But as we filed in, we weren't looking at the posters. All our eyes were drawn to the granite-topped reception desk-and Philip, resting a hip on it casually, like a shot out of GQ.
"Homina," Cinnamon said.
"I like his cologne," Jinx said, her hand on my wrist giving a brief squeeze.
"Miss Frost, thank you for coming," he said, winking at me. Then his gaze took in Jinx's cane, Cinnamon's headphones, and Spleen's one-good-eye fidgeting, and he actually seemed at a bit of a loss. "So," he began, one hand brushing his dark, evil-Spock beard, "I, uh-"
"Special Agent Philip Davidson," I said, "please meet Skye 'Jinx' Anderson, my graphomancer. She's graciously agreed to come down to get this process started, and my… associates were kind enough to give us a ride."
"I'll wait out here, if that's OK. OK? OK," Spleen said, fidgeting harder, looking around the office, trying not to stare at the single heavy black door that went out of reception and into the back. "You know, to watch her." He nodded at Cinnamon, who growled.
"Y'all do that," I said, pecking Rand on the cheek. "I owe you one, 'Uncle Andy.'"
Phil ushered us through yet another big heavy door with a big knobbly lock. "Your cat friend," he said in a low voice. "That's not makeup-"
"Drop it," I said. "She has it hard enough as it is."
Philip conducted us through a clean, well-lit group of offices paralleling Atlanta Homicide, and then through a darkened observation room into the same evidence room where I'd first seen… 'it.' The cadaverous man was gone, but wiry-haired old Balducci was there, scowling, leaning back from the evidence tray before him like it might bite him.
"Miss Frost, good to see you again," he said, obviously not pleased to see me again at all. "Agent Davidson, I'm still not sure this is a good idea."
"We need all the help we can get," Philip said. "Miss Anderson, if-"
He paused, and I turned. Jinx was frozen in the door. "Jinx, are you all right?"
She stood for a moment, then took a deep breath. "Yes, yes, I'm fine," she said, slowly stepping forward into the room. "So. It is here."
"Yes," I said.
"Well," she said. "Show me."
Balducci raised his eyebrows but said nothing as I pulled out a chair for her and guided her into it. I started to reach for the tray, but Jinx held up her hand.
"I can tell where it is," she said, a bit sharp. "Could I have a little room?"
Balducci's chair squeaked back as he popped to his feet, and suddenly he, Philip and I were in three corners of the room, all far from Jinx. I looked over at Balducci, then Phil. They were just as uncomfortable and sickened by the lid as I was.
Then Jinx reached for the lid-and screamed.