Azazel and Shemhazai watched two men run from the Younger house and get into a car. The men pulled away from the curb and raced down the street.
Azazel frowned. “Things have grown more complicated.”
“Let’s go.”
They walked up the path to the Younger residence. The door was open. They went inside.
Azazel covered his nose. “This place reeks of death.”
Shemhazai nodded. “Someone is definitely unclean.”
Azazel pointed to the floor. “Blood?”
“Someone is wounded, certainly.”
They moved into the living room. John and Carol Younger lay on the floor. Azazel crouched near John. “This one is still alive. Possibly drugged.”
Shemhazai was beside Carol. Her eyes were wide open, her face a mess of blood and skin. “She is not.”
“Curious,” Azazel said and stood. “Shall we search for the boy?”
Shemhazai also stood. “He is not here.”
“But those men didn’t have the child.”
“That’s true,” Shemhazai said slowly.
“Do you think the priests have the boy? The ones we saw earlier?”
Shemhazai nodded.
“Given the lack of co-operation between the priests and these other men, I would have to assume that only one of the groups is working at cross-purposes to our own efforts.”
“Possibly. What are you suggesting?” Shemhazai asked.
“It would seem that we should attempt to establish an alliance with the men who are unclean. They might lead us to the priests and the boy.”
“Very well, let’s find them. If they agree to help us find the child, fine. Otherwise, they are an impediment to our mission.”
Azazel said, “And I shouldn’t like to have additional impediments. Not when we are so close to bringing this matter to a close.”