Waxman leaned back in his chair.“How fast can you put that documentation together?”
Sophie glanced at her watch.“Give me two hours.I’ll need access to my files and the State Historic Preservation database.And ...”she hesitated, “...I’ll need to make some calls to the Hawaiian cultural practitioners who oversee those sites.They can provide sworn statements about the artifacts’ significance.”
“I’ll help.This is my area, too,” Chen said.“Let’s use my office, okay?”
“I was planning to go to the computer lab,” Sophie said.“Feirn is using my laptop.”
“We’ve got extras,” Chen said.“And we’re going to be doing a lot of phone calling, so I think my office is more appropriate.”
Waxman nodded.“Let Chen host you this time,” he directed.
“Too bad Yoshimura’s in the wind,” Marcella said with a touch of bitterness.“She’d have been our best go-to resource.Anyway, while you two address the relics angle, I’ll get the court order roughed out and reach out to a federal judge to let them know that the order will be coming through soon.Sophie, when you have your document prepared, punt it to me
“Do it,” Waxman said.“Also, Agent Scott, coordinate with the Coast Guard.Have them track theMoku Pahuand develop an approach plan, but don’t execute yet.We’ll have one shot at this and we need it to be legally airtight.”
A gentle knock came from the door.“Come in,” Waxman said.
Feirn slid the door open, holding Sophie’s laptop open.“Sorry to interrupt,” he said in halting English.“I done with face.”
He turned the laptop screen to reveal Sunan’s likeness.The man looked younger than Sophie had expected; there was a belligerence to his direct stare.
“This could be a game changer,” Waxman said.“Thank you.”
Feirn inclined his head with dignity.“I happy to help.”
“Move out, team, and get this picture out and about everywhere.Let’s wrap up this case and bring home the goods,” Waxman said.
Sophie hoped to hell it was that easy.
22
PIERRE
Pierre Raveaux was reviewingsecurity footage from the Ala Moana Center for one of this Security Solutions cases.The Security Solutions office hummed with its usual activity—analysts at their screens, the soft murmur of phone conversations, the coffee maker gurgling in the break room.
His phone buzzed.The familiar Hawaii number made his heart jump—Sophie rarely called during work hours unless something important was happening.“Bonjour, Sophie.To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Pierre, I need you at the Federal Building.Now.”Sophie’s voice was tight with an underlying urgency that made him sit up straighter.“Can you bring the artifact database you compiled?The one with all the provenance research?”
He minimized the security footage and pulled up the file in question.“Of course.What’s happened?”
“The shipment of artifacts is on a cargo ship heading for international waters.We need to document that the artifacts are protected cultural patrimony to get a court order to stop the vessel.I'm working with Special Agent Chen, but we need your expertise and that work you did on the stolen items.”
Pierre was already saving the file to an encrypted thumb drive.“I’ll be there in twenty minutes.Anything else I should bring?”
“Just yourself and that brilliant mind of yours.”His neck flushed at her praise.“And Pierre?There's something else I need to discuss with you.Privately.It’s about my mother.”The call ended.
Pierre stared at the phone for a moment before pocketing it along with the thumb drive containing the records.
Sophie rarely mentioned Pim Wat, the woman who had nearly destroyed all their lives the previous year.He’d been injured in an attempt to capture her in Greece, and two young Yam Khûmk?n operatives he’d been working with had lost their lives.
If that devil woman had come up, something was very wrong.
He locked his workstation and grabbed his jacket.Kendall Bix, the chief of operations, looked up from his desk as Pierre passed.“Heading out?”
“FBI needs assistance with the artifacts case.Sophie called me in.”He adjusted his leather satchel, a nervous habit from his Interpol days.“I may be gone the rest of the day.”
“Good hunting,” Bix said, already turning back to his screens.
