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“They sit in their cave day after day, waiting for us to open a tomb with spectacular finds”—Ma lowered his voice confidentially—“and hoping that the relics will go to their , Inspector? Hope is all our vultures have, because if we ever find anything significant, then I’ll decide what goes where”

Hulan searched the faces of the Chinese men for a raised eyebrow or an unconscious flinch when Ma called her “Inspector” but saw only bland indifference

“You should see the gifts they bringA bottle of VSOP cognac A carton of cigarettes”

“Bribes?” Hulan asked

“Of course,” Ma answered cheerfully

Hulan followed up with “And you accept them?”

“Someone has to take them”

Were things so corrupt down here?

“But enough of this Let me introduce you to the rest,” Ma said “To your left, Inspector, is our favorite little hothead, Lily Sinclair”

The phrasing was de, and Lily reddened She looked to be about thirty Although her blond hair was short, the cut was expensive She wore a gold ring on her right hand, a diaold chain around her neck Her outfit superficially looked like everyone else’s—shorts, T-shirt, and work boots—except she’d probably purchased hers at a Hong Kong boutique Again, everything simple and very expensive

“Lily’s fro,” Ma continued “Do you know Cosgrove’s?”

“It’s an auction house,” Hulan replied She felt David’s thigh resting alongside her own He put his hand under the table and gently squeezed the flesh just above her knee The warh her clothes

“I wouldn’t expect an inspector from the Ministry of Public Security to know about the international art market,” Ma commented, “but you aren’t the usual, are you, Inspector?” He didn’t wait for an answer but went on a bit longer about Cosgrove’s and how it hadworks that were a cut above the more commercial objets d’art that were part of the China trade

Dr Ma now circled back to his earlier confession “Inspector, things aren’t as bad as I ifts, then I have soone a long way in boosting et to experience the Red Prince life by drinking a shot of brandy? I think our h dishonest on the surface—keeps everyone more honest down deep”

“Honest?” Stuart asked, his voice high and“Who at this table is here for honest reasons? Certainly not Miss Sinclair”