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d the two pieces of the fake gold bar in a tea towel and put the package in his rucksack.
“About you, Miss Moon…”
“Riley,” she said.
“Very well, Riley. You lied to Werner on my behalf. Am I to assume you’re no longer working as an informant for him?”
“I never agreed to be an informant. I agreed to be your temporary amanuensis. Whatever that means.”
“I thought perhaps you were succumbing to my eyelashes.”
Riley took a moment to think about it. “Maybe a little.”
A short, muscular man stepped into the doorway. “Mr. Knight?”
The man was dressed in a dark suit, dark shirt, and dark tie. He was bald, with bulging eyes and thick lips. A human goldfish dressed for a funeral.
Emerson turned to the man. “Yes?”
“I’d like a word with you.”
The man was soft-spoken, and Riley placed him in his forties. He was excessively pale. His skin was unnaturally smooth. His eyes never blinked. He was followed by a small brown monkey.
The monkey climbed up a chair and jumped onto the far end of the dining table.
“I think your monkey wants food,” the man said. “I found it sitting on your porch.”
“Is this really your monkey?” Riley asked Emerson.
“I suppose if it’s on my property, it’s mine,” Emerson said.
“My name is Edward Rollo,” the man said. “I’m from the NSA.”
“I’d like to see your identification,” Riley said. “And I’d like to know why you’re here.”
“Ms. Moon,” Rollo said. “We have a file on you, but it doesn’t tell us whom you currently represent. Are you representing Mr. Knight or the firm of Blane-Grunwald?”
“Both.”
“I fear you’ll find that’s not possible. You can’t have two masters.”
“I haven’t any masters,” Riley said. “I have employers and clients.”
“Words with shaded meanings,” Rollo said, walking the length of the table to where Emerson was sitting.
“Have a seat,” Emerson said to Rollo.
“No, thank you,” Rollo said. “This will only take a minute, and standing gives me a superior position over you.”
“True. And if I were to stand now it would be in reaction to your behavior, so you would still be in a position of power. But may I remind you that I am sitting at the head of the table, the traditional Feng Shui ‘dragon seat,’ the place of the leader.”
“Oh, for God’s sake,” Riley said. “Why don’t you two just take out a ruler and get it over with?”
Rollo’s thick lips pulled back in what might be construed as a smile. “I was building up to that.”
“I’ll ask you one more time,” Riley said. “Why are you here?”
“The NSA is investigating a case. You’re interfering with it. We want you to stop.”
