Lucy surprised me. I didn’t think she’d go for something like that.
“Meredith helped me pick it out. At first I wanted a black leather skirt, but then she showed me this. It even has pockets.” She shoved both hands into them and grinned.
“I think it looks great.”
Just then Po Po came out of her room.
“Po Po, look at my new outfit.” Lucy skipped over to her, hands still buried in her pockets.
“It look very nice,” she said with a smile.
Po Po allowed her eyes to soak in the room… searching for evidence of what had happened earlier. She nodded her approval. Of course, the altercation had taken place on the third floor, which I had yet to check. I trusted that Archer’s crew specialized in making it appear as if nothing had taken place.
While Ryan showed Po Po his new shoes, I took the opportunity to duck upstairs and see exactly what had been accomplished.
I walked down the hall slowly, examining the wooden floors and walls for blood splatter or fingerprint-powder residue. The large crimson pool that had accumulated on the floor next to Albert’s head was gone. The team had cleaned up well.
I knelt at that location and didn’t see any scratches or blemishes in the floorboards. They might have been buffed out. My nose did pick up a faint trace of bleach. I would have expected them to use a stronger cleaning agent.
In my office, my chair was upright and tucked under my desk, and the items on top were arranged neatly. Not bad. I grabbed my cell phone off of the desk and looked it over, wondering if it had been tampered with. For all I knew, they might have removed Albert’s bugs and replaced them with their own. I looked out the window at the van across the street. Having fun, boys?
While it was comforting to some degree to have them sitting outside, I needed one of my own. I dialed Kang’s number.
“Hey, what’s up?” he answered.
“I need you here. And pack an overnight bag.”
Chapter Sixty
Devlin’s penthouse suite was located in the SOMA neighborhood. From his perch on the thirtieth floor, he had striking views of San Francisco Bay that included everything from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oakland Bay Bridge.
The interior had a clean, modern décor with neutral colors. The walls were covered with painted and photographed works of art. Crown molding and accent lighting appeared throughout the space. The foyer was massive, complete with white marble floors, pillars, wainscoting, and archway entrances to two other rooms. The apartment featured four bedrooms and four bathrooms on two floors. One of the rooms had been converted into a workspace.
Inside the workspace were counters running along two walls with shelving below and cabinets above. One wall had a pegboard with various tools hanging from it: a razor saw, miniature drills, files, a jeweler’s saw, a chisel, and a number of craft and carving knives.
In the middle of the room was a rectangular island with a built-in light box and drawers. Devlin stood next to it, hunched over two felt-lined viewing trays. He had a jeweler’s loupe pressed against one eye; it looked like he was wearing a monocle. He was in good spirits as he was humming along to a violin concerto that played in the background.
Neatly arranged on one tray were detailed dollhouse furnishings. On the other tray, laid out neatly in two rows, were dried beetles with colorful patterns on their backs. He was examining a miniature cast-iron stove.
Shadowbox creations were a personal hobby of Devlin. He had already completed three and was currently working on the fourth. Each shadowbox was two feet high, three feet long, and half a foot deep.
Depicted inside each shadowbox was a cross-section of a distinct living space: a modern home, an art-deco condominium, and a houseboat. Imagine a dollhouse opened up.
What made Devlin’s art different was that he didn’t feature people in the homes. He used insects. Different varieties were chosen for each environment. Dragonflies for the boat, cockroaches for the modern home, and colorful lizards for the condominium. He posed them so they looked as if they were relaxing in a recliner with the evening newspaper or enjoying a good soak in a tub. He titled his work of art “Living Amongst Us.”
His favorite was the ’80s art-deco condominium. In one of the bedrooms were two lizards having sex. One was positioned on its knees taking the other from behind. A mini video camera on a tripod captured the action. In the kitchen, another lizard appeared to be snorting cocaine off of a small mirror.
The shadowbox he was currently building would feature the interior of a rustic cabin with beetles. The structure itself was made of real wooden branches fashioned to look like logs. The décor inside featured a large brown-bear hide on the floor, a stone mantle and fireplace, and a carved totem pole. Other native Indian artifacts like a tomahawk and a headdress hung alongside realistic replicas of animal heads: an American buffalo, a black bear, a moose, bighorn sheep, and other species native to North America.
Devlin built all the furnishings himself. The insects, however, were purchased from a respectable dealer who could obtain any insect in the world. Devlin set the loupe on the table and stood straight, raising both arms over his head and stretching. He glanced at his watch. Hmmm, four hours passed just like that.
The only art that hung in his workshop, apart from his own, was a neoclassical painting. The scene was that of a nobleman graciously paying tribute to a king sitting on a throne while a crowd of spectators watched from the sides.
“Dear!” a woman’s voice called out. “Where are you?”
A few seconds later, a woman appeared in the doorway. She was tall, slender, and wore a white evening gown. Her chestnut locks were pulled back into an elegant French braid; two spiraled tendrils framed her oval face. Pearl earrings and a matching choker rounded out her jewelry requirements. Her cat eyeliner gave her eyes a sultry and mysterious look.
“Have you been in here all night?” She walked over to the island, where Devlin still had furnishings and insects on display.
“I’m afraid so,” he said as he came up behind her and placed a gentle kiss on her neck. “How was the benefit?”
“Dull.” She spun around as she let out a defeated breath. She had already kicked off her heels, but at five feet eleven inches, her eyes weren’t that far from his.
“I don’t know why you torture yourself by attending these functions,” he said.
“It would be better if you came along.” The woman draped both arms around Devlin’s neck.
“Not a chance.”
“Kiss me.”
Devlin leaned in, but she moved her head back. “Not there.”
A coy smile appeared on Devlin’s face. “Someone’s naughty today. Did the benefit make you horny?” he asked, mimicking the Austin Powers movie character.
“Oh, don’t spoil the moment. You know I hate it when you talk that way.”
“Really?” he continued with the impression.
As quick as a lightning strike, the woman swung an open palm and connected with the side of Devlin’s face.
He gasped as his hand shot up to his cheek. He took a few quick peeks in her direction. The playful curve of her smile had been replaced with an ugly, flat line. Her icy-blue eyes were cold and penetrating.
Unable to hold her gaze, Devlin settled on staring obediently at the floor. One by one, she placed a hand on his shoulders, applied pressure, and forced him to his knees.
“Let’s try again,” she said. “Kiss me.”
Chapter Sixty-One
No way I wanted to wait and see if any more attacks were coming without involving my own people. I called Reilly after I had hung up with Kang. I didn’t tell them much on the phone, just enough to convey that I needed them to come over. I wanted to speak in person, as I had to assume the men in the van were also listening in on my cell-phone calls.
Kang arrived first with a smile, a small suitcase, and a box of rice cakes.
“Thanks for coming.” I closed the door and locked it.
Hi
s smile disappeared as he looked at the side of my face. He was about to say something, but I cut him off.
“You can stay in the guestroom since Xiaolian is gone.” I pointed down the hall.
“What happened?”
“I was unloading something heavy from the closet and, bam, right in the kisser,” I said.
Kang’s eyes darted back and forth from my face to my bandaged hands. His expression told me he wasn’t buying the story, but before he could open his mouth, Lucy and Ryan appeared.
“Uncle Kyle,” they both said.
Kang greeted Lucy with a hug and Ryan with a handshake.
“You’re staying in Xiaolian’s old room,” Lucy said.
“Close to Po Po and the kitchen, just the way you like it,” Ryan added.
“You got it good.” I took the box of rice cakes from him and handed it over to Ryan. “You and Lucy can have one each.”
“Abby—”
“Not here. I’ll explain later. Let’s get you settled in your room.”
Kang was prepared to stay at the house as long as I needed. I had told the kids beforehand that his home was being fumigated, so he was bunking with us for a few days.
Ryan was ecstatic about it. All he ever wanted to do with Kang was talk about all things martial arts, which Kang was happy to do; he enjoyed yakking about it just as much.
Lucy followed me and Kang into the guest room. She grabbed Dim Sum from the bed and was about to take him back up to her room when she stopped and turned around. “Uncle Kyle, do you want to keep Dim Sum for company? It’s okay. I can lend him to you.”
Kang smiled. “That would be awesome. Thanks, Lucy.”
“There’s a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen. Help yourself to a cup after you’ve settled in, and then meet me on the back porch.”
Before heading out back, I fixed myself a cup of tea. Next to the kitchen was a small utility room where we kept the washer and dryer. Po Po had just put a load into the washer. I removed the bug from my pocket and placed it on top of the machine. Enjoy, fellas.
Kang appeared a little later on the back porch, holding a mug and a plate of rice cakes.
“You read my mind.” I reached for a sticky treat and took a large bite.
Kang took a seat next to me and helped himself to a cake. We quietly ate and sipped for the next minute or so, and then I told Kang about everything that had happened. He listened quietly at first. As I continued to debrief him, he began shaking his head.
“Sheesh, Abby. Are you okay? What about the kids, Po Po?”
“Everyone is fine.”
“I should have been here,” he said.
“How could you know?”
“So, Archer?”
“Yes, Archer. He saved my life.”
“I’m sorry if I’m about to come across a little harsh, but I find it all so hard to believe. I mean, I know it happened, but… you know what I’m saying. I thought we had caught everyone who was after her.”
“Apparently we didn’t, or whoever wants her sent more people. This might not ever be over until they have her or she’s dead. What surprised me the most was the attack by Albert Shi.”
“Is his wife involved?”
“Archer believes she is. He thinks they were both sent to befriend me in an effort to find out what was happening with Xiaolian. I practically handed her over to them by taking her out of the facility.”
Kang raised his eyebrows. “Sleeper agents?”
“That’s the assumption. He had a team pick her up. We’ll see what his interrogation reveals.”
Kang lifted the coffee cup to his lips but stopped short of taking a sip. “You know, for a while, I was becoming convinced that the spooks had it all wrong about Xiaolian, but no one comes after an orphaned kid like this.”
“So you’re back in the ‘spy’ camp?” I slouched in my chair, put both hands behind my head, and stretched my legs straight out.
“And you’re not, after all that’s just happened? I think Archer is right about the Shis. They are spies, or at the very least, they work for someone powerful in China.”
Just then the back door opened. Reilly had arrived. He took a seat, and I quickly got him up to speed on what had taken place.
Reilly removed his glasses and rubbed his face. “Gee, Abby, I don’t know what to say. Had I known the CIA’s intentions, I would have never have let you work with them.”
“How could you have? How could any of us? This is how they work, in the shadows.”
Before Archer left with Xiaolian, I pressed him harder on why he’d kept tabs on me. I couldn't believe he was just making sure I stuck to his rules. After a bit of back and forth, he gave in. A few weeks earlier, he had spotted a surveillance team near the facility. They'd been there every day and were terrible at keeping their position hidden. “Amateurs,” he told me. He'd kept an eye on them, but it seemed their only job had been to watch the facility.
“So he had his suspicions weeks ago but said nothing?” Kang asked.
“Yeah, I think we’re told only what we need to know, which isn’t a lot.”
Kang threw his hands up as he looked at Reilly. “We can’t work this way. It’s clear these people don’t give a damn about us.”
“I won’t fight you on that. It’ll be up to us to watch each other’s back.” Reilly leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs. “Go on, Abby.”
“Archer must have realized letting me take Xiaolian could provide him with more answers or draw out the people interested in Xiaolian.”
“He used you as bait,” Reilly said.
“He did. And it worked.”
“Was he onto the Shis before the attack?” Kang asked.
“Not initially, but he figured it out. He’d noticed Albert sitting outside my house, sometimes for four or five hours. Then he’d followed him to a late-night meeting. He was unable to identify the man Albert met with.”
“That son-of-a-bitch.” Kang sat back in his chair, shaking his head. “You could have been killed today, Abby. How do they get away with the stuff they do? I bet Albert’s body is in a furnace right now, being turned into ashes. Disappeared for good.”
“I’m okay. I made it through.”
He shot me a disapproving look. “That’s not the point.”
“I know it’s not, but it is what it is. The question now is: what do we do, if there is something to do?”
We both looked at Reilly. His hand was cupped around his chin, and his brow was wrinkled in thought.
“I’m not sure if there is anything we can do about what happened today. Essentially we gave them the go-ahead weeks ago when we got involved with Xiaolian at the facility.”
“Our job was to talk to her, to retrieve information,” I said.
“I know. We’ll stop all cooperation this instant”
“What about what took place here today?” I asked.
“You were involved in a CIA operation that went sideways, but you came out on the other end. That’s how it’ll be pitched to whoever needs to know. Nothing will happen to you professionally, though we might rub some people the wrong way for pulling out. It’s messed up, I know, but this is over my head. People with much more power and authority are pulling the strings here.”
“We don’t know if Abby is out of trouble,” Kang said. “She could be targeted again.”
“These people, whoever they are, want the little girl. She’s not here. The best thing is to wash our hands of it. It’s not worth the risk. Just let Archer and his team take things from here. It’s what they’re trained for.”
Reilly let out a breath and leaned back into his chair. The three of us sat quietly for a few moments. What he’d said angered me, but what could we do? We’d been brought in to consult for the CIA. This was not a sanctioned operation between the FBI and the CIA. It wasn’t anything. But what got me riled up the most was the brazen dismissal of what had happened.
Everything had been quietly swept under the carpet. It left me
feeling as if the mission was valued more highly than my life, and the lives of my family. The whole thing was total bullcrap.
As I sat there, letting the reality of the situation soak in, it dawned on me that there was one other thing we could do. I cleared my throat, grabbing Reilly’s attention. “I have something I need to tell you.” I glanced over at Kang, and he nodded. “We’ve been following up a hunch that has led to an interesting development.”
“Does this development lead back to Xiaolian?”
“I’d be surprised if it didn’t.”
Chapter Sixty-Two
“Dammit, Abby! It’s bad enough we got the CIA toying with us. The last thing I need is to have my own people running rogue.” His eyes told me he was more than annoyed at my revelation.
“I apologize. It started off as a hunch. If I had brought it to you then, you would have dismissed it. You know I’m right. We had to dig deeper.”
I gave Reilly a moment to calm down. I didn’t blame him for being angry. He probably felt as if he were losing control of his department. It was bad enough that the CIA had kept him in the dark as much as me and Kang. Hearing I was running an investigation without his knowledge didn’t help.
“Regardless, Abby. You should have brought me in on this sooner.”
“You’re right.”
Reilly focused his attention on Kang. “You mentioned a fertility clinic?”
“I did a little digging on the image that Ellis mentioned and discovered Cerberus Fertility. Abby and I were planning on visiting the clinic tomorrow and talking to Ellis to see if the dog he saw matches the one in the clinic’s logo.”
“The clinic is also near Mount Sutro,” I said. “SFPD picked up Geoffrey Barnes in that area.”
Kang continued to fill Reilly in on the initial three men he’d singled out from the missing-persons reports and how he’d made connections between the three of them.
Reilly took a minute to take in everything and then nodded. “There’s something fishy happening here. It definitely looks like they’re targeting intelligent or gifted people in their work fields. You said you found propofol in the latest victim’s bloodwork?”
The Curator: SG Trilogy Book 2 (Abby Kane FBI Thriller 8) Page 22
