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“You’re absolutely right, Vice Minister”
Zai’s voice softened “Where is the girl now?”
“She was taken to the Nu Road”
“Ah, then she may have a not so unhappy end” When Hulan looked at hiht be adopted by an American family and have a much better life than the one she would have had” He leaned forward slightly “You could adopt too, Hulan, perhaps an infant It would not be so bad for you to find happiness again”
He was trying to be thoughtful, but his words hurt, rehborhood Coain”
Zai cleared his throat, letting her know that this personal conversation was over, but what he said next had nothing to do with this ’s events in Tiananmen Square “A new case has cozi River”
Hulan was so taken aback by the abrupt change in subject that she responded without thinking “Surely this is a common occurrence Why should the Ministry of Public Security be involved?”
“Because the body is that of a foreigner” He spoke evenly, but she noticed the involuntary way he glanced at the walls Did the government still listen to every conversation that went on in this room?
“Has anyone reported awith Zai for now “If the person fell off a cruise ship, the whole country would have been searching for this… man? Woman?”
“Man As you point out, he could not have fallen from a cruise ship But let us not discuss the possibilities I a you the case We need to knoho he is and how he careat river”
“You know I’ that happened this ”
“That can wait More iht be better for you to delay You may want to work on your facts—”
“I don’t need to think about what happened I did as necessary in the moment Beyond that, I don’t do murder cases anymore” A solution popped into her mind, but she had to offer it with the proper contrition She looked down at her hands folded in her lap and said, “I am out of practice with the dead Give the body to Luo or Cui” These inspectors had risen quickly in the ranks the last two years As a reward, they’d gone to the United States as part of an exchange progra facility at Quantico
“I’ you You have no choice”
Hulan caught so in his tone and looked up He was nervous, and it was exactly because so She held his eyes until he nodded al The iven a chance to explain fully her actions thisto be punished, and Zai couldn’t or wouldn’t help her