family recipes. I took over a

oo much heart for this area of work, he wa

e next rookie detective living in his s

nts of last night-him

unity to socialize with the political elite of the city. Rather, I came across a b

y

yed with me. He had passed through my fingers, leaving

urity video. Although it had taken some coaxing to acquire a

for? From behind his desk, my fat

was audacious enough to turn up for the gala. He m

through the window. To me, he had always been bigger than life-stoic, austere, the type of guy who ma

Let it go." "We have more issue

s thief is making a fool of us." "You're advising me to ig

ortance," he said, his voice like steel. "Re

nd this man to no

quite conveyed more tha

all I was no closer to locating him. Every path came to a dead e

ts, the way his words stayed in my th

ing about him. Something else caused my pulse to sp

the Lower District, the one locat

ad grown up in. They was alive in various ways, vibrating with

ent walk. This was not my first visit here; early on I had d

he city, the type of place where secrets was m

across the room and focused on a guy seated at the bar-a known

n to the seat

ized something. "Hart," you know, my reputation s

," I said, keeping my voice la

k to sip his drink slowly.

r, a single frame from the gala

subtle but clearly identif

he answered, shovin

do not appeal to me right now. Tell me all you know; then, I will make

nds I thought he may flee. He groane

whisper. But you miss

ity besides a deserted warehouse. Danny said here I wo

my beam slicing through the darkness. The area was absolutely silent, t

arp. Every floorboard squeak and sh

heard it

ting from someplace ahead. As I grabbed t

my voice calm even though

o

Then he materialized, emerging from the d

ame w

de

he gala. His eyes shone slightly in the darkness, an

tarily. Unspoken tension

ing? His voice was low an

hide the way my pulse surg

e from the gala. I will say you have guts.

orward and saying,

a minute something almost vu

replied gently. "Your

m making th

ght he may say anything else. But suddenly the moment was b

my arm to drag me into the darkness just

ey're not here for you." Still, they wo

with quiet, strained voices, the g

goods and equipment, his motions swift an

ap as we at last slid out a side door. I

eck was tha

is voice cooler now. "Stay clear of this,

into the evenin

im behind. No