No doubt Arra heard his original question in the pause. Less than no doubt that she didn’t want to deal with the answer either. “The moment I realized there was more than one shadow remaining, I headed for the soundstage but was prevented from entering by the presence of CB and the two officers.”

“And the shooting light,” Tony muttered, wrapping the space blanket more tightly around him.

“The light alone wouldn’t have stopped me—it’s a social contract, not an impenetrable barrier—but barging in past witnesses would have required explanations I couldn’t give. Not when two of those witnesses were police officers whose suspicions were already aroused. While we waited, they interrogated me about what we were doing together on Saturday, but I don’t think they believed what I told them.”

“May/December fag-hag romance?”

“What?”

“Never mind. What did you tell them?”

“Exactly what you told them. That you were spending your time off learning another aspect of the business, expanding your skill set, and keeping yourself employable.”

“And they didn’t believe that?”

“She seemed fine with it. He seemed reluctant.”

“Why didn’t you . . . ?” He snaked a hand out from under the blanket and used it to wiggle his nose. As Arra stared at him blankly, he sighed. “You never watched Bewitched? No,” he realized, “how could you? You pretty much just got here. Why didn’t you do magic? Make them believe what you wanted or forget you were there as you made a run for the soundstage?”

“The gate was opening. To use power so close to the open gate . . .”

“He would have known you were here. Well, he sure as shit knows now.” And things fell into place with a nearly audible click. “He was never looking for another world to conquer, he was looking for you.” Tony knew he was right. Knew it because of the way the color left the wizard’s face, leaving her looking old and gray. Knew it because of the way she turned and walked to her desk and sank down into her chair as though her legs would no longer hold her weight. “You’re the one that got away.”

“He killed everyone else in my order.” For the first time since he’d known her, Arra sounded old.

“And he wants to complete the set.” A flash of bodies nailed to a blackboard and Tony thanked God that his stomach was empty. Not everyone had died quickly and before these two were finally allowed an end to pain, they’d probably told the Shadowlord everything he wanted to know.

“They didn’t know what variables I’d used to open the gate,” Arra said, as though she’d been reading his mind. “They couldn’t tell him where I was. He must have had to keep opening gates at random until he got lucky.”