Raul handed her a towel. "Why didn't you use the elevator?"

Zanya said "Why break with tradition?" and gave her black hair a good rubbing.

The last time she'd been here was when Raul was laid up with a virus he'd gotten from drinking some bad blood, and she'd helped get him back on his game.

"So what brings you?" he said.

"I need a place to stay."

He glanced at the backpack she had slung over one shoulder, swept his hand around the room and said with a smile and his accent, "You got it."

"Thank you."

"Stay as long as you like. But if you don't mind my asking, what happened to where you were?"

"It got crowded."

Raul nodded. "I understand." He pointed toward the bathroom. "Why don't you get out of those wet things? Take a hot shower, I'll find some dry clothes."

"Thanks. Oh, and one other thing."

"What's that?"

She unslung the backpack and patted it. "I brought a friend."

Raul frowned. "What kind?"

"Reptile."

Raul looked uncertain – then lifted his chin toward the bathroom. "Put it in the tub until we figure something out."

She smiled. "Only you would put up with a pregnant cobra."

"What?"

"Just kidding."

# # #

When she came back out after her shower, she'd changed into some jogging sweats that Raul had set out. She glanced over at the windows, could see it was still raining, turned to the open kitchen and sniffed the air. "What are you cooking?"

Raul was at the stove poking a long fork at a frying pan. "I had a nice liver I thought you might like."

"Friend or foe?"

"I think it actually came from a cow. Your snake friend get herself settled?"

"It's actually a guy, and he's fine."

She took a seat at the granite counter and watched Raul cooking the meat. "What are you working on these days?"

"I'm looking into some financial transactions that have a whiff of larceny."

"What else is new?"

"Right." He lifted the liver with the fork and let it drip hissing into the pan. "Rare?"

"Please."

Raul put the dripping meat on a plate, picked up a knife and sliced it in two. He put one half on another plate and plucked two pieces of toast from the toaster. Put a piece on each of the plates and slid one over to Zanya. "Feel free to make a sandwich."

"Thanks." She picked up her piece of liver with her fingers and took a bite. Wiped the red juice off her lips.

Raul turned off the stove and took a seat by his plate on the counter. "So what's been happening with you?"

Zanya chewed and swallowed. "You ever hear of a cult guy named Eamon Spink?"

Raul paused mid-bite. "Where did you come up with that one?"

"A friend of mine has been trying to track him." Her getting jealous vibes again, remembering how Strasser had opened up to that bitch in the coffee shop.

"Good luck. He dropped out about ten years ago."

"I know. Can you help me find him?"

Raul gave her a quizzical look. "Who's this friend?"

"Don't be nosey. But he's got an issue he'd like to settle."

"It must be a good one he's been carrying it around this long."

"I thought maybe you could put the word out, discreetly. See what comes back. I'll pay the going rate for any information that connects."

Raul thought for a moment. He nudged his piece of liver around on his toast and got ready to take another bite. "I'll see what I can do."

# # #

Strasser and Kumi were sitting on Zanya's mattress, their backs against the loft wall, waiting out the rain.

Kumi said. "You think it's worth checking to see if she went to work?"

Strasser shook his head. "I think that's the last place she'd be. She's in the wind, at least for now."

"So you're saying this little trip of ours is a bust."

"Unless you come up with something better," he said, not totally disappointed.

Kumi turned and stared toward the window, watched the rain falling steadily on the fire escape. She pondered for a few moments, wiggling her bare toes, and then seemed to reach a decision. "I think I might have something."

"What's that?"

"Let's screw."