“I’d like a few moments alone with her,” Jaz said.

“I’m sure you would.”

Jaz gave Giles a look. “As I believe I pointed out, she’s the daughter of a very powerful lord demon. I’m hardly going to violate her. To contact Lucifer, I need to establish a link with the girl. I can accomplish that better if we have time alone together.”

“We can stay,” I said.

“I said alone.”

There wasn’t much I could say to that. I hoped Giles would insist on one of us remaining in the room, but he’d had a hard enough time getting Scott here—he wasn’t risking a fight now. Besides, Jaz was wired for sound, so we’d hear what he said to Hope, and Adam could incinerate the door if necessary. I also knew Jaz wouldn’t hurt her. Not while he still hoped she could be his.

So we stepped outside. Giles told us to stay put. Then he left. Which meant we were free inside the compound. That would be a whole lot more helpful if we hadn’t just left Jaz alone with Hope.

“Probably exactly what Jaz hoped for,” I muttered. “Now what?”

“You scout, I stand guard; we both listen.”

I nodded and took off.

FORTY-FOUR

As I headed down the hall, trying doors and popping my head in, I could hear Jaz through my earpiece, impersonating Scott, talking to Hope about how important she was, blah-blah.

“What the hell’s he playing at?” I said into my mike.

“No idea.”

Then Jaz said, “Sounds like someone at the door,” though when I glanced back, I saw only Adam there, leaning against the opposite wall.

“Just a moment,” Jaz said. “I’ll see who’s—”

A thump and a hiss of pain from Jaz. I wheeled. Adam had leaped forward and was poised in front of the door, glowing fingers raised.

Inside, Jaz chuckled. “Seems you aren’t paralyzed with grief after all, Hope. Just playing possum. They’re fools for thinking otherwise.”

The scuffle of stockinged feet against the floor. The squeak of a mattress, as if Hope had retreated to the bed.

“Yes, I’m sorry for spoiling your attack,” he said. “You should have known it wouldn’t work on me.”

“Go to hell, Jaz.”

He laughed. “You know me so well that you can see right through—”

Another scuffle, this one louder, then Jaz’s voice. “I know you’re angry, but in your condition, you’re never going to be able to kill me.”

“I’m not trying to kill you. Just to shut you up.”

He laughed again. “Touché. I know you’re upset because of Karl. I think you’re better off without him, but that’s a discussion for another time.”

I muttered, “Bastard.”

Adam answered through my earpiece. “Did you really think he’d tell her Karl’s still alive?”

Inside the room, Jaz continued. “Right now, the important thing is you. You and the baby. It’s his baby. It’s all you have left of him.”

“You don’t give a damn about my baby, Jaz, so shut the hell up before I scream for help. If you’re here in disguise, that means they don’t know it’s you. One shout from me and you’ll be in the next cell.”

“Where I’d be completely unable to rescue you. You’re right. I don’t care about Karl’s brat. But you do, and I care about you, so if that baby’s welfare is going to prod you out of here—”

“Do I look like I need prodding? I’ve been waiting for my chance. If you’re going to get me out, then let’s get on with it.”

Another laugh, this one punctuated by the smack of a kiss—and the smack of a slap. Then another laugh.

“Guy doesn’t take a hint, does he?” I said as I got back to Adam.

“He’s just glad she has feelings for him. Hate is a feeling.”

“Yeah, he can just keep telling himself that, right up to the point where she successfully strangles him. I’ll be helping.”

Inside, we heard Jaz try the door. He rattled the knob.

“Locked you in, didn’t he?” Hope said.

“A problem easily fixed. Just give me a moment.”

He rattled it again, then whispered under his breath. “Open the door, guys.”

I clicked on my feed to his earpiece. “Once you tell her who’s opening it.”

He jiggled the knob again.

“Playing lone white knight isn’t going to fly,” I said. “She needs to know we’re here, so if things go wrong, she knows who she can run to—”

“Is Gordon still in there?” Giles rounded the corner. “He’d better not have touched her.”

“He just seems to be talking, sir,” Adam said. “I think he needs a few more minutes—”

“Too bad. The show is about to start. You two get back to your posts.”

Giles opened the door. “Ah, I see she’s up. Good. This will work better if she’s feeling more herself.” He turned to us. “Still here? Go in and bind her then.”

Giles handed us rope as we went in.

“I’m a big fan of yours, ma’am,” Adam said as he walked in. He stopped in front of her, his back to Giles, blocking his view. Then he lifted his glowing fingers and grinned. “A really big fan.”

It could have been the fingers, but I’ll bet anything it was the grin, so unmistakably Adam. Hope nodded quickly and dropped her gaze.

“Thank you,” she said.

I went behind her to tie her hands. Adam tried to block Giles, so I could whisper to her, but Giles said, “Her feet, Smith. Get her feet,” and Adam had to bend.

Damn it. I’d wanted to tell her Karl was alive. That wasn’t possible, though. So I bound her hands. I didn’t dare do it too loosely. Sure enough, when we finished, Giles checked. I had left her a little wiggle room. Would it be enough if she needed it? I didn’t know.

Giles pulled a wheelchair from the corner and we loaded Hope onto it.

“Good,” Jaz said. “She’s all set. Now, I just need about twenty minutes to prepare—”

“You’ve had all the time you’re getting. Your audience awaits.”