yes.”
“And?”
“You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t trust you completely. You too, Amaro.”
Hound snorted. “That’s a vague answer. We’ve got privacy rights, you know.”
“I know,” Maliha said. “And I needed to feel comfortable before I shared my story with you. I can’t undo what I’ve already done—once—but there’s the door if you feel violated.”
“Hound, shut up,” Amaro said. “Your so-called privacy is violated worse than that every time you get on the Internet. Like when you bought that black lingerie for Glass.”
“What the fuck! How did you know about that?” Hound said.
“If you’d think for one second, you’d know. You used one of Maliha’s credit cards. Who do you think pays the team’s bills? Me, that’s who.” He poked Hound in the chest. “And you call yourself a private investigator,” Amaro said.
“Could we get back to the subject?” Maliha said.
“Only if he doesn’t spy on me anymore,” Hound said. “Kid, anytime you want to finish what you started with that finger in the chest, just let me know.”
If I didn’t love them both, I’d kick them out.
“Do you two need a time-out in your rooms?” Maliha said.
There was no answer, but no more arguments, either.
“One of our friends is in mortal danger. Don’t you think we should stay on topic?” Maliha said. “This is really going to impress Eliu when she gets here.”
“Truce,” Amaro said.
“Truce,” Hound said. “You started it with that viewing business.”
Maliha was about to speak, but Hound held up his hand to fend her off. He went over to the envelope. “I’m going to check for fingerprints, not that I think I’ll find any.” He retrieved a fingerprint kit from a case he’d brought with him and got to work.
“What about asking Jake for help?” Amaro said. “Maybe he can look for government involvement.”
Maliha bit her lip. “I’ll have to think about it. Why do you think the government’s involved?”
“Just a hunch. It might have something to do with that video of you.”
“That was a month ago. You might have a point, though. Sounds like it’s time for you two and Eliu to go to a safe house.”
I could use their help but it’s too much to ask. Too dangerous. One member of the team has been targeted—the others could be next.
“You’re kicking us out when we want to help find Yanmeng?” said Hound.
“No way,” said Amaro, shaking his head. “Uh-uh. Not this time.”
Maliha frowned. “I don’t have time to worry about everybody.”
“Excuse me, Miss High-and-Mighty, don’t you think we’re worried too? We want to help and you’re not shunting us out of the way. If you think I’m going to go sit in some tin can and chew my fingernails . . .”
“Can’t you work from there? There are secure computers,” she said.
“Hell, no! I was planning to catch a flight to Seattle, where I can act like a goddamned private investigator and investigate!”
“Amaro, you . . .”
Amaro’s cheeks were flushed and his eyes narrowed. He shook his head.
“Who the hell’s in charge here?” Maliha said.
Maybe breaking up this team can’t come soon enough.
The room grew quiet. Another word tossed out and the tension would have ignited. Finally Maliha plopped down on the floor, unsheathed her whip sword, and began the delicate process of cleaning it—again.
Amaro went off to his room, slamming the door. Hound sat cross-legged on the floor, knee-to-knee with Maliha. It wasn’t an easy position for him to get into, with his old injuries, but he managed with a little grunting.
“That wasn’t intended as some kind of threat, was it?” he said.
“What?”
“Getting out that whip right at that moment. Asserting dominance.”
“Of course not,” she said.
“It’s hard for me to know. We’ve been friends for a long time. We were lovers. But there are still things I don’t know about you and know that I never will.”
She lowered her
“And?”
“You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t trust you completely. You too, Amaro.”
Hound snorted. “That’s a vague answer. We’ve got privacy rights, you know.”
“I know,” Maliha said. “And I needed to feel comfortable before I shared my story with you. I can’t undo what I’ve already done—once—but there’s the door if you feel violated.”
“Hound, shut up,” Amaro said. “Your so-called privacy is violated worse than that every time you get on the Internet. Like when you bought that black lingerie for Glass.”
“What the fuck! How did you know about that?” Hound said.
“If you’d think for one second, you’d know. You used one of Maliha’s credit cards. Who do you think pays the team’s bills? Me, that’s who.” He poked Hound in the chest. “And you call yourself a private investigator,” Amaro said.
“Could we get back to the subject?” Maliha said.
“Only if he doesn’t spy on me anymore,” Hound said. “Kid, anytime you want to finish what you started with that finger in the chest, just let me know.”
If I didn’t love them both, I’d kick them out.
“Do you two need a time-out in your rooms?” Maliha said.
There was no answer, but no more arguments, either.
“One of our friends is in mortal danger. Don’t you think we should stay on topic?” Maliha said. “This is really going to impress Eliu when she gets here.”
“Truce,” Amaro said.
“Truce,” Hound said. “You started it with that viewing business.”
Maliha was about to speak, but Hound held up his hand to fend her off. He went over to the envelope. “I’m going to check for fingerprints, not that I think I’ll find any.” He retrieved a fingerprint kit from a case he’d brought with him and got to work.
“What about asking Jake for help?” Amaro said. “Maybe he can look for government involvement.”
Maliha bit her lip. “I’ll have to think about it. Why do you think the government’s involved?”
“Just a hunch. It might have something to do with that video of you.”
“That was a month ago. You might have a point, though. Sounds like it’s time for you two and Eliu to go to a safe house.”
I could use their help but it’s too much to ask. Too dangerous. One member of the team has been targeted—the others could be next.
“You’re kicking us out when we want to help find Yanmeng?” said Hound.
“No way,” said Amaro, shaking his head. “Uh-uh. Not this time.”
Maliha frowned. “I don’t have time to worry about everybody.”
“Excuse me, Miss High-and-Mighty, don’t you think we’re worried too? We want to help and you’re not shunting us out of the way. If you think I’m going to go sit in some tin can and chew my fingernails . . .”
“Can’t you work from there? There are secure computers,” she said.
“Hell, no! I was planning to catch a flight to Seattle, where I can act like a goddamned private investigator and investigate!”
“Amaro, you . . .”
Amaro’s cheeks were flushed and his eyes narrowed. He shook his head.
“Who the hell’s in charge here?” Maliha said.
Maybe breaking up this team can’t come soon enough.
The room grew quiet. Another word tossed out and the tension would have ignited. Finally Maliha plopped down on the floor, unsheathed her whip sword, and began the delicate process of cleaning it—again.
Amaro went off to his room, slamming the door. Hound sat cross-legged on the floor, knee-to-knee with Maliha. It wasn’t an easy position for him to get into, with his old injuries, but he managed with a little grunting.
“That wasn’t intended as some kind of threat, was it?” he said.
“What?”
“Getting out that whip right at that moment. Asserting dominance.”
“Of course not,” she said.
“It’s hard for me to know. We’ve been friends for a long time. We were lovers. But there are still things I don’t know about you and know that I never will.”
She lowered her
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