Billy went through the connecting door.

“I underestimated you, ” said Fugisawa. “I was sure you’d brazen

it out. What gave me away?”

“A very slight involuntary tension of the facial muscles, ” Modred

said. To Fugisawa’s surprise, he spoke in perfect Japanese. “Almost

imperceptible. Don’t feel badly, Lieutenant. You have a very good

poker face.”

“Not good enough, apparently, ” Fugisawa responded in his own

language. “Your Japanese is excellent. Far better than my English.

You have spent time in Japan before?”

“I lived here once, but it was a long time ago, ” said Modred with

a smile.

The connecting room door opened and Billy came back in, along

with Wyrdrune and Kira. And, Fugisawa was astonished to see, an

ambulatory broom with thin, rubbery arms that had three digits on

each hand.

“This is Lt. Fugisawa of the Tokyo Police Department, ” Modred

said to them, reverting back to English.

“Oy vey!” said Broom as Fugisawa’s eyes grew even wider. “Now

what did you do? Are we going to be arrested?”

“Be quiet, Broom, ” said Wyrdrune.

“I was about to ask Lt. Fugisawa how he found us, ” Modred said.

Fugisawa hesitated. “What difference does it make?”

“I am trying to be polite, ” Modred said. “I would prefer if you tell

us voluntarily.”

“And if I don’t, you will politely shoot me in the kneecaps with

your pistol? It may be silenced, but I’m afraid that I’m liable to

scream. That could tend to disturb the other guests of the hotel.”

“It wouldn’t be anything quite so dramatic, ” Modred said.

“Merely a simple spell of compulsion.”

“I see, ” said Fugisawa, glancing at Wyrdrune. “Your friend is an

adept, of course. A highly skilled one, judging by his unusual

familiar. And I suppose that he will teleport my body elsewhere

when you’re finished?”