Ryan glared. “No ‘mind-fucking’ unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
At least he was considering that it might be necessary. There was one other option. “What about we offer her a job? I know they’d like more humans on the team and if you’ve worked with this woman, trust her…”
“I know, Piers talked to me, and I have thought about it,” Ryan said. “But I don’t think Faith would leave the force. It’s her whole life. Besides, she hates all that ‘supernatural bollocks.’ She thinks it’s a load of shit.”
“Well, it would be easy to prove her wrong.”
“Maybe, but I also suspect in Faith’s mind, you’d definitely be one of the bad guys. In her books you’re either bad or you’re good. There’s nothing in between.”
“She sounds a little…intolerant.”
“Yeah, she’s that, but she’s also a bloody good cop. Right, I’ll go down and see what she really wants.”
Asmodai picked up his long leather trench coat and slipped it on to cover the weapons. “And I’ll come with you.”
“You don’t need to.”
He bit back a grin at the alarm in Ryan’s voice. “Hey, we’re partners remember?”
Ryan gave a nod of resignation. “Okay, but what do we call you? Because I’m not introducing you as ‘Asmodai.’ I’m thinking it won’t give the right impression.”
“Depends what sort of impression you want to give.” He shrugged. “Call me Ash. Ash Delacourt—it’s the name I usually go by when I’m…visiting.” Ryan shot him a filthy glance, and this time he did grin. “Don’t look so worried. I promise to be on my best behavior.”
“Why doesn’t that make me feel any better?”
Chapter Three
Faith examined the reception area of CR International from her strategically situated chair. Ryan had done all right for himself.
Perhaps she should have phoned ahead, but she suspected Ryan would ignore her call and if that happened, she wasn’t sure of her next move. And she’d wanted to see this place for herself. Maybe even catch a glimpse of the enigmatic Christian Roth.
She’d looked Roth up on the police files after her meeting with the colonel and his sidekick, Father O’Brien, that morning. There had been nothing of any interest. If the colonel had anything on him, they were keeping the information to themselves. She hated that.
Beside her, Jess fidgeted.
Jess had recently turned sixteen. Faith had seen the photos of her before she’d been abducted. She’d been a pretty, if slightly plump teenager. Nothing out of the ordinary. Now she was almost ethereal, her body slender, her face slimmed down so the bone structure showed clear beneath her skin. But her eyes held the biggest change. At times, they appeared haunted and much older than her years.
“Will she really be here?” Jess asked.
Faith knew she was referring to the woman who had found her. “I hope so.” She turned to study the girl. “Why does she mean so much to you? What’s so special about her?”
Jess considered the question. “I was in a dark place, and she brought me out of there. She saved me.”
It didn’t make sense to Faith. And she hated things that didn’t have a rational explanation. There must be one; there always was. She just had to find it. Dig and dig and keep digging, and it would be there.
“But how? What did she do exactly?”
She’d asked these questions before, and it was always at this point that Jess became vague.
Now she saw the girl’s eyes lose focus as though she was searching inside herself. For the first time, she sensed she might get some sort of meaningful answer and she leaned in closer. But at that moment, the man on the reception desk waved to Faith and the connection was broken.
He held out the telephone, and Faith hurried across. She took the receiver; it was Ryan. She spoke with him before handing the phone back. “He’s on his way.”
Faith was pacing the floor when the elevator doors opened. Ryan hadn’t changed at all—she suspected he might even be wearing the same outfit he’d had on that last night they’d worked together. Either that or he bought his clothes in bulk. But he seemed well.
And he wasn’t alone. The man from earlier was at his side. Faith tightened her grip on her bag and stepped forward to meet them. Jess came up beside her.
Ryan nodded to the girl. “Hello, Jess. How have you been?”
“Okay.”
Ryan turned his attention to Faith. “Faith, you look like shit.”
Faith grinned. “Aw, thank you, Ryan, sweet and diplomatic as always.”
“So how have you been? Are you all right now?” He sounded uncomfortable, but he’s always hated talking about illness so she let him off, but not too lightly. “Thanks for the concern and all the flowers and the visits and…”
He shifted from foot to foot. As well he should. “Sorry. I’ve been busy. New job…”