“You’re in front,” said Daggett. “That means you’re leading the way. Jesus Christ, we could’ve been walking in circles, you stupid bitch.”

She stopped and turned.

“Goddammit,” he said, “stop doing that. Keep walking.”

“Not unless you stop with the name-calling.”

He stared at her. “What?”

“Stop calling me that.”

“Are you … are you serious?”

“I don’t like it. From the very start you’ve been, like, totally misogynistic. You may have a problem with women, fine, whatever – but I don’t need to hear about it.”

“I’m holding a gun on you.”

“And that’s bad enough without listening to your hatred.”

“Are you shittin’ me right now?”

“I’m not shitting you, no. Are you going to quit it with the misogyny?”

He scowled. “What’s … what’s misogyny mean?”

“It’s the hatred of women.”

“And if I quit hating women, will you keep walking?”

“Yes.”

“Then okay, I’ll stop being … whatever it’s called.”

“Misogynistic,” Amber said, and started walking again.

“How do you know we’re not walking in circles?” he asked from behind.

“I don’t,” she said. “You’re the one with the map.”

“It’s a map of Vancouver.”

“I have no way of knowing where we are, Phil, all right? No idea.”

“Call me the Yukon Strangler.”

“I have no idea where we are, Yukon Strangler.”

They walked on in silence for a few moments.

“Just call me Phil,” Daggett muttered.

Night had fallen – real night, with darkness and everything – by the time they heard the motorcycles. By this stage, they were surrounded by trees that appeared as solid blacks in a darkening haze. Yellow headlights came at them in shifting strips.

“There,” said Daggett, giving her a shove. “Hurry. Go faster.”

Amber picked up the pace. Puffing now, he hurried after her, barging through a last tangle of branches and leaves. He caught up with her just as she reached the Charger.

Daggett froze. “Hey,” he said. “This is—”

Milo appeared behind him, gun pressed to the side of Daggett’s sweaty head. “Drop it.”

Daggett froze. Then, slowly, he held out his arm, and dropped the gun.

Milo pushed him up against the car, started to frisk him.

Daggett glared at Amber. “You tricked me.”

She ignored him, and spoke instead to Milo. “His name’s Phil Daggett. He wasn’t interesting enough for the Shining Demon to make a deal with, but he’ll get what he wants if he hands me over. He says he’s not the only one who’s been offered this.”

Finished with the search and finding nothing, Milo stepped back and considered their options.

“We could put him in the trunk,” Amber suggested.

“I don’t like small spaces,” Daggett said immediately.