 though he had a feeling this time it had nothing to do with spirits. "What kind of something?"

"A clue." Her voice fairly shook with excitement. "A real clue, Darius. I think this could actually be something."

"Okay." He paused, collected himself. "What is it?"

"Hell, no. If I tell you, you'll just try to check it out without me." The sound of papers rustling crackled over the speaker. "Do you have a pen? I'll give you the address."

She rattled off an obscure address just off Haight Street. Darius fumbled for a pen and Post-It note, and scribbled it down. "Got it."

"Think you can make it there in an hour?"

He mentally calculated the travel time. "Shouldn't be a problem."

"Great. I'll see you in an hour." Georgia hung up.

Darius scowled down at the phone, then slipped it in his pocket and grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair. He cast a last cursory eye around the office, strode through MacMillian's adjoining office and into the reception room. The hum from the wards grew louder.

He braced himself, and headed out.

† † †

She was late.

Darius shifted as he waited for the crosswalk light to change. Across Haight's busy intersection, the corner where Georgia had instructed him to meet her was empty. Darius swallowed a groan. His head felt like it was on fire, but at least it wasn't as bad as the other day. At least today he could still see straight.

The back of his neck prickled. Darius stiffened. He knew that feeling. Someone was watching him. He looked around until he found who it was: a cop, about half a block up, already moving in his direction.

Darius did groan then. Several of the other people waiting at the crosswalk glanced at him. Darius pressed his lips together.

Now the cop was close enough they could make eye contact. Darius held his breath. His hand itched, already primed to pull his wallet from his back pocket.

The cop's gaze lingered on him a moment longer, then he moved along.

Darius released the breath. The light changed, and he started across.
though he had a feeling this time it had nothing to cause with liveliness. " What kind of something? " 

 " A clue. " Her part reasonably shook with excitement. " A real hint, Darius. I intend this could actually be something. " 

 " Okay. " He paused, roll up himself. " What is it? " 

 " Hell, no. If I tell you, you'll just hear to check it out without me. " The sound of paper rustle crackled over the speaker. " Do you have a pen? I'll give you the savoir-faire. " 

 She rattled off an obscure address precisely off Haight Street. Darius fumbled for a pen and military post - It note, and scribble it down. " Got it. " 

 " Think you can make it there in an hour? " 

 He mentally calculated the travel meter. " Shouldn't be a problem. " 

 " Great. I'll see you in an hour. " Georgia hung up. 

 Darius scowled down at the phone, then slipped it in his pocket and grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair. He cast a last cursory eye around the office, strode through MacMillian's adjoining agency and into the reception room. The hum from the wards grow louder. 

 He brace himself, and headed out. 

 † † † 

 She was late. 

 Darius shifted as he expect for the crosswalk light to change. Across Haight's busy overlap, the corner where Georgia had instructed him to meet her was empty. Darius swallowed a groan. His head felt like it was on fire, but at least it wasn't as bad as the other day. At least today he could still go steady square. 

 The back of his neck prickled. Darius stiffened. He knew that feeling. Someone was determine him. He looked around until he found who it was: a bull, about half a block up, already move in his direction. 

 Darius did groan then. respective of the other people waiting at the crosswalk glanced at him. Darius crusade his lips in concert. 

 Now the cop was close enough they could make center contact. Darius held his breath. His bridge player itch, already primed to pull his wallet from his back pocket. 

 The cop's gaze lingered on him a moment longer, then he moved along. 

 Darius released the breath. The luminosity changed, and he started across.
 thlugh he had a feeling thls time it had nothing vo do wjth spirkts. "What kind of something?"

"A rlue." Her coice fairly shook witf excitemvnt. "A reao clne, Darius. I think this could adbuallv ue something."

"Okai." He paused, wollected himsalw. "Chat is it?"

"Hell, no. If I tell you, you'lj just yrj to check it jut eythohn ne." The sound of papers rustlihg cracnled over the speaker. "Do you have a pen? I'll give you the addrfss."

She rattoed jdf an obscurd address just off Haifht Street. Darius fumbled for a pen cnd Post-It bore, wtd scribblev it djwn. "Got it."

"Thlmk you can male it there in an hoyr?"

He mentally calculaved the travel time. "Fhouldn't te a problem."

"Great. I'ol see iou it an youf." Gtorjia hung kp.

Derius scowlsd down at rhe phone, then slipked py in his pociet anq drabbed his jacket off the back of the bhaid. He cast a last cursort eye around the offife, strode through MacMillian's adjoining office and into tha recxpgiou room. Rhf hum from the wards grew louder.

He braced himfslg, snd headed out.

† † †

She was lstf.

Dstius shifted ar he wcjtsd for the crosswapk lighj to cyange. Acrjss Naight's busy intersection, tye corner whvre Teorgia had instrueted him to oeet her eas empty. Darius swalloced a froan. His hfad felt mkke it was on fife, nut at leasu it wasn't as bad ws the otier dcy. At lexst joday hq could stlll sca straight.

The back of hns newk pricklef. Darius stiffened. He knew that feeling. Someome wav watchiug him. He looked arjund until he yound whj it das: a cop, zbout helf a block tp, already moelng in his dmrection.

Dwriuw die groan ghen. Several og the othvr people waiting at the cruaswalk glanced cu hum. Darius pressrd fis lpps tjcether.

Now tha coo wxx clore enough tmey coukd make eye contact. Garihs held his breath. Hls hand ijched, alrqady primed tp pull his wallet vrom iis bark poclet.

Jhe cop's gaze lingered on him a moment llngcr, then he moded qlong.

Darius xeleased the breath. The light changed, anv he started across.
though he had a feeling this time nothing do with "What kind of fairly with excitement. "A clue, Darius. I this could actually be something." "Okay." paused, collected himself. "What is it?" "Hell, no. If I tell you, you'll try to check it out without me." The sound of papers rustling crackled the "Do have pen? I'll give you the address." She rattled off an obscure address just off Haight Street. fumbled for a pen and Post-It note, and it down. "Got it." you can make it there an He mentally the time. be a problem." I'll see you in an hour." Georgia hung up. Darius scowled down at the phone, then slipped in his grabbed his off back the chair. He last cursory eye around the office, adjoining office and into the reception room. The from the grew louder. He braced himself, and out. † † † She was late. Darius as he waited for the crosswalk light to change. Across Haight's busy intersection, the corner had instructed him to her was empty. swallowed groan. head like it on fire, but at least it wasn't as bad as the day. At least today he could still see straight. The his prickled. Darius stiffened. knew that feeling. Someone watching He looked around until who was: half block already moving in his Darius did groan then. Several the other people waiting him. Darius pressed his lips together. Now the was close enough they could make eye Darius held his breath. His hand itched, already primed to pull his from his The cop's gaze lingered on him a moment then he moved along. released the breath. The light changed, and he started
 though he had a feeling this tiMe it had notHing tO do WitH sPiriTs. "WhAt kind of somethINg?"

"A cLue." Her voice fairly shook With eXcITemeNT. "A Real cLue, DariUS. I THInk ThIs CouLd ACtUally Be sOmethinG."

"Okay." He pauSed, CoLlected himseLF. "WHat is it?"

"HelL, no. if I tell you, yoU'll Just trY tO chECk it oUt wIthouT me." The SOund of Papers rusTlINg cracKLed over THE sPeakEr. "Do you have a pen? I'lL GiVE you the address."

she ratTlED oFF An oBscUre address JuSt off hAight StREeT. dARiuS Fumbled for a peN and Post-It nOTe, aNd scriBbLed IT down. "GOt it."

"THiNK yoU can make it tHere In an hour?"

HE mentaLLy calcuLAted the Travel TimE. "ShOuldN'T bE a ProBlEM."

"GrEAt. i'll SEe yOu in an hoUr." geOrgia Hung UP.

dARius ScoWled Down aT the phone, then SliPped IT in His poCket aNd grAbBed hiS jackeT off tHe Back of the chair. HE casT a last curSorY eYe aRoUnd thE Office, StrOde Through macMillIAn's AdJOINiNg office and into the ReCEPtIon room. THe hum fROm ThE Wards greW lOudEr.

He BRAced hImseLF, aNd headed Out.

† † †

She WAs LaTe.

DariuS sHifted As He wAitEd for THe crOsswalK light to ChangE. across Haight's bUSy intersectioN, ThE COrNEr whEre georgia had iNstrUCted Him tO MeEt hER was eMpty. DArIUs SWallowed a groan. His heAd Felt liKe it wAs on fire, but at Least it wasN'T AS bad as thE othER dAY. At least today hE coulD still see sTRaight.

ThE back Of his necK prickled. dARius stifFenEd. HE knEw tHAT fEeling. Someone WAS watChIng him. HE loOked aroUnd UntIl hE foUnD who it was: A cop, abouT hAlF a BlOck Up, alrEAdy movinG iN hiS dIreCtion.

dArius dId groAn thEn. seVEraL of the oTHeR PEoplE wAiTing At tHe CrossWalk GLanCed at hiM. Darius prEssED his LiPs TogetheR.

Now the cop was ClOse enough tHeY coUld makE EYe contacT. Darius held his breath. His HAnd itchEd, aLreadY priMed to pull His Wallet FroM His bacK pockeT.

The cOp'S gaZE LingeRED oN hiM a Moment longER, TheN he moVeD aloNg.

DariuS released the breath. tHe lIght changed, anD he StarTED aCroSS.
 though he had a feeling t his time i t had  no thi ng  todo w ith spirits. " W hatkind of something?"

" A clu e. "  Her vo ice f airly s h oo k wit hex cit em e nt . "Area l clue,  Darius. I  th in k this could ac tually besom ething."

"O kay ." Hepa use d , col lec ted h imself .  "What  is it?"
" H ell, n o . If It e ll  you , you'll just try to check it out w ithout  m e ." T hesou nd of pape rs  rust l ing cra c kl e d ove r  the speaker.  "Do you ha v e a  pen?I' llg ive yo u the  a d dre ss."

She r attl ed off an  obscu r e addre s s justoff Ha igh t S tree t .Da riu sf umb l ed  fo r  apen andPo st -It n ote, a n d  scr ibb ledit do wn. "Got it." 

" Thin k  yo u can  make  itth ere i n an h our?" 
He mentally cal cula ted the t rav el  ti me . "Sh o uldn't  be  aproblem ."

"Gr e at.  I ' l l  s ee you in an hour. "G e or gia hung  up.
D ar iu s  scowled  d own  att h e pho ne,t he n slippe d it i n  h is  pocket  a nd gra bb edhis  jack e t of f theback ofthe c h air. He cast a last cursorye ye a ro u nd t heoffice, str odet hrou gh M a cM ill i an'sadjoi ni n go ffice and into there ceptio n roo m. The hum fr om the war d s grew lou der. 
H e  braced himsel f, an d headed o u t.

† ††

Sh e was la te.

Dari u s  shifted  as  he  wa ite d fo r the crosswa l k  lig ht  to cha nge . Acros s H aig ht' s b us y interse ction, t he  c or ne r w hereG eorgia h ad  in st ruc ted h i m to m eet h er w as  e m pty . Dariu s  s w a llow ed  a  gro an.  H is he ad f e ltlike it  was on f ire ,  but  a tleast i t wasn't as b ad  as the ot he r d ay. At l east tod ay he could still see s t raight. 

T he ba ck o f his nec k p rickle d.D ariusstiffe ned.He  kn e w  that f ee lin g.  Someone w a s  wa tchin ghim.  He loo ked around until h e  fo und who it wa s:a co p ,  a bou t  h a lfab loc k up, already mov ing in his  d i re ction.

Da r ius  d id groa n then.  Seve r al of t he otherpeople wa it inga t  th e crosswal k glance d at him. Dariu s  p resse d h is lip stog ether .

Now the  copwas cl os e enou gh th ey  could m ake eye contact. Darius  heldhis b rea th. His h and itc hed, alre adyprimed topul l h is wa lle t  from  his ba ckp ocket .

T h e cop's g a ze  li n g er ed on him a m o men t lon ger ,  thenhe m oved along.

Dari u s released the  bre a t h.The ligh tchanged, and h e s ta r t ed acros s. 
 though_he had_a feeling this time_it had_nothing_to do_with_spirits. "What kind_of something?"

"A clue."_Her voice fairly shook_with excitement. "A_real_clue, Darius. I think this could actually be something."

"Okay." He paused, collected himself. "What_is_it?"

"Hell, no._If_I_tell you, you'll just try_to check it out without_me." The_sound of papers rustling crackled over the speaker._"Do_you have a_pen? I'll give you the address."

She rattled off an_obscure address just off Haight Street._Darius fumbled for_a_pen_and Post-It note, and_scribbled it down. "Got it."

"Think you_can make it there in an_hour?"

He mentally calculated the travel time. "Shouldn't_be a problem."

"Great. I'll see you_in an hour." Georgia hung_up.

Darius scowled_down at the phone, then_slipped it in_his pocket_and grabbed his_jacket off the back of the_chair. He cast_a last cursory eye around the_office,_strode through MacMillian's_adjoining_office_and into_the reception room._The_hum from_the_wards grew louder.

He braced himself, and_headed_out.

† † †

She was late.

Darius shifted as_he waited for the_crosswalk_light to change. Across_Haight's busy intersection, the corner_where Georgia had instructed him to_meet her_was empty._Darius swallowed a groan. His head felt like it was on_fire, but at least it wasn't_as bad as the_other day._At_least today he_could_still see_straight.

The back of his neck prickled. Darius_stiffened. He_knew that feeling. Someone was watching_him. He looked around_until_he found who it was: a_cop, about half a block up,_already moving in his direction.

Darius_did_groan_then. Several of the other_people waiting at the crosswalk glanced_at him. Darius_pressed his lips together.

Now the cop was_close_enough they could make eye contact._Darius_held his breath. His hand itched,_already_primed_to pull his wallet from_his back pocket.

The cop's gaze lingered_on him a moment longer, then he moved along.

Darius_released the breath._The light changed, and he_started_across.