Now Rinko’s laugh made a real appearance, loud enough the line distorted it. “Why don’t we have lunch tomorrow and you can talk me around in person? Come to mine. That way perhaps we can avoid the cameras. I look awful in candid photographs.”

“I can help you with that,” said Lillian.

“You’ll be helping me with a lot of things until your fortunes change. I’m flexible about payment, but I don’t forgive a debt. Even for a friend.”

“Nor should you,” said Lillian. Then, timidly, “We are, still? Friends?”

“I should hope so,” said Rinko. “You’re in dire need of them.”

When Lillian rang off, it took her a moment to realize she wasn’t alone. When she did, it took her another moment to parse the man lurking in the shadows of the doorway as her husband.

“Mother and sons,” she said, hand over her pounding heart. “Jinadh, you scared me.”

“And you woke me up.” He came into her office and looked around for a lamp to light, which there wasn’t. The overhead sconce would have been too bright, so he left them in the gloaming of distant streetlights and the city glare reflected from the clouds.

“Sorry.” She swept fly-aways out of her face, wondering when her hair had begun to escape from its pins.

«I heard the last half,» he told her, settling on a corner of the desk. “Justice? The future of Gedda? And you are going on the wireless with Laurie Kostos.” He grew more accusatory as he spoke. «Lillian, what are you up to? And when were you going to tell me about all this? Before or after you went on the radio?»

“I’m sorry,” she said. “Really. Things are just happening so fast…”

«Daoud was here yesterday, Lillian. And you and I sleep in the same bed. You had time. I’m not a fool; I know that wasn’t a social visit. And I’ve begun to think you left me in that courtroom knowing what would happen. What’s going on?»

She sighed and put her face into her hands, unable to look at him. «You are not going to like it.»

«I didn’t think I would. But I still want to know.»

Before she spoke, she made herself lift her head. «I had some idea what they were planning. Aristide and Cyril. But I was not involved. I only did not want to be here, when … »

«I see,» he said. «And the wireless?»

«We’re breaking the story about Frye. And the tar, and the bomb at the warehouse. On Kostos’s show. Tomorrow night.»

Closing his eyes, Jinadh took a deep breath and swallowed whatever he had been going to say. After a moment, he composed himself and asked, «We?»