agencies owe Chai Yenn and Zhen Ting the best work we can do. They are the important ones. Not us. We must put our differences aside and work together like the professionals we are.”
Damn it, Tao. Zack stopped at the door. That was another annoying thing about David. He was a sniper. The man knew precisely how to hit his target and what ammo to use. The gentle reminder he’d just shot struck home like a live round of guilt. Mei nodded her total agreement, as if that helped. A ripple of unease poked at Zack. Everything was not as it seemed with this chick, but he sat again.
What am I not seeing?
“Ma’am, we’d be pleased to share all the information we’ve gathered over the past twenty-four hours, but we would also appreciate the same professional courtesy from you.” David was the quintessential diplomat. “Is there anything you’d like to tell us?”
“That’s why I’m here.” She folded her hands in front of her and wiggled her hips, seemingly eager to please and still throwing off vibes of deceit. “My office has narrowed the search to two attorneys in the D.C. area who deal in overseas adoptions. I have a proposal to—”
Zack cut her off. “We already know about Reginald Richards.”
“You do?” Her eyes registered surprise. “What, umm, else do you know?”
“He’s facilitated the adoptions of hundreds of Chinese girls in the last few years,” David offered.
“And he’s made a boatload of cash,” Zack added. “’Course, I bet you already knew that.”
“Well, yes. Of course, I know that.” She shifted in her chair. “Let’s see what else you’ve got.”
Zack caught the second tell. Agent Xing blinked rapidly, and those once calm hands were squeezed tight. No, make that wringing, as in twisting her fingers like they were rags. The game changed. She might’ve known about Richards, but she hadn’t known about all those adoptions or the money he was bringing down. Zack pulled his chair up to the table, watching for other tells. She had his undivided attention now.
He set the trap. “He specializes in exotic children.”
Bingo. Her brows raised. She didn’t have a clue what he was talking about.
“Exotic? As in...” She let her words trail away, doubtless thinking she was baiting him.
He leaned forward and shrugged like he could care less. “You know. Unusual physical characteristics. Hair color. The shape of their face. Anything to make their looks unique. Physical attributes that fall outside their ethnicity.”
She sucked in a quiet gasp. He had her now. Hook, line, and sinker.
“Like a Chinese American with blue eyes?” she asked quietly.
“Well, yeah,” he admitted. Awareness trickled into his perfectly set trap. The earth shifted. Why had she come up with that specific example? None of the girls they’d located were Chinese Americans, at least as far as he knew. What wasn’t she telling them? What did she know?
She licked her lower lip and glanced down, but her eyelashes fluttered. She was biting her lip–hard. Suddenly, she flattened both of her palms to the table.
“Let me show you what else we have on Richards.” David interrupted the fishing expedition. Just as he flashed the attorney’s profile on the overhead, Alex stormed back into the Sit Room with Mother on his heels.
“Shut it down!” he demanded as he slapped a picture in front of their guest. “Who the hell are you?”
Mother reached around David to turn the overhead off, then scurried out the door.
Zack stared dumbfounded. What had Alex so spun up?
“No, I...I—” Agent Xing caught her breath. She stood to leave but Alex grabbed her wrist, forcing her back to her seat.
“You’re not going anywhere, Agent whoever you are. We’re checking Immigration and Customs. Answer me. Who are you?” He crowded her personal space with pure hostility.
“Mei Xing. I am Mei Xing. That much is true.” She crumbled. “I’m not an agent for Immigration though. I’m
Damn it, Tao. Zack stopped at the door. That was another annoying thing about David. He was a sniper. The man knew precisely how to hit his target and what ammo to use. The gentle reminder he’d just shot struck home like a live round of guilt. Mei nodded her total agreement, as if that helped. A ripple of unease poked at Zack. Everything was not as it seemed with this chick, but he sat again.
What am I not seeing?
“Ma’am, we’d be pleased to share all the information we’ve gathered over the past twenty-four hours, but we would also appreciate the same professional courtesy from you.” David was the quintessential diplomat. “Is there anything you’d like to tell us?”
“That’s why I’m here.” She folded her hands in front of her and wiggled her hips, seemingly eager to please and still throwing off vibes of deceit. “My office has narrowed the search to two attorneys in the D.C. area who deal in overseas adoptions. I have a proposal to—”
Zack cut her off. “We already know about Reginald Richards.”
“You do?” Her eyes registered surprise. “What, umm, else do you know?”
“He’s facilitated the adoptions of hundreds of Chinese girls in the last few years,” David offered.
“And he’s made a boatload of cash,” Zack added. “’Course, I bet you already knew that.”
“Well, yes. Of course, I know that.” She shifted in her chair. “Let’s see what else you’ve got.”
Zack caught the second tell. Agent Xing blinked rapidly, and those once calm hands were squeezed tight. No, make that wringing, as in twisting her fingers like they were rags. The game changed. She might’ve known about Richards, but she hadn’t known about all those adoptions or the money he was bringing down. Zack pulled his chair up to the table, watching for other tells. She had his undivided attention now.
He set the trap. “He specializes in exotic children.”
Bingo. Her brows raised. She didn’t have a clue what he was talking about.
“Exotic? As in...” She let her words trail away, doubtless thinking she was baiting him.
He leaned forward and shrugged like he could care less. “You know. Unusual physical characteristics. Hair color. The shape of their face. Anything to make their looks unique. Physical attributes that fall outside their ethnicity.”
She sucked in a quiet gasp. He had her now. Hook, line, and sinker.
“Like a Chinese American with blue eyes?” she asked quietly.
“Well, yeah,” he admitted. Awareness trickled into his perfectly set trap. The earth shifted. Why had she come up with that specific example? None of the girls they’d located were Chinese Americans, at least as far as he knew. What wasn’t she telling them? What did she know?
She licked her lower lip and glanced down, but her eyelashes fluttered. She was biting her lip–hard. Suddenly, she flattened both of her palms to the table.
“Let me show you what else we have on Richards.” David interrupted the fishing expedition. Just as he flashed the attorney’s profile on the overhead, Alex stormed back into the Sit Room with Mother on his heels.
“Shut it down!” he demanded as he slapped a picture in front of their guest. “Who the hell are you?”
Mother reached around David to turn the overhead off, then scurried out the door.
Zack stared dumbfounded. What had Alex so spun up?
“No, I...I—” Agent Xing caught her breath. She stood to leave but Alex grabbed her wrist, forcing her back to her seat.
“You’re not going anywhere, Agent whoever you are. We’re checking Immigration and Customs. Answer me. Who are you?” He crowded her personal space with pure hostility.
“Mei Xing. I am Mei Xing. That much is true.” She crumbled. “I’m not an agent for Immigration though. I’m
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