Blood Money

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Andie finished her three-mile run with Max in record time. She showered and spent the rest of the morning on a chaise longue in the backyard, struggling her way through one of those recorded instructional CDs that promised complete fluency in a foreign language for ninety-eight percent of users faster than you can say, I must be part of the two percent. Max was in a perfect “sit/stay,” head cocked, ears peaked, and a puzzled expression on his golden face. Apparently, he didn’t speak Chinese.

“Max,” she said, followed by her best attempt to say “Come” in a language she hadn’t spoken since her days in the Seattle field office. It was part of her training for her undercover assignment, Operation Big Dredge. Counterfeit goods galore from China were expected to come through the widened Panama Canal and the expanded Port of Miami. A brushup on Mandarin Chinese would be useful.

“Max, please. A little encouragement.”

He cocked his head the other way.

“I think we’re hopeless, buddy.”

Andie removed her earbuds, shut down her iPad, and went back inside the house. She was pouring a cup of green tea-that part of China she got, no problem-when her cell rang. She had a feeling about the unknown number on the caller ID.

“This is Agent Henning,” she said.

There was a slight pause, then a voice that Andie recognized, even though they had never spoken to one another: “Swyteck told me to call you at this number.”

Andie gripped the phone. “Sydney?”

“Yes.”

“I’m glad you called. You’re doing the right thing.”

“He didn’t give me much of a choice.”

“Who didn’t?”

“Jack,” she said, and just the mention of his name seemed to bring an edge to her voice. “He thinks he can just pass me along to you, like I’m not his problem. I am his problem. He’s part of this. He’s as much a part of this as I am.”

“Okay. I understand you’re angry.”

“I’m angry, I’m tired, I’m fed up with the whole fucking world treating me like I’m some kind of monster. Tell Jack he needs to help me.”

“Jack can’t help you. Work with me and the FBI will-”

“No, this isn’t a call to the FBI. I’m talking to Jack’s girlfriend. You tell Jack that if he wants to find out what happened to his other girlfriend, he needs to help me, okay?”

“What do you know about Rene Fenning?”

“I know I don’t want to end up like her. And I’m guessing you don’t want to, either. So you take off your FBI hat, you have a nice talk with your fiance, and you tell him that when Sydney Bennett calls him, he better listen. You got it?”

“Sydney-” she started to say, but Andie could tell she wasn’t there.

Andie put her cell down. Max came to her and put his head on her leg, seeming to sense her stress.

“Yup,” said Andie, rubbing his neck. “I think we got it, all right.”