It was pretty obvious they’d been on a date. And since I’d heard nothing about it, probably a first date. Which explained the “sensitive timing.”

“Detective Robinson,” I said, giving her a nod. “Great night for a drive.”

“It was,” she said with a thin smile, then lifted her dark eyes to Theo. “Although it turned out to be a very short drive.”

“I’ll make it up to you,” Theo promised. “After we rescue Rose.”

Concern shadowed her face. “You sure you don’t want backup?”

“I think we need to keep this low key,” he said, and glanced at me.

I nodded. “If there’s any chance to save her cover, we need a small team, quick-moving. But we’ll call the locals if it gets to that.”

We looked at each other awkwardly for a minute, until I realized they were waiting for me to give them a private moment. So I turned back, took a sudden interest in the posters and flyers that nearly covered one wall. Lot of missing cats in this neighborhood.

“Good night, Elisa,” I heard Gwen say.

Figuring it was safe, I turned back to see the car speed away again.

“You’ve got the Pack’s SUV?” Theo asked.

I’d borrowed the vehicle from my boyfriend, the son of North American Central Pack’s Apex.

“I do. It’s parked down there,” I said, and pointed down the block. “I had wine, so you’re driving.”

“We didn’t get to wine,” he said grouchily as I offered him the key fob.

“What did you get to?” I asked as we climbed into the car.

“Very little. We were planning on Italian food and some very good Merlot. Instead, I’m driving to Edentown. Which nobody wants to do.”

“Other than the people who live there,” I said. “Since when are you two an item?”

“Would have been forty minutes, although we spent most of it in the car. This was our first date. And it took a month to get her to agree.” He gave me a sour look.

“Blame the assholes in Edentown,” I said.

* * *

I’d have loved a coffee, but there was no time. So while Theo drove, I reviewed the dossier Roger had provided.

“Do you know this woman?” I asked, scanning through the materials on my screen.

“No. I mean, I know Roger had informants who only wanted to report to him, but he doesn’t share them. Anything interesting in the background?” Theo asked.

“Nothing that stands out,” I said, again scanning the materials on my screen. “Parents dead. Looks like there was some drug activity there. She came into her magic at thirteen. She figured out she could use her magic for the grift and fell in with the human crowd her parents ran with—mostly bangers, miscreants, and assholes. Larceny and forgery are also favorites. Nothing violent, which is probably why Roger agreed to work with her.”

“But she could use the juju on us?”

“From what Roger said, her power isn’t strong enough to manipulate the unwilling. And she doesn’t have much incentive since we’re the ones trying to help her. But I’ll let you know if I feel anything unusual.”