I shrugged. "I needed someone scary, and you weren't around."

She sniffed loudly. "Is it true about your mother? That she's Lilith?"

"Looks that way."

"I had to look her up," Suzie admitted. "I only knew the name from an old Genesis song. I hate it when the world starts going Old Testament on my arse; those guys are

hard-core." She looked like she was about to say something else, then shook her head sharply. "Come on, we need to get moving. If I can track you here, you can bet your enemies will, too. There's a lot of people in the Night-side who want you dead, Taylor. Even more than usual."

"Anyone interesting?" I said.

Suzie started counting them off on her fingers. "First up, we have Sandra Chance, the consulting necromancer. She's mad at you because you destroyed that revolting old Power, the Lamentation, on your last case. (And when you've got the time, I'd really like to know how you did that. The Lamentation was seriously creepy.) Anyway, it seems she had some kind of relationship with it, and she's sworn a blood oath against you."

"Bad news there, old thing," said Tommy. "You're not even safe in your grave, when that demented little filly is out to get you."

"Shut up," I said. I find a little effete goes a long way.

"Then," said Suzie, glaring at Tommy, "there are all the very well connected families of the thirteen Reasonable Men you killed. These grieving families have been putting out some serious paper on you, backed up by very serious money. Enough to tempt every bounty hunter in the Night-side. The families want you dead, and they aren't at all fussy about the details. They did try to hire me."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I was busy," said Suzie.

"But for the right money you'd take me down?"

Suzie smiled briefly. "For the right price I'd take God down. But I'd have to be paid a hell of a lot to go up against you, Taylor."

"Well," I said. 'That's reassuring. Who else is after me?"

"Walker, for the Authorities, but then you probably already know that."

I nodded. "He sent the Shadow Men after me."

It was Suzie's turn to raise an eyebrow. "You defeated the Shadow Men?"

"Not as such," I said. "We ran away."

"Finally getting smart in your old age," said Suzie. "I wouldn't go up against the Shadow Men for all the gold in Walker's fillings. In fact, a trip through Time is probably the safest thing you could do right now. Even Walker has no power over Old Father Time." She glanced disparagingly at Tommy again. "You sure you want to drag him along with us, Taylor?"

"Yes," I said firmly. "I have a use for him."

"Oh good," said Tommy. "Am I going to like it?"

"Probably not," I said.

"Some days you shouldn't get out of bed in the morning," said Tommy. He glared at Suzie. "I don't think we should take her along, actually. She has a reputation for sudden and unexpected violence and a complete disregard for things like consequences. And unthinking acts in the Past can have terrible consequences. Change things too much in the Past, and the Present you return to might have nothing in common with the Present you left from."