Jackpot

46

Quentin was on his way back to D.C. and Millie felt like she could finally get back to business. She had genuinely loved seeing him. The time they spent together was amazing and heartfelt, but it was better for their relationship if they kept work separate from private matters.

She was about to leave the Macau Business Aviation Center when through the giant window she spotted a plane she recognized landing on the airstrip. It was the twin to the CIA chartered plane she’d arrived in. Her curiosity turned to cautious optimism when she recognized the man deplaning: Lance Cabot, the director of the CIA.

“Welcome to Macau, boss. Here to offer me a promotion?” she asked, trying to grab at him and push him off to the side so no one saw him. “Who knows you’re here?”

“It’s good to see you, too, Ms. Martindale.”

She knew he wasn’t there for banter or to check on her progress; he was there about the dead woman. The dead woman she still had no answer for.

“I’m working on getting to the bottom of what happened. I’m absolutely certain Arrow Donaldson was behind that women’s murder. If we can prove that, then—”

“We don’t investigate murders. We gather information and present that information, unbiased, to those above us who make the hard decisions about this country,” Lance said.

“We had an agreement that when I arrived in Macau, security for Li Feng would be transferred to my team. Arrow Donaldson reneged on that agreement.”

“You may not believe this, but I really do respect your enthusiasm for this job. That’s rare in our line of work and it’s refreshing.”

“I’m a part of this team, a real part of this team, not the mascot. You wouldn’t have put me anywhere near Arrow Donaldson if you weren’t confident in my abilities on some level.”

“I just wish you were more ambitious when someone needs to be sent to Siberia.”

“Didn’t the Agency once steal a bunch of Russian helicopters, run up a five-million-dollar bar bill, and then accidentally blow up an oil pipeline in Siberia?”

“It wasn’t accidental. And how do you know about that?”

“I’m happy to sign up for stealing helicopters anywhere you want to send me.”

“Where’s the congressional delegation that was looking into this? I should probably make an appearance and do my government-funded schmoozing.”

“Still at their hotel, last I know. Li Feng’s testimony is supposed to happen at the consulate in Hong Kong where they have secure facilities. But as far as I know Arrow is the only one who’s gone over to Hong Kong since I’ve been here.”

“Did he take Li Feng with him?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t been able to talk to her yet.”

“Go talk to the delegates and see what they think. See if you can talk them into taking you to Hong Kong early to see what Arrow’s up to.”

“They will. Trust me.”

“I’ve got some other business to attend to in town, but I’ll be here to offer support from the top if you need it, or to stay in the shadows if you don’t.”

“That’s helpful and creepy. Wonderful,” Millie said.