Sal pauses, as if trying to remember. “Ah. Yes. It was something like, ‘He is the red one, the fair one, the handsome one. He came from the Earth and now he returns. The faces keep changing.’ I had no idea what it meant. And I still don’t. I wasn’t sure if she actually saw me, or was muttering it to herself. Does it mean anything to you?”

“No. Not yet. Why didn’t you tell the police?”

He looks down, slipping the cig into his pocket. “Slipped my mind.” Clearly, it hadn’t. It reminds me uncomfortably of Tila. I wonder why he’s giving it to us now.

I can tell Nazarin wants to play the hard cop, but restrains himself—that wouldn’t work with Sal. “What did you do next?”

“Called the police. And it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I debated letting her go, you know. I don’t mind admitting that. Tempted to let her wash herself off and disappear into the night. Dispose of the body. Clean up the blood.” He sighs. “But I knew I’d never get away with it, and much as I care for Tila, I didn’t care to sacrifice my livelihood for her. So I locked the doors and pinged the police, instructing them to come in the rear entrance and make as little fuss as possible. But then Tila threatened me with the knife, so I let her go. She grabbed Vuk’s coat by the door to cover up her blood-soaked dress and escaped out the back. I think Pallua saw something, or realized something was wrong, but she hasn’t said anything.”

That explains her nervousness around me, at least.

“Is Leylani here tonight?”

“Her shift should start soon, yes. Will you be telling her what happened?”

Nazarin shakes his head. “No, I don’t think so. No need. But we’ll probably observe her and the other clients briefly before we go home.” He nods at me. “She’s going to work a shift like you agreed. Try her hand at being her sister for a few hours. Let the other hosts and hostesses know that she’s going away to China with her sister. Then she’ll be gone.”

“But Tila’s never returning,” Sal says, his voice bland.

“No, I find it unlikely she’d return to your employ, or that you’d let her.”

Sal considers me again. “Very well. This will be interesting, I suppose.” He tilts his head and points at his eye. “I’ll be watching.”

He smiles, but I’m not reassured.

“It’ll be interesting to see how similar you are to your sister,” he continues, standing and making his way to the window as well.

I say nothing. What is there to say?

“We appreciate your cooperation, Sal,” Nazarin says, standing.