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It was the last thing I actually wanted to do, but I owed Jack more than a few favors Besides, friends that old were surely rare, even in the long-lived world of vaht Ars have been s He’s just curious as to what is going on"

Hence the reason Jack had calledhe couldn’t do was see ghosts and souls

Unfortunately, I could

"Why did he call you rather than a clairvoyant or someone like that?"

"Because we’re old friends, and I owe hi in the Directorate still see-lived vaather?"

"He believes not He’s got good security and he doesn’t sleep all thathis house"

Outside, a car pulled up, but the scents of wolf and bird were suddenly strong on the still air I recognized both

"Cole and his team have just arrived"

"Good Once the situation there is sorted, go hoet some rest I told Ar me sleep in, boss"

"He wanted you there at six," Jack said dryly, "so be thankful for small mercies"

"Why so daht"

"He’s a vaht, is there?"

"There is when you’re old enough to enjoy it"

"Which neither you nor he is, so why the hurry?"

"Just because we can’t play in it doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy it" Jack’s voice was amused "And be careful when you’re there Ar that breathes, but he’s partial to redheads"

"I’ve already got two old vahed and signed off I touched my ear to turn off the voice part of the com-unit, then pushed open one of the doors and said, "Cole, I’m down this way"

A second later, he appeared

"Soto save your pretty ass," he said dryly His gray overalls were still blood-splattered from the previous crime scene and his silvery hair was darkened with sweat "You just love spoiling rinned "Totally Especially if itsoarbed Dobbs ca softly in the silence Unlike Cole, he wasn’t relaxing; his gaze constantly ht every bit as well as Cole It was evident in the quiet way he moved He reaze, noticing the sweat staining the collar of his overalls and the quick puff of his breath on the night air "What, did you run here rather than taking the car or so?"

"Basically, yes" He stopped and swiped a hand at the sweat running down his cheek "Well, I ran and Dobbs flew Dusty collected the gear and car first"

Jack ency "Sorry to put you through that hassle for no good reason"

"I think you owe us a beer" He studied , then said, "I smell another wolf"

He didn’t actually say he could smell him on me, but that’s what he meant I smiled "You knohat us olves are like-we can find a man in the oddest places"

"Then he’s not here now?"

"No" I stepped back, giving him room to enter "But we have zombie re in a destroyed pentagra the woman who did She had a couple of hellhound helpers, which proved a bit of a problem for both me and the wolf"

"So you know him?"

"Had a run-in with hiaze aed you"

"Yeah" I stopped as we reached the si out here to look at this Theyit for"

"So I ood didn’t ei didn’t-well, not as far as I knew, anyway

"Our witch took the form of a crow and flew off, but while she was here, she was perched on the gantry above the pentagraered-it was faint, but there, and I’d recognize it if I sain

Cole nodded "We’ll check it, and see if we can find any droppings or feathers"

"Might be worth doing the same at the crime scene-unless you’ve already checked the trees?"

"We had no reason to do so" He hesitated again "Are you feeling all right? Your eyes are very bloodshot"

"Co, I think"

"I’ve seen you come out of shadow It doesn’t usually cause this reaction"

"I was shadowing two of us" I shrugged "Maybe it’s just plain tiredness You’ll send lanced around as Dobbs finished his periet a kit up to that gantry? We probably have shifter traces up there"