I smile, getting up and following his colleague to the door.
“I’ll see you later,” I say to Elijah.
We exit, and I follow the female officer down the corridor to another door.
She holds it open for me to enter before closing it behind me.
“You really can’t stay away, can you?” a voice I recognise comes from deep inside the room.
“You know me,” I say, stepping forward with a grin. “It’s good to see you. I missed you before I left.”
“How’s the move gone? Are you settling in?”
“You know, still surrounded by boxes, but baby steps. I was only there for a week before I came back.”
“Wedding plans? How was Kristophe when you left?”
“What’s this? Twenty questions,” I ask, dropping into the chair opposite.
“Small talk?”
I laugh. “You and small talk? Kristophe was fine. He understands me.”
“I’m glad.”
We sit in an awkward silence.
“What next?” I ask finally.
There’s only one reason The Seamstress is here.
She smiles. “Nothing.”
I incline my head. “Nothing?”
“You’re retired. That hasn’t changed. They sent me to thank you. You foiled a plot that could have had a serious impact on businesses and the government. But then you know that.”
I nod. “I added safeguards.”
A small smile plays on her lips.
“I expected nothing less. You always were the best.”
“Am the best,” I say.
“Are the best,” she agrees. “How is Elijah doing?”
“Frustrated, confused, as we all are. Unable to see the bigger picture.”
“The Frazers are under attack. This is likely to be just the beginning.”
I think back to the number of plots I uncovered that stopped after Robert’s death. My heart lurches at the memory.
“And we’re still no closer to discovering who is pulling the strings?”
“No. Whoever did it is covering their tracks well.”
“You got my statement?” I ask. I finished it while Elijah showered. “I recognised the code patterns. Know Needle is involved.”
