check in with Seretis.”
“Enough time for another cup,” I said and headed to the coffeemaker to get started on that.
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