The victim was a twelve-year-old girl. I wondered who had really done it. Mike’s boss had told them he wasn’t there.

Whoever had done it had taken off his badge. Likely Mike’s boss knew who it was. I thought about the nice detective, then shook my head.

They were rooting for him. They were doing everything they could – except turn in the real killer.

But I changed my plans as soon as I saw her face. I called Kanesha. “Hey. Kanesha, would you…”

“Whatever you want.”

“Talk to Clara and get some kind of demon detector, then go talk to the kid’s family.”
Kanesha could do it openly. She could reach across the gap, maybe convince them Mike couldn’t be the cop who did it.
At least tell them we were going to find the real one. She could do this better than I could.

“Alright. We’re looking for…”

“Direct influence from Tyz’vel. If there isn’t any, then see what you can do to work on them. I’m going to try and find the real perp.”

“That’s going to be tough.”
“I suspect he’s somebody who actually does look a bit like Mike, but you’re right. It is.” I shook my head. “But I have to try.”

“Just don’t…”

“Don’t worry. I won’t hurt him. Even I know that would make things worse,” I quipped. “Heck, Thea knows that.”

She laughed. “Alright.”

I hung up, hoping that I wasn’t putting her at too much risk. But Tyz’vel, was avoiding attacking her directly.

I had a feeling I didn’t need to be there to protect her. I protected her just by existing and loving her.

Then, I headed for the cop station. I slipped inside.

“Hey,” the desk sergeant said. “You guys holding up?”

“At least until CPS shows up, yeah. But they won’t get me anyway.”

“Oh?”

“They try it. I’m filing for emancipation.”
The sergeant grinned. “You go, girl.”

The question was whether I could get it for Kanesha. “Can I talk to Detective Hargrove?”

“He’s actually…kind of expecting you.”

I felt my lips sort of curl inwards. “Of course he is. He knows me too well.”

“He’ll meet you in interview room three.”
Better privacy than his office, I supposed. But the bare room was not exactly conducive to feeling safe and protected. It was designed to make you feel intimidated and threatened. It worked.