“Yes, but he said … because of Nadia. Her suicide.”

I fiddled with the zipper on my jacket. “Yeah. That was … nice of him, considering what he’s been through today.”

“Very nice,” he said in a hard voice, drawing my eyes back to him. His hair was messy, and some of it was standing on end. His jeans were low on his hips and his T-shirt was fitted enough to make me look away.

I thought of what Tegan had said about Laney. “How many of the girls you called invited you over to comfort them?”

He cleared his throat. “I don’t think—”

“Three,” said Jim.

My gaze slid to Malachi’s face. He was staring at Jim like he’d love a chance to rough him up in a dark alleyway.

“It’s fine.” I motioned for Malachi to move and sat down at the computer. Instead of getting his own chair, he stepped behind me, close enough so that I could feel the heat of him.

I combined some research with a lesson in computer literacy for Henry and Jim. We checked YouTube—two more videos of the Animal Guy, except it was obviously two different Mazikin, with different body types and hair color. One was in the cemetery near the burned-out nest, but it had been taken before the fire. The newest video had been taken beneath a highway overpass near the waterfront.

“That’s one of the homeless camps,” I said, pointing to the tents in the background. “Henry, I think you were right about these being favorite spots for the Mazikin.”

I got up and stretched. “Raphael left some equipment for me in the basement. I’m going to get the stuff ready before I have to get back to Diane’s. We’ll patrol tonight. Henry, you’ll be with me.”

Henry nodded and silently walked toward the stairs.

I glanced up at Malachi as I edged past him. “Like I said on the phone, you and Jim can go sniff around the emergency shelters.”

His footsteps dogged mine as I hit the stairs to the basement. “What equipment did you request?”

I entered the training room to find a pile in the middle of the floor. “Henry and I are going undercover,” I explained. “It’s supposed to be a little warmer tonight, and that video showed that there are people staying in that camp. We’re going to join them. I want to see if we can talk to a few people—and maybe be in the wrong place at the right time.”

Malachi stared at the equipment on the floor, which closely resembled a mound of garbage. “You’re hoping to get attacked.”