London.

And you are wearing what appears to be a rather large emerald, for which I

somehow doubt you could produce a purchase receipt. That, coupled with the

gem

your lady friend with the forged passport is wearing in her hand, leads me to

suspect they might be stolen gems."

Wyrdrune gave Kira a pained look. "You forged your passport?"

She shrugged. "How the hell was I supposed to get a passport? I don't even

have

a birth certificate. I didn't figure anyone would check."

"Cosmetic implantation of jewelry is a bit obvious as a smuggling ploy, don't

you think?" said Blood dryly. "It's a unique approach, I'll grant you that,

but

it helps at least to appear to be wealthy if you're going to pull it off.

Where

did you steal them?"

"Look, Mick, you don't understand," said Billy. "It's not what you think.

They

didn't—"

"You be quiet, young man, I'll get to you in a moment," Blood said, pointing

his

index finger at him. Billy fell silent and leaned back against the wall with

a

sigh, folding his arms petulantly. Blood glanced at Jacqueline. "Mademoiselle

Monet."

She smiled at him.

"You, at least, we know something about." He picked up a printout. "From

Interpol, no less. It makes for rather interesting reading. Twenty-five

arrests

for assorted major felonies and not one single conviction. You appear to be a

singularly resourceful woman, Miss Monet."

She gave a slight, self-deprecating shrug and lit up another cigarette.

"Which makes me wonder what you're doing in this peculiar company," Blood

finished, glancing at the others. He looked at Makepeace.

Makepeace returned his long stare with an amiable smile.

"Dr. Makepeace," said Blood, steepling his fingers, "for a university

professor

on vacation you seem to have taken up with some rather questionable

companions.

Aside from having what appears to be a genuine passport and a taste for good

whiskey, I don't know a great deal about you, either."

"Allow me to offer you some more of your own excellent Scotch, Chief

Inspector,"

said Makepeace.

"No, I've had quite enough, thank you. My head's muddled enough as it is."

"You don't mind if I...?"