Mom was already opening her laptop. “Is that how David originally got the magic for the Rasha?”
“Yup.” She didn’t respond, her gaze vacant and her attention to me lost. I bid her a soft “bye” and left.
I got back to Demon Club in time to hear the results of the analysis of the Sweet Tooth that Rohan and I had sent to the lab. It was such a beautiful day, we took the call out back by the pool. The albezia tree’s leafy fronds cast dappled shadows around the edges of the flagstone deck, though its Dr. Seuss-like purple puffy flowers wouldn’t bloom for another couple of months.
Rabbi Abrams had joined us, pulling up a teak chair next to the water. His eyes were closed and his face was tilted up to the sun and I wasn’t positive he was awake.
I’d kicked my sandals off and was dangling my legs in the cool water, watching the refracted sunlight dance along the concrete at the bottom. Ro dipped a foot in, then joined me, the cell on the warm ground between us.
The Rasha on the other end of the speaker phone confirmed that Sweet Tooth and the two other substances were the same. I high-fived Rohan, and the Rasha told us to hang on, he was transferring our call to HQ.
“You think Ms. Clara or Baruch want to talk to us from Jerusalem?” I scooped up some water, drizzling it down the back of my neck.
“How would the New York tech guy know?” Rohan wet his hands, flinging drops onto my chest. “Cooling you off.”
“What a mensch,” I said.
He nodded and leaned in. “That plus your dress is really thin.”
I glanced down at my nipples now showing through the wet spots, made sure my back was to Rabbi Abrams, and splashed my boyfriend.
“You got the source of the drug?” Rabbi Mandelbaum barked at us over the line in his Russian accent.
“You mean did we kill the demon responsible for producing it?” I said. “Why yes, we did. And thank you, Nava and Rohan, for valuable insights when our database had such meager intel on it.”
“If it was a Unique as you claim and it’s dead, then the information is perhaps not so valuable anymore.” If he sneered any harder, he’d strain something. “When will you apprehend the other demon involved. This Candyman?”
“We’re working on it.” Rohan poked the corner of my frown and I bit his finger. But I stopped scowling at the phone.
“Not you, Rohan,” Mandelbutt said. “I want you back in Los Angeles. I have another mission for you.”
“The investigation isn’t finished yet,” Ro said.
“Nava is the only Rasha listed on the assignment,” Mandelbaum said.
Ice filled my veins. The bastard couldn’t take Ro away from me. “We’re working together on this.”
The rabbi spat something in Hebrew.
Rabbi Abrams opened his eyes, sighing. “Boris.”
I snorted. “Must catch Moose and Squirrel,” I said in a Russian accent.
All the men went silent. Rohan pressed his lips together, his shoulders shaking.
“What?” Mandelbaum said.
“Nothing.” I smiled sweetly, even though he couldn’t see it.
Rabbi Mandelbaum jabbered on in angry Hebrew.
“Maspik!” I’d never heard Rabbi Abrams snap.
Mandelbaum sputtered to a stop.
“With Kane and Ari away, we can use Rohan. You have enough Rasha in Los Angeles.” Abrams patted my shoulder.
“Grown fond of her, have you, Isaac?”
“I thought we were speaking of Rohan. I’ve grown fond of him, too.” His voice was placid, but his smile chilled me.
“It’s settled then,” Rohan said. “I’m staying.”
“You mean you won’t leave your girlfriend.” Mandelbaum made a smug noise at our collective silence. “It’s understandable. She’s Rasha. She’s there. Fighting together forges a bond.”
I couldn’t look at Rohan as Mandelbaum so eloquently voiced every single fear I fought to keep at bay.
“Don’t. Push. Me.” Rohan snarled. “And stay the hell out of my personal life.” His voice turned to silk. Silk hiding an iron bar. “You know better.”
Was he thinking of Asha? I curled into his side, rubbing his back. He was rigid, but slowly relaxed under my touch. He caught my hand and laced our fingers together.
“This investigation continues,” I said. “You can list both of us on it, but I’m still lead.”
Ro laughed and Mandelbaum hung up.
“Douchebags gonna douche.” My hand flew up to cover my mouth. “I’m so sorry, Rabbi Abrams.”
“I think you said it perfectly.” He rose from the bench, slowly, but every inch a fighter. “Keep on Candyman, and step up your activity on everything else.”
Rohan waited for Rabbi Abrams to leave, then he kissed me. “We’re in this together. Nothing can change that.”
So why did it feel like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop? Fucking Mandelbaum and his insinuations. I wanted to nail his hide to the proverbial door. I hopped out of the pool and grabbed the basketball sitting on the edge of the court. “Did you Skype your parents?”
I fired off a quick lay-up. The ball hit the backboard and bounced off. Rohan stole it. “Yeah. Mom was running out to a session so it was a quick chat, but Dad gave me a detailed run-down of the golf tournament details.” He shot, but didn’t fare any better.
We both ran for the ball, leaving a trail of wet footprints on the court.
“I like your dad,” I said. Rohan collided into me and I rubbed my hip. “You, not so much, pushy.”
Ro tossed me the ball. “I like my dad, too. I think he’s been travelling too much for work, though.” He bounced on his bare toes, arms out, blocking me from getting near the basket. “How’d it go with your mom?”
I bounced the ball, looking for my opening. “I want to run an idea past you, but you have to keep an open mind.”
“Score and you got it.”
There was some universe in which I feinted right and put Ro in the dust, shooting a perfect basket from center court, but in this one, I pivoted and ran to the other basket that we weren’t using and flung the ball.
It teetered for a precarious second on the rim then dropped through the basket, bouncing along the court until I scooped it up.
I fist pumped. “Nailed it.”
“Cheated it.”
Something flashed through my head. I sauntered back to Ro. “Won on my terms.”
I thunked the ball into his chest.
He patted his pecs. “Strong like bull,” he said in a Russian accent. “You realize that Mandelbaum will now forever be Boris Badenov for me.”
“You’re welcome. Will you listen to my idea?”
“For the record?” He bounced the ball, dodging my every block. “I hate it already, but go ahead.”
“In terms of everything we’ve been investigating about who is binding demons and the connection to Askuchar, we’ve been going about it in expected ways. You’re investigating the Brotherhood and I’ve roped Gelman into helping with the witches.”
“How else do you want to do it?”
“Demons.”
“You tried the zizu. They didn’t know either.”
I steeled myself and went for it. “Malik might.”