Jubilee slouched on a bare cot in the corner of a dim cell, her back against the wall. Sweat coated her skin, as much from the lack of air conditioning as from her nerves. It had been over an hour since Officer Chang had locked her in. Since then, her initial acceptance of her fate had hardened into resentment. How long were they going to keep her here? And how was she going to get out of this mess? She curled her fists against the cot, equal parts angry and afraid.

Footsteps approached, and she looked up. Graeson Law—the source of all her problems—appeared, wearing an impassive look as he peered at her through steel bars.

She might’ve been relieved to see him if she didn’t feel like killing him. How dare he set her up like this? What had taken him so long to show up?

The wait was probably deliberate, just to scare her. It had worked. Scowling, she stood, her hands itching to strangle the man. Except she couldn’t, or else there’d be a real reason to keep her in here. “No,” she declared before he could speak.

The pale man considered her calmly. “I haven’t said anything yet. What exactly are you denying?”

“No,” she repeated with venom, “I will not work for you. This is coercion.”

“On the contrary, this is justice,” he said.

She stiffened for a second. What exactly did this man know about her?

He continued. “There is no ‘Julie Wong’ among the valid permit records. Illegal residents can’t just run freely through this country, after all.”

She glared, although internally she breathed a sigh of relief. “So, you found a petty excuse to bring me in. Yes, I forgot to get my permit renewed.” Okay, forgot and then got lazy, but still. “Isn’t this a bit overboard, though? People forget to renew their permits all the time. At worse, they get slapped with a fine.”

“No,” the detective corrected. “At worse, they get fined and deported.” He stepped closer. “And in your case, a stalking charge will go permanently on your criminal record.”

“What—!”

“Which means,” he continued, ”That you won’t be able to work with children again—in any country.”

She gaped in outrage. “I was not stalking that girl,” she seethed. “And you know it. Even if I were, she’d have to file the charge. You can’t do that.”

The man’s lips twitched upwards in the closest thing to a smile she’d yet seen from him. “Actually, Miss Wong, you’ll find that I can.”

She was about to call his bluff when she noticed the line over his head. It was straight and true.

So. Being pals with the police had its privileges.

The detective caught her crestfallen expression. “I see your skill as a human lie detector appears intact,” he said, looking pleased. “Which is why I’m willing to arrange for your release and pardon...in exchange for your cooperation.”

Of course. This was blackmail.

Unfazed by her glare, he went on, “I admit that I usually like to work alone. However, given the unusual circumstances surrounding this case, your apparent ability to see the unseen presents an advantage that could be wise to invest in. As such, I am willing to make it worth your time. Not only will you get all the benefits of official employment for the duration of this case, but you will also receive a permanent residency card as part of the deal.”

Her glower turned into a momentary look of amazement, before darkening once more. Although his words were less than precise, she understood enough to know what he meant—this was both blackmail and bribery.

“Well, Miss Wong?” he prompted. “What will it be?”

“It doesn’t look like you’re giving me a choice.”

“Of course I am.” He put his hands in his pockets and leaned casually back on his heels. “You have a choice between deportation and criminal charges—or a job and legal residency in this country, no questions asked. If you choose the latter, you’d be paid well, have weekends off, and receive housing and healthcare as part of your contract. If not...well, I doubt you’ll ever have such a generous offer again. Not in China, anyway. Perhaps not anywhere.” Shrugging, he gave her a gesture of invitation. “But, by all means, make your choice.”

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Jubilee’s jaw tightened. With misdemeanors on her record, the chance of her past thefts coming to light would dramatically increase should she be forced to return to the States. The authorities might start investigating her the moment she passed through customs. Even if they never did catch on to her prior crimes, the detective was right—she’d never land a decent job again. The stalking offense would come up in every employer-required background check, and she’d lost the one good referral she’d had. Honghua Orphanage was the only prior job experience she could’ve put on her resume—besides eBay seller and former thief. He had no idea the jeopardy he was putting her in.

Or did he?

She quelled the sudden panic rising within her. Quit being paranoid. If he really did know her past, she’d be in far worse trouble than she currently was.

But if she accepted his offer, how long would it be until he figured it out? And before he did, he’d no doubt force her into long-term proximity with that demon to investigate the girl it was following. The very thought made Jubilee sick with dread. What might that demon do to her if it noticed she could see and hear it?

Regardless of her choice, the detective had also seen to it that she could no longer return to the orphanage. As a result, she’d never be able to see Kailin or the other kids—the best parts of her life since Jenny—again.

This guy had ruined her life.

Then again, he was also offering her—or subtly forcing on her, more like—an entirely new life…albeit not one she was sure she liked. But it might be the only way to help someone avoid the demonic entanglement she herself was once trapped in. Wasn’t that the whole purpose behind the gift she’d received?

It looked like the more difficult but rewarding path meant working with this man. Without murdering him, she thought bitterly.

Slowly, she walked up to the bars to face the detective. “Let’s take a moment to clarify things, Mr. Law,” she began, throwing his own words from their first interrogation back at him. “If I agree to work for you on this case—you’ll drop all charges against me and grant me permanent residency here...no questions asked?” Like why she had a personal interest in helping that girl. Or why she didn’t go by her real name, which she’d eventually need to share to get that residency card—a benfit she never could’ve acquired on her own without several years of working at Honghua.

But maybe, just maybe, this could be her means of returning there.

“Yes,” he agreed. “No questions asked.”

“And you actually have the power to do that?”

“I wouldn’t make such promises otherwise.”

Jubilee noted that the line over his head remained straight. Still, she was suspicious. “When exactly do I get my residency card?”

“As soon as the case is solved. In the meantime, I have ensured leniency for you to get your temporary permit renewed late, without penalty.”

Convenient. But… “How long is the case going to take?” she demanded. “What if it’s never solved?”

A hard glint flickered in his pale eyes. “I have never failed to solve a case,” he said. “As for the length of time that involves, it is impossible to predict in this line of work. But I can say that I have a track record for being efficient—and no intention of deviating from that pattern.”

So, it could take a while, but not forever. That might at least allow her to stall for now on revealing her true name to him. It wasn’t as if it were illegal to go by an alias, but she’d rather not deal with any more interrogations from him for a while. It sounded like he didn’t want the investigation to drag on for too long either, which was good.

“You will clear my name at the orphanage,” she said firmly.

“If you wish.” He cocked his head. “Though it hardly matters, seeing as how you won’t be working there again anytime soon.”

“It matters to me.”

He nodded. “Then I’ll see that it’s done.”

“Immediately,” she said.

His eyebrows knit together. “Tomorrow,” he countered.

“Fine.” She gave him a long look. Could she really tolerate working with this man, for God knew how long, until the case was solved? “I have some other conditions.”

The detective considered her a moment, then tilted his head in an invitation for her to continue.

“One,” she began, “I work for you on this case only, and only until it’s solved.”

“Agreed,” he said immediately.

That was easier than expected. Then again, he didn’t come off as much of a people person. “And two...” she continued, swallowing. “I plan to free that girl from that demon.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, only looked at her with an expression of what seemed like mild interest. Then, he said, “You are welcome to pursue that if you wish. I will not stop you.”

“When it comes to that portion of this case, I want to work on my own terms,” she added.

“That can be arranged.”

She eyed him warily. “Not that again. Say exactly what you mean.”

He exhaled in what might’ve been a sigh. “I will see to it that you have plenty of free agency to operate with during this investigation,” he droned. “Which will allow you to pursue your goals however you desire. ”

Well. That didn’t sound like half that bad of a job. If only it didn’t have to be with him.

“Alright then.” Jubilee took a deep breath. Dad...I hope this is what you want. Though she really wished it weren’t. “I’m in.”