"It's Heda. If she says she'll do it, she'll do it. Then she'll get two hours of sleep and still ace everything."

"Damn her," Madison said, her mouth curling up at the edges.

"That's what I always say, but people call me jealous."

"Who's to say I'm not?" She waited for Billy to trundle off toward the sound of Sasha's snoring.

"So what's up?"

Edgar leaned forward, and a quick scan told Madison that he Looked perplexed.

"This afternoon, a lot of the investigators and security folk were talking, trying to see if we could figure out something about this guy we're all hunting. One thing we do is check to see if there's been anyone known to be skulking on campus, old stalking cases, or anything else weird."

“Makes sense."

"Yeah, but the part that doesn't make sense is why someone would hire a two-bit snooper out of Albuquerque to look into you."

"What?!" Madison yelped, her heart in her throat.

"Me? Why?"

"I'm not sure. Campus cops picked him up apparently. Decided he didn't have a good enough reason to be on campus . . . I forget what bullshit excuse he gave. But a sorcerer on the campus force was able to delve into his head without being noticed and apparently got your name. He didn't sense any hostility or threat from the guy and really couldn't explain to anyone how he got your name, so he didn't press it. Guy never showed up again. Any reason that you can think of why someone would be looking after you?"

"No. I mean, I've tried flying under everybody's radar. When was this?"

“A year or so ago. Maybe a bit longer. Ring any bells?"

"No. Nothing."

"I want you to be careful. I don't know if it has anything to do with the current case --"

"You think he was scoping out his victims well in advance? You think I'm targeted? Who was this guy following me and —-"

"Shh," Edgar said, hugging the frantic young woman.

"It may wind up being nothing. We're looking for the guy down in Albuquerque as a person of interest. Just be really watchful the next time you --"

"I'm never leaving the house," she said, then stopped to scan her surroundings.

"Ed!" came a voice from the stairs, "You just out and told her didn't you?" Heda moved forward to glare at her brother.

"She deserves to know."

“Couldn't you at least have waited until they found that guy and got him to talk —-"

"And how long would you propose that we wait before --"

"Hey, I'm still here!" Madison snipped.