Yuri hoped the Olyix couldn’t pick up on the flash of guilt he felt. “I do what I can.” And what Ainsley Zangari wants.

“Your dedication is to be commended. I will pray for your success in recovering the unfortunate man who has been abducted.”

Yuri gave the alien a level stare. “You are most kind. Your help eliminating one line of inquiry has been very beneficial for me. Thank you.” He steeled himself and shook hands with Hai-3 again. This time he didn’t flinch; anger allowed him to keep a tight rein on his reactions.

—

“Baptiste Devroy was not in his flat,” Boris informed Yuri as soon as he was back out on Geneva’s streets.

“Shit. Where is he?”

“He deactivated his altme and left the flat at ten fifty-seven this morning. Civic surveillance shows him getting into a cabez, which was requested by Dawn Mongomerie, his current girlfriend. The tactical team are backtracking it.”

“Ten fifty-seven,” Yuri mused. “Interesting coincidence; that’s about when we started looking for Horatio. Where was I then?”

“At Horatio’s flat on Eleanor Road.”

“Fuck it, they were watching to see if anyone noticed he’d gone! And then Jessika and I turned up, Connexion security officers. They must have started shitting themselves.” He called Jessika. “I hope you’ve made progress. They know we’re coming.”

“How the hell do they know that?” she demanded.

“Best guess, they were watching Horatio’s flat. Baptiste Devroy is running; the tactical team is on his arse, but there’s no guarantee when they’ll catch up with him.”

“Well, you’re in luck. I’ve got a promising lead here.”

“Good. I’ll be with you in ten minutes.” He called Poi Li as he entered the Connexion hub.

“What’s happening?” she asked. “I see the tactical team missed Baptiste Devroy.”

“Whoever snatched Horatio knows we’re searching for him, which is bad. I’m concerned they’ll cut and run.”

“Then you have to find him fast.”

“No shit!”

“Is he on Althaea?”

“I really hope so, because that’s my only lead left.”

“All right, do whatever you have to.”

“There’s a tactical team already there, supporting Jessika. It may get noisy.”

“Althaea’s barely been awarded its settlement certificate. It’s a world without value. Nobody cares what happens there.”

“You’ll cover for me?”

“With our history, I’m insulted you asked.”

Yuri grinned. “One more thing.”

“What are you, a Columbo wannabe?”

“A what?”

“Old fictional detective. Ask your friend Karno Larsen.”

“Whatever. I need to run something by you, and tell me if I’m being paranoid.”

“Now you’re talking.”

“You’re a major criminal gang, or one of Ainsley’s rivals.”

“Connexion doesn’t have rivals.”

“Envious small-timers. You know: the Brazilian SolarWell consortium. Someone who has the resources and patience to run a long con. Humor me here, please.”

“Have I ever not?”