“That was just to avoid our investigations,” Marcella rapped out, her eyes flashing.
“But we resolved those investigations.And as you know he has clearance from the CIA to be in this country.”
“I know.But—” The office phone rang; Marcella got up and went to her desk.She hit the speaker button, her eyes never leaving Sophie’s face.“This is Agent Scott.”
“Agent Scott, there’s a team from DEA here.They say you scheduled a two o’clock?”
“Tell them fifteen to twenty minutes.”Marcella hung up without waiting for confirmation.“Sophie, I’m not trying to put you on the spot.But if we’re going to raid that plane and its hangar that you tracked down, I need to know what we might find.And if your boyfriend is involved.”
So Marcella had already scanned the files Sophie had sent over and found the only real lead they had, the private plane Sophie had discovered that the group might be using to travel back and forth to Thailand.
She set down her sandwich, her appetite evaporating.“I hope you will find the missing artifacts there in some kind of storage, but to be honest, I doubt it.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Seems too easy.”Sophie shrugged.“But a search of the plane and its hangar might tell you more about the thieves.If they’re moving the artifacts on that plane, etcetera.We should do it.”
“There’s no ‘we’ here.I’m getting a warrant and gathering a team to search, but you won’t be coming with us.Sorry.”Marcella grabbed an electronic tablet, sat back down, and resumed eating.“You and Pierre are ‘consultants’ for us now, okay?You know the drill.We’ll do our thing, and we’ll ask you for information when we need it.”
“I expected as much.”Sophie had started her career as an investigator with the FBI; she was familiar with their protocols.“You don’t need to remind me that I’m a civilian now.”
“And you didn’t answer the second part of my question.About your boyfriend being involved.”Marcella narrowed her eyes.
“Connor’s not my boyfriend, as I just finished telling you.And he’s not involved.”Sophie kept her voice steady and her gaze trained on Marcella’s.
“But is he still involved with the Yam Khûmk?n?”
Sophie pushed aside the sandwich, abandoning any attempt to eat it.
If she didn’t answer the question directly, it would erode Marcella’s trust in her, and Marcella would find out who the organization’s leader was, eventually, anyway.“Yes.But he is not involved with the thefts.”
Marcella made a note on her tablet, the stylus clicking against the screen.“Is he your source?The one who told you the Yam Khûmk?n is involved in these thefts?”
“It’s a splinter group.Not the main one that he’s in charge of.And I cannot confirm or deny anything about my source.”
“Oh, please.”Marcella rolled her eyes.
Sophie’s phone buzzed in her purse.She ignored it.Marcella’s eyebrow arched.
The sound came again, insistent.
“You should get that,” Marcella said, but her tone suggested they weren’t done with this conversation.
Sophie took out her phone, seeing Armita’s number.Her stomach tightened; her nanny never called unless something was wrong.
She stood and turned her back as she answered.“Armita?”
“Sophie, I’m sorry to bother you.”In the background, Sean was crying—not the angry wails of a tantrum but frightened, hiccupping sobs that made her chest ache.“Sean had a bad nightmare at nap time.He woke up screaming for you, and nothing I do helps.He keeps saying ‘Mama’ and pointing at the window like something terrible is there.”
Sophie’s body had already made the decision before her mind caught up, her muscles responding to primal maternal programming that overrode everything else.
She pivoted to reach for her handbag.“Take him to my bedroom—sometimes the big bed helps.Close all the curtains and dim the lights.Sing him the rainbow song.I’ll be home as soon as I can get there.”
“I’m glad you’re on your way.This is not normal for him.”
“I know.You did right to call.”Sophie slid her phone into her bag.
Marcella wore an expression that mixed understanding with a touch of regret.“Emergency at home?It’s been a bit since I’ve had one of those calls.Jonah is in school now, and the baby’s daycare is Marcus’s sister or his mom.They handle her so well I feel like an appendage.”
