Kate walked gingerly into the hangout to find Jasmine and Rico sitting together in front of the dark screen of the smashed TV. Stacy was close behind her, taking in the squalid conditions, concerned but apparently not shocked. Kate guessed she’d seen worse places than this in her time in the city.

‘Are you guys OK?’ Stacy asked.

‘Jeez,’ said Jasmine, jumping in surprise. ‘Ric, my man, you are popular tonight.’

‘Hey!’ Rico looked delighted to see them. ‘Kate! Kate, I know where Tom’s mom and dad’re staying.’ He gestured excitedly through the archway that led to the next room, where Kate could hear the police radio squawk and splutter. ‘Cops was talking about some other conference or somethin’ tomorrow, picking them up next morning from a hotel on Madison. Room 3003.’

‘That’s great news, Rico, well done!’ Kate saw a tiny band-aid on Rico’s arm just above the elbow. ‘But what did Woollard want here?’

‘What all doctors want,’ Rico complained. ‘Blood, blood, blood, the whole time.’

Stacy smiled in sympathy. ‘But why’d he come here, sweetheart?’

‘Don’cha know?’ Jasmine frowned. ‘Lady, they’re your samples.’ When Stacy looked blank, she went on, speaking slowly like the woman was stupid: ‘He took those samples for you.’

‘No, he didn’t.’ Stacy looked worriedly at Kate. ‘Why would he come around here tonight?’

‘Maybe because Tom got away?’ Kate’s mind was racing. ‘Mom said Takapa wanted Tom for testing, but maybe he’s decided Rico’s DNA will do in the meantime?’

Stacy nodded. ‘Whatever, Woollard’s got some explaining to do. Maybe I should go see him.’

‘Takapa’s dangerous,’ Kate warned. ‘If he’s there—’

‘Hey! Would you mind telling us just what the hell you’re talking about?’ Jasmine said irritably. ‘Any case, where’s Ramone and Polar? And Tom?’

Kate felt her stomach ball itself up.

Rico turned his big eyes on her. ‘Doc Woollard said they’d gone to meet up with you.’

She looked helplessly at Stacy, who could only stare sadly back at her. ‘Uh … Well …’

Jasmine looked at her uneasily. ‘You got something to say, say it.’

Kate took a deep breath. ‘Tom went to meet someone. The real Jicaque. The only one who can help us now.’

‘What d’you mean, the real Jicaque?’

‘That message Polar gave you … was a fake. He sold us out. He’s one of them now. Swagger turned him ’wolf last night.’ The words ground out of her mouth, mechanically. ‘And … Ramone’s dead. He was … the ’wolves killed him.’

‘Dead?’ Rico’s big black eyes filled with tears. ‘This ain’t true.’ He turned to Jasmine. ‘They shittin’ us, right? Right?’

Jasmine eyes had zeroed in on Kate’s. ‘How’d Ramone die?’ When Kate didn’t respond, she asked again, louder, angrier: ‘How’d he die?’