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Derek always got a kick out of watching FBI shows on TV In the Hollywood versions, the New York Field Office was usually a tall glass building that was a dead ringer for Trump Tower and that took up half a city block Modern, expansive, and grand—it didn’t even slightly resemble the perpetual construction zone that was 26 Federal Plaza And the FBI’s hoht floors in all Too bad reality didn’t e heaven inside one of those TV buildings—glass-walled offices and spacious cubicles, all decorated with sleek, streas instead of what looked like rejects from a scratch-and-dent sale at a used furniture outlet

So, C-6—or the Asian Criminal Enterprise Task Force, as it was formally known—existed in its old, cluttered splendor On the plus side, at least there was a great view of the Brooklyn Bridge And the ten agents and two NYPD detectives who constituted the squad were great to ith

“Hey” Jeff poked his head over the top of Derek’s cubicle “What happened with Sloane last night? Did she say anything?”

“Yeah” Derek griht’”

“You’re kidding No guess as to why her parents’ place was broken into?”

“Nothing except the party line—that it was no secret that Matthew had collected some expensive pieces from his travels, that he and his ere fairly well off, and that they both worked long hours—leaving an eet for thieves”

“Nice logic Except for the fact that there’s a full-time doorman there to dissuade thieves, and that we knoas Xiao Long’s guys who did the breaking and entering”

Jeff’s coreeted by silence

“Are you going to confront her?” Despite the potential blowup that provoking Derek ht elicit, Jeff wasn’t ready to back off “Or do you plan to let things slide and see what you can draw out of her without clueing her in to your motives?”

Derek slapped his hands on his desk, using the leverage to shove back his chair “Tony’s asked me that sa to their boss, Supervisory Special Agent Antonio Sanchez

“And?”

“And I’ll tell you what I told hi He could be a target, not a criames Whatever her father told her, she’s not about to be fooled by supposedly subtle attempts to puuts if she chooses not to—with or without a confrontation One thing’s for sure—if she planned to tell ht” Derek got to his feet “I need more coffee” He walked around Jeff and snaked his way down the aisle

He was irked at the situation, worried about Sloane, and pissed off for being in the position he was in His whole squad had been eyeing him speculatively since they arrived They all knehat the wiretap on Xiao Long’s phone had revealed last night They all knew about his relationship with Sloane And they all kneas her parents’ house that had been robbed

He couldn’t look at their curious expressions anymore

He poured a cup of coffee and kept walking He hoped one of the interviewing rooms was empty It was either that or a men’s room stall He really needed to be alone or he’d explode And this situation warranted logic, not emotion