Drawn in Blood (42 page)

“You’re right. I’m probably overthinking this.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. We’ve spent a lot of time exploring Liu’s ties to Wal ace as they relate to Meili. We real y should broaden the spectrum, investigate the entirety of their history.”

“And while we’re at it, I think we should include Cindy in that investigation. She and her amah.”

“That woman Peggy Sun? Why?”

“Because she came to the U.S. with Cindy fifteen years ago. Since then, she’s attended some very prestigious art programs—at Johnny Liu’s expense, I’m sure. There’s no way a governess could afford training like this. And the direction of the training…” Sloane held out the pages she’d printed right when Derek walked in. “Take a look at this.” Derek scanned the first page, then the second. He raised his head. “I have to make a quick phone cal . But I think we should get this right to Rich.”

“I agree.”

Instantly, Derek punched in Rich’s extension. Then he stepped out to make his cal .

Liu motioned for his trusted adviser to enter his private library.

“Zhezhi.” One word, uttered as a command.

His adviser understood. Literal y,
Zhezhi
was the Chinese art of paper folding, a predecessor to origami. But in this case, Liu was instructing him to col apse al traces of his involvement—ties to the Italian leather goods company, to any paintings bought from and sold by Wal ace’s gal eries, to shipping manifests for the stolen and forged paintings, and to his orchestration of the plan to destroy al the members of the art partnership.

In response, his adviser nodded. “It wil be done at once,” he said in the Loong Doo dialect.

“And my family?” It was phrased like an inquiry. It was anything but.

“As we speak, steps are being taken so that Cindy and her amah wil have nothing to hide. Their home, their characters, wil be beyond reproach. As for Xiao, he’s ready to assume the role of Dragon Head as soon as he’s needed. He’l leave for Hong Kong on your command. He knows that, as a precaution, a special bank account in the Cayman Islands has been arranged for him, to be used in the future should he miss his window of opportunity to escape and end up going to prison. He is humbled by your generosity. Your name wil never be uttered.”

“Excel ent,” Liu replied. “Then I can bring my life to a close, and join my daughter.”

Derek was back from making his phone cal when, five minutes after being summoned, Rich came striding through the conference room door.

“I had
The Bird
authenticated,” he reported. “It’s genuine. Unfortunately, it’s also devoid of fingerprints or anything else that could link it to the Red Dragons.” He looked intently from Derek to Sloane. “I doubt that’s the reason for your urgent cal .”

“Read these.” Derek gave Rich the pages of Sloane’s research. “We want your opinion.”

With a great deal more thoroughness than Derek, Rich pored over the sheets of information. Then he let out a low whistle. “My opinion is that we’d better do an exhaustive profile on Peggy Sun. Ditto for Cindy Liu. And
fast
. I agree with Sloane—these two are doing a lot more to assist Cindy’s uncle than manipulating Wal ace Johnson’s emotions.” Derek’s cel phone rang. He flipped it open and glanced at the cal er ID. private.

He punched the receive button. “Yes?” he said cautiously.

“Hel o, Special Agent Parker,” a polished voice with the slightest hint of an Asian accent greeted him. “Your extreme interest in me is flattering. I thought it was time I contacted you directly.”

Derek’s eyes narrowed. “Who is this?”

“I think you know. But if you need confirmation, that’s fine. This is Johnny Liu.”

“Johnny Liu,” Derek repeated, his hard, pointed stare meeting Sloane’s startled gaze, then flickering to Rich’s intrigued one. Quietly pressing the speakerphone button, Derek placed the phone on the conference table and pul ed his chair up close beside it. “How did you get this number?”

“I would think by now you’d realize I’m a resourceful man. There’s very little I can’t acquire.”

“Including the most efficient and devout fol owers,” Derek replied. “Xiao Long has real y proven himself to be a worthy Dai Lo. You must be very proud.”

“By nature, I am proud. What I’m not is stupid. Don’t insult my intel igence with pathetic attempts to bait me.”

“Fair enough.” Derek gripped his phone more tightly. “No games. Just tel me why you’re cal ing. Are you hoping to make some kind of deal before we have enough on you to make that impossible?”

“Again you insult me.” Liu didn’t even flinch at Derek’s pointed question. “I make deals every day, Agent Parker. Business deals. I set the rules. I profit by them. What you’re referring to isn’t a deal. I believe it’s what you Americans cal bartering. That kind of negotiation is beneath me.”

“I see. But criminal acts are not.”

“That’s actual y the reason for my cal .” Once again, Liu evaded the question and led the conversation in the direction of his choice. “I have some helpful information to pass along to you. It might provide the answers you’re looking for.”

“I’m listening.”

“One of the gentlemen you’re investigating has an estate in East Hampton. It’s been brought to my attention that he has his own private art col ection buried deep inside his manor. No one is permitted to enter. He keeps it under lock and key. I’ve been told he has good reason for that secrecy. The paintings he owns are al valuable, many of them priceless masterpieces. Sadly, they’re also stolen. I’m assuming that Special Agent Wil iams is with you now, being that you’ve put me on speakerphone. Am I correct?” Rich didn’t miss a beat. “I’m right here, Liu.”

“Good. Then Agent Parker doesn’t have to waste time relaying my message. I know how eager you both are for justice to be done. It would be a shame for others to be sent to prison for the crimes of one. Especial y Matthew Burbank. He’s already under arrest and suffering great strain—possibly beyond his endurance.” A poignant pause. “How is his daughter holding up? The poor woman must be at her breaking point. I know how close you two are, Agent Parker. Losing her would be tragic.” Derek heard the underlying threat loud and clear. He gritted his teeth, ful y aware that Liu wanted to get a reaction out of him. He wasn’t going to get it.

Sloane opened her mouth to cut Liu off. Rich silenced her with a hard shake of his head.

“Thank you for your concern,” Derek said in a calm, even tone. “Although I think you should reserve it for your own health. From what I understand, your time here is very limited.” The barest hint of a pause. “I’m at peace. I’ve accomplished al I set out to. And my honor wil be my legacy.”

“Good to know.” Derek didn’t pursue the point. “As for your tip about the East Hampton estate, I’m sure Special Agent Wil iams wil take the necessary steps.”

“I doubt a phone cal from me wil suffice. But my sources tel me a package should be arriving at your desk within the hour. It wil give you more than you need for a search warrant.”

“How considerate of your sources—and of you.”

“I’m glad I could help. Have a nice day, Agent Parker.”

The connection was broken.

“Unexpected,” Rich commented drily.

“Desperate,” Derek amended. “Liu knows we’re getting close. He wants Wal ace to go down—fast.”

Sloane, who had remained unusual y quiet, now spoke up. Her tone was strained as she strove for objectivity. “It’s no news flash that Liu wants to destroy Wal ace. But he can’t fabricate a roomful of stolen paintings. We were just questioning what could be used to blackmail Wal ace. It’s possible we just got our answer.” Both men looked at her. “Why would Wal ace associate himself with stolen paintings?” Derek asked.

“I don’t know. But Liu does. We’ve got to fol ow up on this lead.”

“I intend to.” Rich’s wheels were already turning. “I’l cal the assistant U.S. attorney and alert him to the fact that we’re going to need a search warrant fast. As soon as we see what’s in Liu’s package, we’l act.” A quizzical look at Sloane. “You know Johnson better than we do. How hostile a reception should we expect when we march into his house with a search warrant?”

Sloane glanced down at her watch. “No reception at al . My father convinced Wal ace to go to a museum reception in Soho. Other than possibly whizzing by each other on the parkway, we won’t be seeing him.” She swal owed. “We also don’t have to go through a whole production to gain entry. My parents have a spare key to his house. They go out to the Hamptons a lot over the summer. Wal ace insists they stay at his place.”

“Sloane, this is going to be hard on you,” Derek said gently. “You don’t have to go.”

“You couldn’t stop me if you tried.” Sloane gave him a wan smile. “I appreciate your compassion. But I need to see this through.”

“Understood.”

“Then I’l make that cal so our warrant wil be ready when we are,” Rich said.

“Make that
two
warrants,” Sloane corrected. “Liu’s sources weren’t just Xiao Long and the Red Dragons. Not this time. Xiao had outside help. I vote for Cindy Liu. Between what we’re beginning to piece together about the roles that she and Peggy are playing in Liu’s operation, and the fact that Cindy just happened to have returned from a romantic weekend at Wal ace’s place…”

“As an architect, she’d remember the layout of the manor wel and make a mental note of any rooms that were locked tight and off-limits,” Derek finished for her.

“Exactly.” Sloane was already back on the computer. “Rich, you go make those phone cal s. Derek, stick to your desk til that package arrives. I’l cal Diane and ask her to find out from my mother where in their apartment she keeps Wal ace’s key. Someone from the precinct can pick it up and drop it off here at the security desk. I’m not leaving this computer until I find something—
anything
—on Peggy Sun. Digging for information on Cindy won’t do any good. Liu wil have covered her ass in every way possible. But Peggy’s another story. He won’t have been as thorough with her. Which makes her vulnerable—especial y since she’s up against me.” Rich regarded Sloane with amused admiration. “I don’t envy Peggy Sun. She doesn’t stand a chance.” His gaze shifted to Derek. “Neither do you.”

“Not to worry. I give as good as I get. Plus, I love a chal enge.” Derek shot Rich a quick grin. “Besides, I don’t know why you’re surprised. Tony warned you she’d end up being this case’s lead agent.”

The package Johnny Liu had described arrived twenty minutes later.

With Sloane and Rich peering over his shoulder, Derek tore it open. Inside were spreadsheet printouts detailing specific assets that Wal ace had liquidated and their sel ing price, and matching receipts documenting monetary deposits made to a numbered bank account in the Cayman Islands.

A copy of the original account application confirmed that the numbered account, along with al transactions connected to it, belonged to Wal ace.

“Bribery goes a long way,” Sloane commented, trying to keep her tone light.

“It sure does. Al it takes is one greedy bank employee to bypass the veil of secrecy. Or a bank manager desperate to keep his biggest customer—a customer who’s threatening to withdraw al his money to force the bank manager’s hand.” Rich reached across the desk to grab Derek’s phone and used it to notify the assistant U.S. attorney that they were armed with the grounds they needed and on their way to secure their search warrant. “Did someone from the Nineteenth Precinct drop off the key to Johnson’s place?” he asked Sloane.

Sloane held it up.

“Good. Then let’s pick up the warrant and get on the road. As it is, we’l be fighting rush-hour traffic.”

“We’l have to take two cars,” Derek informed him. “My SWAT gear fil s my entire trunk, and my backseat is loaded with boxes of personal stuff I’ve been meaning to clean out.”

“Not a problem. My trunk’s jammed, too, between my firearms bag, vest, shotgun, and MP5, plus al the changes of clothes I keep in there for undercover work.” Derek’s brows shot up. “You stil carry a Remington and MP5?”

Rich’s lips twitched. “I may be a decade older than you, and no longer on SWAT, but I’m in better shape than you are,” he retorted. “I was doing Major Theft and Enhanced SWAT when you were stil in high school using Clearasil. Oh, and remember, I’m a former marine. You’re just a former Army Ranger—what we cal a marine wannabe.”

“My mistake.” Derek snapped off a mock salute. “Didn’t mean to insult your abilities. Although when we have more time, I plan to chal enge you over that snide remark. Loser buys dinner, drinks, and cigars.”

“Make that
two
steak dinners, drinks, and cigars. You already owe me one. I’l be glad to relieve you of another. So bring your wal et and you’re on.” Humor faded as Rich’s mind returned to the matter at hand. “Time to head out. I’l fol ow you and Sloane.”

“That’s a given.” Derek couldn’t help it. Rich had set himself up for this one. “Rangers lead the way.” A half hour later, with the sun setting behind them, the two cars were en route to East Hampton, search warrant in hand.

As Derek drove, Sloane contemplated the intriguing pattern that had emerged during her research. There was a distinct correlation between the dates of Cindy’s recent cocktail party appearances and the equal y recent burglaries carried out by the Albanian art-theft team. In addition, every one of the burglary victims had been a guest at the cocktail party Cindy had attended just before their homes were burglarized, and, from the specifics Sloane had acquired from the fol ow-up cal s she’d just made, they had spent time chatting with Cindy about potential renovations to their homes and the existing layouts.

Interestingly, not one of the hosts and hostesses’ apartments had been robbed, even though there was a wealth of valuable paintings in each of their homes. Cindy was far too smart to be so obvious.

Timetables were lining up. Sequences of events were making more and more sense. And ultimate connections, and conclusions, were being drawn.

“You’re awful y quiet,” Derek commented. “Are you concentrating on your notes, or worrying about what we’l find at Wal ace’s place?” Sloane looked up. “Honestly? I’ve laid out what I think is an ingenious addition to Johnny Liu’s plan. I’l give you the details later, and the bottom line now. Short and sweet—