There was a light in the main room, showing through the shutters. The badger had no need of illumination, and Zhu Irzh had left the boat in daylight . . . His sword whispered through the darkness. Lightly, the demon grasped the ladder and slid up it onto the deck. The door to the main room was ajar. Zhu Irzh listened, but heard nothing. Sword drawn, he kicked open the door and plunged in.
"Glad to see you're on the ball," someone said mildly. Zhu Irzh gaped. Detective Inspector Chen was sitting in the armchair, nursing a cup of tea.
"But—you're in Hawaii!"
"Not anymore. Sergeant Ma called me yesterday. He expressed some concern as to your welfare. I thought I'd cut the vacation short and come home."
"What about Inari?"
"She's enjoying herself with Lao and his wife. She sends her regards." Chen regarded the demon owlishly. "Could you put that away?"
"Sorry." Slowly, Zhu Irzh sheathed the sword.
"Want some tea?"
"No. Yes. Thank you."
In silence, Chen poured him a cup and handed it over. The demon sank heavily into the nearest chair.
"Want to give me your version of what's been happening?" Chen smiled helpfully.
Zhu Irzh reminded himself that he was Hellkind. He was over two hundred years old. He was stronger than almost any mortal man and he had the powers of Hell at his back. So why had he not felt so uncomfortable since being called to his grandfather's study at the age of ten, to explain how he had managed to break each and every window in the Irzh family mansion? Taking a deep breath, he gave Chen a swift, highly edited summary of recent events. He recounted the attack on the dowser Paravang Roche, pleading ignorance of its cause, and told Chen that he had spent the afternoon with Jhai, examining her premises. Nothing was actually untrue, but there were significant omissions.
"That was concise," Chen said when he'd finished. It was impossible to tell whether he believed the story or not. "So let me get this straight. At the moment, we're looking at Jhai Tserai as a chief suspect? And we're working on the hypothesis that she is at least heavily implicated in both murders, even if she didn't carry them out herself."
"Yes, we are."
"And am I to assume that, cultural differences aside, your division in Hell considers such criteria as objectivity, neutrality and so forth critical when interrogating a suspect?"
"Yes, to some degree," Zhu Irzh said warily, not liking the turn that the conversation was taking.
"So having established Jhai Tserai as principal suspect, you brought her back here and spent what is by all accounts an active night with her? In my bed?"
A distant part of Zhu Irzh noted that it was an interesting sensation to experience all the blood draining out of one's face.
"How did you—?" He could not go on. Chen pointed at the silent, accusing presence of the iron teakettle upon the shelf.
"Oh, fuck."
"So I am given to understand. Sergeant Ma is not the only being capable of using a telephone. And why, exactly, did you consider that becoming Jhai's lover was crucial to the course of this investigation? Some disarming ploy, no doubt? A subtle maneuver designed to throw her off guard and elicit the truth from her?" Chen enquired, still terrifyingly bland.
Belatedly, Zhu Irzh resorted to the truth. "No. She has this—this effect on me. When I see her, all I can think of is sex."
It was clear that Chen was sorely tempted to make the obvious retort, and Zhu Irzh winced in anticipation of being told that this was all he ever thought about anyway. But Chen said nothing, and the demon went hurriedly on: "It seems to be mutual; I'll explain why in a moment. She turned up here, one thing led to another, and next thing I knew, we were in bed. And I'm sorry it was yours, but it is the only bed here. I promise I'll wash the sheets."
"That would be nice. Why is it mutual?"
"She's not human."
That got Chen's attention. His eyes widened. "Then what is she?"
The demon told him.
"That," Chen said, unwittingly echoing Zhu Irzh on an earlier occasion, "would explain a lot. About her family's origins, about their rise to power . . . She's in a startlingly vulnerable position, isn't she, even with all her influence? And she's risking that for you?" His eyebrows rose.
Trying to ignore the unflattering implications of that remark, Zhu Irzh said, "It's because I'm Hellkind, I think."
"And you know, don't you?"
"Know what?"
"You