She paused at the door to her apartment and sniffed. She could smell Sergei inside. Alone for a change.

No doubt Verchiel's mongrel is busy tending to her master. Good, let her work her wiles on him.

Griselda was barely inside when the phone rang. Sergei made a point to ignore it. With a hard look at him she snatched it up. "Hello?"

"UmExecutioner, Griselda?"

"That is who you called, isn't it?" she snapped. Who did they expect? Cinderella?

"UmHello. ...