Lupi 06 - Blood Magic

you receive. They believe he's been using Johnny Chou most recently, though that was over a year ago. His preferred style is a single knife-thrust to the heart. Shall I contact Homeland Security to see if they have any record of him entering the country?"
    "Absolutely. Though without a photo... will they have any way of checking records for him?"
    "The facial recognition software won't work with a sketch. You are correct that it's a long shot, but they should be made aware." She paused. "I apologize for not having extended your original search to include international agencies. You are new to this work. I should have offered you more direction."
    An apology from Scary Ida? Lily automatically responded with the kind of formality she might have used with Grandmother - had Grandmother ever done something as outrageous as apologize. "If you want me to accept your apology, I will, but I'm aware that the failure was mine. Thank you, Ida."
    Ida cleared her throat. "I would like to ask a favor."
    The mind just kept boggling. "Sure."
    "Agent Weaver was kind enough to allow me to be a hostess for her shower, even though I was unable to attend. And then this - this terrible thing happened. I'm reluctant to contact her myself when she must be terribly worried, but I am anxious for her. Would you let me know when you have news about her husband?"
    So Lily got to share the good news first with, of all people, Ida.
    Once she ended that call, she made another. To Rule. He picked up right away. "You heard?" she said.
    "I did, and God and the Lady bless Sam for it."
    She laughed. "That's very ecumenical of you. Cynna said Cullen used a spell Grandmother taught him."
    "Hmm. Yes, I think it was the spell Cullen traded his unlocking spell for, several months ago. This was when she told him about the Chimei."
    Lily contemplated that in silence for a moment. "No," she said at last. "Grandmother is many things, but she isn't pre-cognitive or prescient or any of that fortune-teller stuff. It has to be coincidence."
    "Madame Yu may not be prescient," Rule said slowly, "but what about Sam?"
    "Why does that creep me out? Ruben doesn't creep me out."
    "Maybe because you know that Ruben doesn't see specific, detailed events that are months or years in the future. He doesn't manipulate the rest of us to meet those events in a specific way."
    "Oh, geez, yeah, that's it. You think Sam could have known that much, that far ahead?"
    "I have no idea. But the possibility creeps me out, too. I've decided not to think about it."
    Probably a good approach, she decided. "How's Toby?"
    "Busy. Excited. He and several others in his age group will be sleeping under the stars tonight. Supervised, of course. They left with Travis a couple hours ago."
    "He's doing okay, then." Toby had been through a lot, including being kidnapped by a nutcase who thought she could put her dead son into Toby's body. He'd been in a drugged sleep during the rescue, so he hadn't seen the woman killed - which was high on Lily's list of things to be grateful for.
    For a while, Toby had clung to Rule, feeling safe only when his father was near. Once they got to San Diego, though, he'd seemed to relax. "He's felt safe at Clanhome. I hate to think that's changed."
    Rule thought Toby was finding his footing, although, as he said, it was impossible to know what a nine-year-old was thinking. But he considered it a good sign that Toby was so keen on the hike and campout. "Though he's annoyed that he can't go visit Cullen yet. Ah... he hasn't heard about the fire. You know what Clanhome's like - people don't have the news on 24/7. I... " Rule paused. "I feel guilty for not leveling with him."
    "Parenting seems to be mostly taking your best guess and going with it. Is your best guess that Toby's better off not knowing anything about what's going on? If so, can you be sure he won't hear about it elsewhere? And when should he learn about it?"
    "You ask damned uncomfortable questions sometimes." Rule was silent a moment, then sighed. "I need to tell him some of it. I wanted him to have his campout without this hanging over him, but sparing him now makes problems for him later. Did you learn anything helpful at the hospital?"
    "Not really, but... " And she told him about Ida's call. "Interpol's sending the file electronically, so I'll be checking that as soon as I get to the apartment. What did you need to talk to Isen about, anyway?"
    "You're headed for our apartment?"
    "I'm headed for the shower,