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“Very well—Rich I’m sure Rich told you that my proposal has stipulations attached”

“He did So go ahead, shoot”

“First, I want your word that neither ed with a crime”

Tony’s brows rose “How can I do that without knohat they’ve done?”

“Fair enough,” Sloane acknowledged, feeling her father shift nervously beside her “Suffice it to say that if any cries could be withholding evidence or, if you were feeling particularly vindictive, obstruction of justice All of which would have been done out of fear for their lives and, in my father’s case, the lives of his fa, of course”

“Of course,” Tony concurred

“The break-in was a threat?” Derek asked “Why? For what purpose?”

Sloane pinned him with a cool, impersonal stare “No coreed to”

“I can live with this one,” Tony replied “If what you’re saying is true, and if your father has infores will be filed”

“Good On tofor private bodyguards up until noant FBI security assigned to er I want that security to extend to my mother as well Now more than ever I’ll supply an explanation for that once we have an agreement”

“You want us to put your parents in protective custody?”

“No” Sloane shook her head “That would be a glaring declaration to the wrong people thatin their apartned to theo out”

“That takes resources But judging froed” Tony shot her a quizzical look “How many other conditions are there?”

“Just one” Sloane didn’t blink “Give nment Make me a confidential huation”

Rich couldn’t help but chuckle at the nitude of her request At the sa To the contrary, they didn’t appear the least bit taken aback