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“Hi. How are you?”
“Still trying to readjust my mindset.”
I nodded, squeezed his arm in support, then glanced at Theo. “How’s the arm?”
“Itchy. But less achy.”
I took off my leather jacket, slung it on the back of my chair. “That’s something, at least.”
“Your foot? Your hip?”
“Foot is fine. Hip is achy but better than yesterday.” I gestured toward Theo’s cast. “So that still makes me feel a little bit guilty.”
“Ah, but I can go out in the sun anytime I want.”
“You work the night shift,” I pointed out.
“That is a pisser.”
“Eat a doughnut,” Roger said.
“I don’t want a doughnut.” I paused. “What kind of doughnuts?”
Roger walked to the table, flipped open a white box. It was loaded.
“Damn,” I said, staring at glossy pink frosting and sprinkles. “Why are there so many?”
“Jonathan Black,” Petra said, gaze on me as she swiveled in her chair. “Had them delivered.”
I’d reached in to grab one, then paused, hand poised centimeters above glossy pastry. “Why?”
“He said he had a better appreciation for the dangers of being an Ombud after yesterday. You told him the pastries at that place down the street were good, so he obliged.”
“Hmm,” was all I could think to say. A thoughtful thing to do, but so unnecessary it seemed... sycophantic. But since there was no need to punish a doughnut for the acts of its purchaser, I plucked one out, took a bite.
“I don’t suppose he decided to suddenly share the details about his ‘clients’?” I asked.
“Nope,” Petra said. “Any news on your end?”
“Absolutely none. Everybody is reading and researching and looking, but we have bubkes. Lulu’s parents are coming into town tonight. I’m hoping they have something.”
“Ah, for the big deciphering,” Petra said. “Could I visit?” She squeezed her hands together like a woman in prayer. “I’ve never met them.”
“I think dinner tonight is just for family, but I’ll let them know you’re available for consultations.”
“Cooool,”she said, drawing out the word, made a complete rotation in her chair.
“Since we’re all here,” Roger said, “let’s get started. The mayor is estimating more than eight million dollars in damage due to the combined efforts of the Guardians and Rose. Eglantine.”
“Rosantine?” I offered.
After a moment, Petra nodded. “Rosantine. That works. And believe me, boss, she’s our first priority.”
“Anything new from the CPD?” I asked.
“First,” Roger said, “since I have ‘Rose’s’ number, I sent it to Gwen. It’s got some kind of anti-tracking device, so we can’t use that to trace her.”
“And second,” he said, then nodded at Theo.
