Eddie looked into Roland’s eyes for a moment, then took the swag-bag and slung the strap over his shoulder. “You’ve got a feeling.”

“A hunch, yes.”

“Ka at work?”

Roland shrugged. “It’s always at work.”

“All right,” Eddie said. “And Roland—if I don’t make it back, take care of Suze.”

“Your job is to make sure I don’t have to.”

No,Eddie thought. My job is to protect the rose.

He turned to the door. He had a thousand more questions, but Roland was right, the time to ask them was done.

“Eddie, if you really don’t want to—”

“No,” he said. “I do want to.” He raised his left hand and gave a thumbs-up. “When you see me do that, open the box.”

“All right.”