my bedroom.”
The box, envelope, and cooler were spirited away before Eliu arrived. She waited until her two small bags were brought in before giving Maliha a tearful hug, then giving one in turn to Hound and Amaro. Maliha made some tea while the two men led her to a sofa and sat on either side of her trembling body like bookends.
“Has Yanmeng viewed you?” Maliha said, when all four of them cradled hot cups of fragrant tea. She wanted to know if he’d attempted to contact her via remote viewing.
Eliu shook her head. “It’s not a good sign. Usually we’re in touch several times during a day, sometimes for hours at a time.”
“Hours? I didn’t know he could sustain that.”
“That’s only been for the last few months. For him not to contact me in so long a time, he must be . . .”
“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Hound said. “He could be knocked out.”
“My husband’s mind is very powerful. He would have to be deeply sedated, I think. Like for surgery.”
“That’s an idea. He could be in a clinic somewhere,” Maliha said.
“The clean cut that took off his finger could be from a surgical instrument,” Amaro said.
Eliu looked startled. “What does this mean?”
“Way to go, big mouth,” Hound said. “You must’ve lost your tact pills.”
“I’m sorry, Eliu,” Maliha said. “Since we last talked on the phone, a box arrived. It was your husband’s finger.”
Eliu bowed her head. “Oh no,” she said in a small voice. “How do you know it was his?”
“I recognized the knife scar on his index finger.”
“I want to see.”
“Are you sure? It isn’t necessary.”
“It’s necessary to me.” Eliu straightened up and her voice was steadier. She’d made it clear that she wasn’t going to be sheltered.
Plenty of time for grieving later, if it comes to that. No, don’t think about that. I have to believe he’s alive so that I can bring him back home.
Maliha nodded at Hound. He picked a few items out of his fingerprint kit and then took Eliu into the bedroom.
When the two of them left the room, Maliha glared at Amaro. “Well, that could have been handled better.”
“You’re right. I messed up.”
There was no use in belaboring it. “This building has security cameras in the hallways. Why don’t you see if you can find out who delivered our surprise package?”
Amaro headed for his room, where he kept most of his computer equipment.
Hound came out by himself. He wore latex gloves and carried the note in a clear evidence bag. “Eliu needs a minute. She confirmed your identification. I didn’t get any latents off the box or envelope, so I doubt that this note will have any. It’s worth a try, though.”
“Let me see that note before you get started,” Maliha said.
8:15 A.M. TOMORROW, C ORNER OF D IVERSEY AND N EWCASTLE, HALF A BLOCK NORTH. C OME ALONE OR HE DIES.
“Diversey and Newcastle . . . where’s that?” Hound said.
“I know it. It’s on the northwest side.”
“Geez, woman, is there any part of this city you don’t know?”
“I believe in knowing my surroundings so I can get from point A to point B using the shortest route.”
“Get a GPS.”
“I’m old-fashioned in some ways. Sometimes you forget I’m older than I look.”
There was a knock at the door.
Maliha and Hound approached and pressed against the walls on opposite sides of the door.
“Who is it?” Hound said.
“Flowers for Marsha Winters.” The voice was cheery and young.
“Leave them outside and go.”
“Um, I need a signature.”
“Leave them. Go.”
A few minutes later Hound opened the door. There was a vase of two dozen red roses in the hall and there was no one around.
“What do you think?” he said to Maliha. “Bomb? A bug?”
“Who are they from?”
Hound squinted at the card tucked among the flowers. “Jake.”
“I think we can chance it.” She came over, picked up the vase, and brought it into the kitchen. The card said, M ISS YOU MORE
The box, envelope, and cooler were spirited away before Eliu arrived. She waited until her two small bags were brought in before giving Maliha a tearful hug, then giving one in turn to Hound and Amaro. Maliha made some tea while the two men led her to a sofa and sat on either side of her trembling body like bookends.
“Has Yanmeng viewed you?” Maliha said, when all four of them cradled hot cups of fragrant tea. She wanted to know if he’d attempted to contact her via remote viewing.
Eliu shook her head. “It’s not a good sign. Usually we’re in touch several times during a day, sometimes for hours at a time.”
“Hours? I didn’t know he could sustain that.”
“That’s only been for the last few months. For him not to contact me in so long a time, he must be . . .”
“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Hound said. “He could be knocked out.”
“My husband’s mind is very powerful. He would have to be deeply sedated, I think. Like for surgery.”
“That’s an idea. He could be in a clinic somewhere,” Maliha said.
“The clean cut that took off his finger could be from a surgical instrument,” Amaro said.
Eliu looked startled. “What does this mean?”
“Way to go, big mouth,” Hound said. “You must’ve lost your tact pills.”
“I’m sorry, Eliu,” Maliha said. “Since we last talked on the phone, a box arrived. It was your husband’s finger.”
Eliu bowed her head. “Oh no,” she said in a small voice. “How do you know it was his?”
“I recognized the knife scar on his index finger.”
“I want to see.”
“Are you sure? It isn’t necessary.”
“It’s necessary to me.” Eliu straightened up and her voice was steadier. She’d made it clear that she wasn’t going to be sheltered.
Plenty of time for grieving later, if it comes to that. No, don’t think about that. I have to believe he’s alive so that I can bring him back home.
Maliha nodded at Hound. He picked a few items out of his fingerprint kit and then took Eliu into the bedroom.
When the two of them left the room, Maliha glared at Amaro. “Well, that could have been handled better.”
“You’re right. I messed up.”
There was no use in belaboring it. “This building has security cameras in the hallways. Why don’t you see if you can find out who delivered our surprise package?”
Amaro headed for his room, where he kept most of his computer equipment.
Hound came out by himself. He wore latex gloves and carried the note in a clear evidence bag. “Eliu needs a minute. She confirmed your identification. I didn’t get any latents off the box or envelope, so I doubt that this note will have any. It’s worth a try, though.”
“Let me see that note before you get started,” Maliha said.
8:15 A.M. TOMORROW, C ORNER OF D IVERSEY AND N EWCASTLE, HALF A BLOCK NORTH. C OME ALONE OR HE DIES.
“Diversey and Newcastle . . . where’s that?” Hound said.
“I know it. It’s on the northwest side.”
“Geez, woman, is there any part of this city you don’t know?”
“I believe in knowing my surroundings so I can get from point A to point B using the shortest route.”
“Get a GPS.”
“I’m old-fashioned in some ways. Sometimes you forget I’m older than I look.”
There was a knock at the door.
Maliha and Hound approached and pressed against the walls on opposite sides of the door.
“Who is it?” Hound said.
“Flowers for Marsha Winters.” The voice was cheery and young.
“Leave them outside and go.”
“Um, I need a signature.”
“Leave them. Go.”
A few minutes later Hound opened the door. There was a vase of two dozen red roses in the hall and there was no one around.
“What do you think?” he said to Maliha. “Bomb? A bug?”
“Who are they from?”
Hound squinted at the card tucked among the flowers. “Jake.”
“I think we can chance it.” She came over, picked up the vase, and brought it into the kitchen. The card said, M ISS YOU MORE
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