Lupi 09 - Mortal Ties

would,”
     he added, “and I’ll need privacy for that.”
    “Oh. Right. You should be able to work on your spell at the hotel. What comes next
     for me and Rule depends on what Romano tells us. Also on if we hear from Machek, or
     if Arjenie has learned more about that Hugo character you told me about. If she…shit,
     I forgot to turn my ringerback on.” She glanced at Rule as she reached in her purse. “Have you got someone who
     knows the city well, or should I supply someone like that? If we end up faking an
     exchange, that could be important.”
    “There’s Murray, but I don’t like to pull him away from Beth.” Rule considered briefly.
     “Tony Romano knows San Francisco. He’s lived here for…what is it?”
    She was frowning at her phone. “Beth called two more times, and there’s a text from
     her, too. She wants me to call. She put ‘urgent’ in all caps. It probably isn’t, but
     I’d better call.”
    Rule knew what she meant. Beth wasn’t the fashion-obsessed airhead she liked to impersonate,
     but Lily’s family had a blind spot about her job. They tended to think it was a great
     deal more interruptible than it was.
    Lily tapped the screen. Rule heard the phone ring, then: “Lily!”
    “Beth?” Lily said. “What did you—”
    “Thank God you called. He’s missing. The police don’t want to hear about it,” she
     said bitterly. “They gave me this bullshit about waiting forty-eight hours. They think
     he’s forgetful or drunk or just doesn’t want to see me, but Sean’s as dependable as
     sunrise. We had an appointment today at ten—a business appointment—but he wasn’t there,
     and that’s so not like him. And I can’t find anyone who’s seen him since our Bojuka
     class last night.”
    “Who are you talking about?”
    “Sean. I thought I said that. Sean’s missing. Sean Friar.”
    B ETH’S tiny walk-up wasn’t far from Machek’s house geographically, but it was light-years
     away economically. The living room—which was also the dining room and kitchen—was
     colorful, cluttered, and cramped. After one glance inside, Rule had told Scott to
     wait in the hall. Lily wasn’t sure where the other guards were.
    By the time she shoved pillows aside to sit on the shabby but comfortable couch, Lily
     had counted five elephants,including the framed print she’d given Beth for Christmas this year. Beth loved elephants.
     The large, square coffee table was Beth’s contribution, too, though it hadn’t been
     painted neon pink back when it sat in their mother’s living room. The apartment smelled
     funny. Not pot, but some kind of incense, she thought.
    Rule sat beside her on the couch. Cullen parked his rear on the lone barstool that
     served as additional seating. Beth paced and talked, clutching her phone in one hand
     like a security blanket. Hoping he’d call, Lily thought. Hoping it was all a silly
     mistake. Not believing that, but not willing to put down the phone, either.
    “His bike and his car were there, so I checked the windows, but they were all locked.
     The ones on the ground floor, anyway. I couldn’t get to the upper story.” Beth whirled
     to face Lily. “What if he’s lying in there, too hurt to answer?” Tears sparkled in
     her eyes. “The stupid police won’t check!”
    She’d cut her hair again just before Christmas, so Lily had seen the current crop
     already, but the blue streak was new. The spikes were more due to distraction than
     to make a fashion statement. Beth kept running her hands through it. “They aren’t
     supposed to break into people’s homes unless the need is immediate and urgent. It’s
     a house, not an apartment?”
    “Yes. Does that matter?”
    “Sometimes an apartment manager will open a unit for the police without a warrant.
     Sean works from home, you said. Does he have a housekeeper?”
    “She only comes in twice a week. Today isn’t her day.”
    “And he doesn’t have any other employees.”
    “I told you I called Carly and John!”
    “You didn’t tell me they were his employees. What did they do when they came in to
     work and Sean wasn’t there?”
    “Oh. They didn’t. They’re contract, like me, though they’re more full-time than I
     am, but they still work from home. See, Sean designs a program’s basic architecture
     and handles the trickier parts—he’s brilliant, really—and theywork on some of the components. He calls me in for the graphics, if they’re needed.
     That’s