I don't think it's Edward that takes out, or attempts to take out Mommie Dearest. Anita mentions that in her "dreamstate", MD is moving around more. Has more space. Rather than just pacing her room, Anita saw her outside of it. Edward actually freaks and says he was offered a contract on her life, which he turned down. At this point he didn't want to go on any probable suicide missions and not get back to the wife and kids. Hearing that MD was gaining powers, IMO, made him feel like he might have just saved his own neck. HE didn't say so, but that is what I inferred.
Later on, because of the danger to Anita, both Edward and Olaf offer to go kill MD for Anita. Neither one wants MD to take her over, much less what kind of power she (MD) would then have then. Anita says no, however, somebody either succeeds or at least attempt to.
And as to who might have taken the contract out? I think it's either Belle or the Council at large. Belle makes another appearance in Anita's dream and says she wants MD killed.
I'm thinking that not only might MD not be dead, but whoever planted that explosive just released her.
Course, I could be wrong! Gee, ya think?
Forgot to mention something. Do you remember a book or so back, that when Anita was fighting against one of her innerbeasts not to burst out of her, that her fingerstips were bloody? I believe that was the first sign that LKH might indeed go there. Anyway, that happens again. Only, it's one of her tigers this time and it tries to claw its way out of Anita's stomach, which then needs stitches to patch her up. I really don't want LKH to go there, I really don't. If Anita does actually become furry, that will tick me off.
Another thing that is bothering me is Anita continues to have to fight for any positive influence she has with any law enforcement recognition. More so now than before. It's exhausting her and frankly, me as well and leading her down a path of giving up her marshall status. She doesn't want this and neither do I, however, if she turns furry, all deal are off. They won't allow her to be a marshall any longer and as I said, Anita is getting very tired of that fight as well as fighting her "sexual" rep. Her reputation on both counts continues to get MAJOR slammed and proceeds her into any case she is enters.
Anita seriously need to take the 4th mark. I think a great deal of the mayhem would go away if she did that. Not her sexual rep, but I think she could get a better handle on the rest of it, the audeur and her beasts for example. Plus, she needs to have JC (as well as Richard's strength) to draw on and with her always from now on. Not just thru telepathy, but them actually becoming each 1 part of a third at all times.






