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She supposed at this point she should vouch for Vadim’s integrity too, but she didn’t want to inhibit him. He definitely was hiding stuff. Hopefully she’d said enough to keep Feehan happy at least for a while.

He reached for her hand and awkwardly patted it. “Well, I’m very pleased for you—I think. Vadim is…”

“Well equipped to deal with me. I think that’s what you’re trying to say, isn’t it?”

His smile was wary. “Something like that.”

“Seriously, boss, Morosov and I want to solve this case. If I thought he was the murderer, I sure as hell would tell you.”

“Then what do you think is going on?”

“I think this Adam guy is trying to draw attention away from himself and onto Vadim to confuse us. And it’s working. But at least this time we’re better prepared for when Adam comes back.”

“He’ll be back?”

“You have to assume he’ll want to complete his task and force Ms. Phelps to kill herself.”

“Hopefully we’ll be able to stop that this time.”

“Ms. Walsh, what the fuck are you doing?”

She slammed down her shields. “I’m sure we will. Shall we go back now?”

Feehan left her at the door to Ms. Phelps’s room, and she braced herself for what lay within. Vadim was leaning back against the wall, arms crossed. His expression wasn’t encouraging and his eyes were narrowed to icy blue chips. The temperature in the room dropped below freezing, and a couple of black feathers swirled in the air.

Oh, crap.

“Ms. Walsh.”

“Morosov.” She gestured at the bed. “No change here, then?”

“No.”

She sighed. “For God’s sake, stop sulking. I had to tell Feehan something. Between him and Liz, you were starting to figure as a shoo-in for the killer.”

“So you told him we weremated?”

“It was better than telling him about your connections with Adam and the Otherworld sect, wasn’t it? I had to choose the lesser of two evils.”

“Our mating is an ‘evil’ now?”

“Don’t split hairs, you know what I mean.” She glared at him. “I thought you’d be pleased. You’re the one who’s always complaining that I don’t take it seriously or want to tell anyone.”

“You didn’t share the news because you werehappyabout it. You shared it to get yourself out of an awkward confrontation.”

She shot to her feet and advanced toward him, batting a few feathers out of her way. “Isharedit to getyouout of an awkward situation, you dumbass.”

He stared down at her and she shook her head and turned away. “You’re such an idiot sometimes, Morosov.”

“Ella.”

He reached for her, but she shook him off and marched right out of the room. She should have agreed with everything Feehan suggested and let Vadim sort it out from his Otherworld prison cell. She halted in the hallway. Where the hell was she going? She’d agreed to share the night shift with him.

She started walking again. He’d be fine while she got herself something nice and sugary to eat at the cafeteria. When she calmed down, she’d go back, and maybe, if he had any sense,he’dbe the one to leave for a while…

The door to the janitor’s office to her right opened and she instinctively went for her weapon.

“It’s all right, Ella, it’s only me.” Rossa’s head appeared around the door and he beckoned to her. “Come in here!”