Tariq made a call. When we arrived at a nondescript brownstone in the east Sixties, I realized that his physician, Dr. Khan, was the man I’d seen enter his apartment building after I’d tangled with Tati. Dr. Khan was in his mid-forties with a pudgy, chipmunk face and the energy of a puppy, even when we arrived at two in the morning. He questioned me about my vision, if I’d thrown up, or had any clear discharge from my ears or mouth. He examined the bump on the side of my head, then gave me a vision test and stared at my eyes. His own were the color of bitter chocolate. “You have some scratches on your neck. Were you attacked by an animal?”

“You could say that,” I answered, wondering if I needed a rabies shot. “But some people might consider her a person.”

Dr. Khan raised an eyebrow. “It will be necessary to make some scans. We must rule out any internal bleeding.”

This basement office was clearly part of a suite of medical labs. It was unusually well equipped; I had an MRI right there. Dr. Khan seemed inordinately pleased. “Very good news. No fracture and no hematomas. You are a lucky young woman.”

When we piled back into Tariq’s SUV, I put my head back on the warm velvet cover of the neck rest. A blink of an eye later, we were in front of Jesse’s building.

“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty,” said Tariq.

I looked at him, leaning over me, his face close to mine, and I kicked him. “What the—?” he gasped.

“Sorry. Force of habit.” I sat up straight. “What time is it?”

“Almost four A.M., Lil.” Jesse was smiling. “You were out like a light.” He helped me out of the SUV and held me steady while my legs wobbled. Upstairs, Jesse and I collapsed onto a couch together, and Tariq sat opposite from us, languid as a panther. He didn’t seem tired, but jetlag might have been working in his favor at this point. It would have been time for lunch in Pakistan now.

“I have questions for you.” My voice sounded slurred to my own ears. “Do you know where Claudia is?”

“Lily, I did not return from Lahore, leaving the house of my mother, because I know where Claudia is.”

“How come you have to sound like such a know-it-all?” Jesse interjected. “Couldn’t you just say ‘No’ like a normal human? That too much to ask?”

Tariq stared at him with his opaque, dark eyes and straightened his tie. I noticed his hands, thick as slabs of beef with long, meaty fingers. I remembered Claudia’s commentary about his unusually impressive physical attributes and gave my head a shake. “Do you have any clue at all where she is?”

“No,” said Tariq. “Do you?”

“I have no idea. When was the last time you saw Claudia?”