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"UmmmHey, Molly," I said carefully "Why didn’t I call you about what?"

"About an introduction to Lachish Dutillet Why didn’t you call me instead of Jodi Richoux?"

"Beeecause you are far away and--" I stopped as understanding hit me over the head, and started over "I’ the Witch Conclave, and that has to involve Lachish Dutillet, doesn’t it? And because I didn’t call you and tell you I needed to see the coven leader, you got blindsided And probably e to be nice and not bother you I’, and though I wanted to babble to cover the hush--a totally uncharacteristic urge--I decided that not saying anything was the ssabite of Mona Lisa Special pizza into his h Eli just looked amused and helped hiuys were listening avidly, probably wondering if Molly would lose it and try to kill er, which was a step in the right direction for the control issues ic and eround I heard the , the one created by Molly’s husband to daic

"I’m sorry," I said, "in case ‘I’h"

"Okay I was justsurprised," she said, her tone suggesting a shrug, still anxious sounding "There’s anext week between Lachish and the Master of the City’s pri to ask Leo’s Enforcer to be on hand to present the security arrangements for the conclave" Which meant me, because she didn’t know that te has been moved up because of the death of the fifty-two humans and the blood-sucker that’s loose Jodi talked to Lachish and suggested that the fanghead ic as well as compulsion to hold the humans down"

Jodi had been studying the video too, probably with the help of a PsyLED agent, and had clearly drawn so fro, "We need to chat about that I have info And so e with us?" I asked "And are you bringing KitKit?" KitKit was Molly’s cat and fa such a thing to a witch is as big a faux pas as suggesting that vamps sleep in coffins But the cat helped to keep Molly’s death ics in control, so technically, Molly had a faan Everhart Trueblood was never ordinary

Molly blew out a breath and the last of her anger with it "Da orically refused to get in a travel crate, and I have the scratches to prove it So I’ve drugged her, stuffed her in, booked the fastest flight I can, with the fewest layovers, and hope to all that’s holy that she’s still asleep e arrive And yes I’d like to stay with you, since cats aren’t welco with Evan because of, you know, crazy suckhead va people I’ll let you know about thea chance to update her on the ht about calling her back, but there should be tiround And besides, if the witches had been talking to the cops, Molly ht know more than I did

I looked up at Alex "Call Katie’s housecleaning service to get in here fast"

"Good thing we kept the litter box," he said "Texting the cleaning service in to clean and to move my stuff to Eli’s bathroo?"

"No" I quoted Molly’s comment about the vampires as I lifted the last slice of the Special and took a big bite Around it I said to Eli, "You do know that even the spinach pizza has carbs and fats, don’t you?"

"Shhh," Alex said "I told hioat cheese"

I chuckled through theon soh Fifty-two humans were dead and it was our job to find the killer, but we had all learned over the years, separately and together, to take a break e could, sleep e could, and eat e could That if we ry, sleepy, tired, and emotionally drained, we’d lose and lose bad So we took our break, and we ate, and we recharged We had to

When there was nothing left in either take-out box, I shoved the last half slice into my mouth and pointed to my room "Weapon up" Except it caear Just in case Joseph Santana was stupid enough to go back to his old lair"

"Before you leave, there are contracts to sign, overnor’s and the ned thee And so have I," Alex added, sounding just a bit salese like the best attorney in town I trusted his evaluation We all did But no as I gonna tell hi already

Most of Esplanade Avenue in the Quarter ell preserved, well kept, and not cheap digs The address where Joses had laired long ago, the night Leo had essentially taken hiht even now be asleep, in a hole in the walls or floor, or under the house in a vault, was a two-storied, narrow-fronted house that was nearly four times deeper than it ide, with two different kinds of coluht-iron front gate and iron lattice-style gallery fencing didn’t match either, but were still quintessential New Orleans The front ere narrow and long, orking shutters, and the house had lots of fancy ork, potted ferns, bloo baskets, and fancy little tasseled awnings over every sideMost i area in back and evidence of retrofitted central air Due to the parking and the five air-conditioning units, there was no courtyard area or garden, but I figured the owners werethe Bentley Mulsanne and the brand-new Mercedes-Benz coupe parked in back than in growing their own fresh flowers and veggies