Chapter Five Tasha presented herself at the station with decidedly ill grace. ‘Yes?’ she said, slouching into Nuritov’s office with her cap pulled so low over her face, Konrad saw nothing but her nose and lips. ‘Nice to see you again,’ said Konrad. She lifted her chin, and cast him a most unfavourable look. ‘You couldn’t have chosen a better time, I suppose? It had to be tonight?’ ‘Murderers are not usually considerate about things like holidays.’ Tasha brightened at the word “murderer”, her resentment fading a little. Wretch. Lamaeni she may be, but she was only fourteen. ‘You are far too young to be so bloodthirsty,’ Konrad informed her. ‘Oh yes? At what age did you begin?’ Nuritov intervened. ‘Please try to be vaguely polite to our associates, Tasha.’ She flashed Konrad a swift