I winced. "Yeah, that very one."
"Why the hell are you working with him?"
"Because I'm trying to track down John Nadler, and Jak's got a lot of useful street contacts."
His sigh was one of exasperation. "Riley's right. You're not only pigheaded but determined to see this through no matter what you have to do, or who you have to use."
It was no surprise she'd said that—she knew me better than most. "If it was Riley who'd been murdered," I said softly, "wouldn't you react the same?"
"The difference is," he snapped, "I'm a trained guardian. You're not."
"No, but I've been taught to fight by two of the best, I'm not without means of protecting myself aside from that, and I have a reaper following me about who needs to keep me alive."
He grunted. Whether that meant he was finally accepting my continuing pursuit of both Nadler and my mom's murderer was anyone's guess. "Okay, I've pinpointed your location. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." He hesitated, then added, "Do not go back into that house until I arrive."
"I won't." I hung up and glanced at Azriel. "No matter what you think of Lucian, he can't have been involved in this. I haven't seen him, haven't talked to him since last night, and even if he could read my thoughts, he wouldn't have had time to get down here before Jak or me."
"All of which is true," Azriel commented. "That does not, however, change my opinion that he is involved in all this somehow."
"You," I said flatly, "are annoyingly pigheaded."
"Perhaps it is the company I keep that makes me so."
I snorted and waved a hand at Jak. "You'd better release him."
"Do you wish me to update his memories to include your ringing the Directorate?"
I nodded. Azriel touched Jak lightly and energy swirled, whispering through me like a sweet autumn breeze.