“So, you think…”

“I think if it was a real cop that just looked like Mike, Hargrove would have found him.” We were at Thruor’s apartment.

She swore. “I should have thought of that. Unfortunately…”

“…we have multiple witnesses. We have a case that will stand up if people don’t pull the cop card and turn into racist assholes. A lawyer who’s being controlled.”

“If all else fails, I can get Mike out of town.”

I nodded. “It would look like guilt, though. And I have enough income to go for emancipation. Kanesha’s going to be back in a group home.”

Thruor pursed her lips. “I’ll see what I can work on, but I think keeping Mike out of jail…”

She was right, of course. “We do need to do that. But without him being…eh. Everyone’s going to think he’s a racist scumbag.”

“And using Kanesha as camouflage or something.”

I let my head fall into my hands. “I hate him.”

“Tyz’vel? He’s probably hoping for that. Demons know more than anyone how close together hate and love really are.”

“I’d pick Surtur first. He’s at least a gentleman about trying to get in my pants.”

Thruor laughed. “Yeah. It would be a disaster, but he is at least somewhat polite and respectful.”

I lifted my head. “Maybe we need to just make Mike disappear. Or…I haven’t seen my dad.”

“I have. He’s working on something.”

That made me feel somewhat better. If anyone could think up a way out of this situation, it was a trickster. And he would have thought of the shapeshifting trick if only because it’s what he would have done himself.

If he couldn’t get the person to actually commit the crime themselves, somehow. I was sure that hadn’t happened, though.

No. Tyz’vel was good at looking like somebody else. “The only hope I have is to corner that lawyer and try an exorcism. Father William’s working on it.”

“And Kanesha wasn’t able to convince the family?”

“I don’t think they care who goes down as long as somebody does and it’s a white cop. They told her several times she was better off without him.”

They’d also, apparently, told her she was a traitor to date a white girl, but I left that out of it. It wasn’t really relevant. I couldn’t really blame them for hating white people, especially right now.

“Okay. I’m going to make plans to make Mike vanish if need be. You…”

“I’ll keep working on the lawyer. I think the family’s a lost cause.”
And I could not be angry with them for it.