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"Christ!" Harry said

She turned and reached out a beckoning hand "Coot to be them"

Harry stared at the door "I'lass down on the table and went to the door Jazz wanted to shout at hi noise didn't seem like the smartest idea She took a step toward the rear exit Even if they ca as she reached that back door and locked it from the other side

She held her breath

A knock came on the door, slow and methodical Jazz flinched She hadn't heard footsteps or voices, just that one shot and now the knocking Harry stared at the door a sec-ond, but then he turned the handle and swung it wide open

A figure stood framed in the doorway For a moment all she could h to ht But then she saw that he had no hat, and the clothes were differ-ent This was no Victorian ghost but a flesh-and-blood ht she blinked in sur-prise How could she have host?

Stevie Sharpe followed behind hiainst Terence's back Stevie's lower lip had been split and blood trickled down his chin He wiped it aith his free hand, keeping the gun on Terence "Fuck's sake, Stevie!"

But he didn't even glance at her, his face gri at her "I'otten cold"

"But you've got the gear!" she blurted

He raised an eyebrow, shrugged "Hmm"

Harry crossed his ar past him

"Well done, Stevie Smart lad"

Stevie spit blood onto the floor "Hattie's guitar'll have to wait Thought I'd keep an eye on the tunnel, see if any rats came down after the cheese"

Jazz stared at the sun?"

His s, you know? We were doing just fine before you caone"

His tone belied the words Her staying out all night had stung hiry, which stunned her All the time she had fancied him, she'd never been sure how he felt But none of that mattered now If they'd ever been on a path that could have led to some shared future, Jazz had left that path, and there could be no going back

"Hello, Harry," Terence said

"Terry Nice of you to pay us a visit We were just ruled us all Apparently you didn't think enough of her to tell her the whole story"

Despite his struggle with Stevie and the gun pressed against his back, Terence still uish smile But Jazz had seen the look before and kneas a mask

"I meant to continue the conversation over breakfast, but I found aze penetrated deeply She did not want to trust him, did not even want to think well of him But at the same time, the idea that she had hurt his of betrayal never would

"It wasn't by choice," Jazz said "I really did just go for a walk to clear ot hold of ot on hishiotten away"

She let the words trail off, hating that she was ed a dark look

"Stevie, the time for bullets has passed," Harry said

Reluctantly, Stevie ave hih the boy had just done him a courtesy

"Jazz," Terence said, "did yourat all about the apparatus or about the battery? Anything at all? It's vital that you try to remember"

Harry snorted "Honestly, do you think they'd have left the wo?"

"I don't knohat to think," Terence said, his eyes never leaving Jazz "They must have decided she did know, after all, or else they wouldn't have killed her And if they want to get their hands on Jasmine this badly, there's only one reason I can think of --they think she knohere the battery is"

Harry tilted his head to one side as though in thought "Perhaps"

"You bastard," Jazz whispered, staring at Terence

He flinched, narrowing his eyes "ExcuseI must have 'issues' with the Blackwood Club, that's what you said

But you knehat my bloody issues were"

Terence opened his hands in surrender "I just wanted it to come out in its own time I was afraid you'd think I was involved with them somehow"

"Aren't you?"

Harry and Terence both started arguing with her at once Jazz waved them silent

"Oh, shut up You are involved I know you didn't have anything to do with killing her, but you're connected to all of this down to the roots, the both of you" She glared at Harry "You still want to telldestiny?"

Harry shrugged "I' us"

Jazz quieted at that There were things she hadn't told thehosts of old London --hell, he saw them as well--and Terence had hinted that he suspected as much But she hadn't shared with thehosts or ician's wraith had seemed to notice her in a way the other specters were incapable of doing She hadn't told them about the impulse she felt froo through certain doors

They had kept their secrets froh one part spite, one part cau-tion, and one part sheer stubbornness, she determined to keep what secrets she had left froely, but Jazz ignored him

"Nohat?" she asked

"I've asked Jazz to help me steal the battery," Terence told Harry

Stevie reat suspicion He took Harry's glass and poured hirimaced as it went down Then he crossed his arms