[Quinn 02] - The Deceived

the decision of whether to keep Nate’s foot or not.

Quinn saw Tasha one more time. They met at one of the shop-house restaurants along Clarke Quay. Tasha had gotten there first and was sitting at an outside table next to the river.

“We found the patsy,” she said, once the waitress had taken their drink order. “His name was Ahmad Kamarudin. We found him tied up and unconscious in a government flat east of downtown. Well, we didn’t find him. Your friend did.”

She was talking about Ne Win. By mutual consent, he had continued his search for Jenny’s red herring.

“The hair at the Quayside apartment was his. Just like you said.”

Quinn nodded. There was nothing for him to say.

“We’ve also been able to backtrack Jenny’s movements. There might be some stuff there we can use to find out more about...the people she worked for.”

“You may want to check the wife,” Quinn said.

“Guerrero’s wife? Do you think she’s one of them?”

“No,” he said. “But I’m just wondering if maybe she’s been targeted for recruitment, perhaps with the intention of bringing her in after her husband was killed. They could have been planning to use her just the way Jenny said they would. My guess is if that was the case, she’s probably already had some casual contact with the LP and doesn’t even know it. Perhaps even someone in the policy think tank she belongs to.”

Tasha thought a moment. “It’s possible. I’ll try to check it out. Thanks.”

Quinn’s eyes were drawn to a river taxi passing slowly by. When he looked back at Tasha, he asked, “Why are you being so open with me about this?”

“Because—” Tasha stopped herself as the waitress appeared and set their drinks on the table—a Tiger beer for Quinn and a gin and tonic for Tasha.

Once she was gone, Tasha started again. “Because I want you to come work for me. You know at least a little about what’s going on, and there are only a few people I can trust.”

Quinn took a drink of his beer, then set the glass back down. “I don’t do exclusives.”

“You’re an excellent tracker. You found Jenny when we couldn’t. You’re smart, and you adapt quickly.”

Quinn took another drink, then stood up. “I’m not a tracker. I’m a cleaner. Sorry.”

She looked him in the eyes. “I need you. This is more important than any rules you think you might have.”

Quinn said nothing for several seconds. Finally, “If I’m available, we can talk.”

As he started to walk away, she said, “So that’s not a no?”

He didn’t turn back.

Orlando stayed for nearly a week, going with Quinn to the clinic during the day, making love with him at night. In many ways, they were the best few days of Quinn’s life, and in many ways, when it came to Nate, they were the worst.

One night at dinner, Orlando said, “I have to go.”

Quinn knew it was coming. Her son needed her. “I understand,” he said.

“Do you?” she asked. “Do you know how hard it is for me to leave you now?”

Just as hard as it will be for me to see you go, he thought. But he only nodded.

“Maybe... maybe I can bring Garrett to L.A.,” she said.

“No. Don’t. I’ll come to you. I just...I need to get a few things settled first.”

She leaned across the table and touched his face with her hand. “We’ll be waiting.”

It was another two weeks before Quinn and Nate were able to leave the island.

“I’ve lined up some appointments for you back home,” Quinn said to Nate as they flew back to Los Angeles.

“What kind of appointments?” his apprentice asked.

“With a doctor, and a prosthetic clinic.”

“Oh.” Nate turned back to the magazine he was looking at. Five minutes later, he said, “This doesn’t change anything. I can still do this job.”

It was still too early to have this conversation, and it was definitely the wrong place. “Let’s see what they say,” Quinn said.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Nate said. “But I’ll prove it to you.”

“Okay.”

“Is that an ‘okay shut up’? Or an ‘okay you’ll give me a fair chance’?”

“It’s an ‘okay we’ll see.’ ”

The answer didn’t seem to satisfy his apprentice, but he let it drop.

Early October was already cold in southern Wisconsin. Not midwinter cold; there was no snow on the ground. But at night, water would freeze, and in the morning, grass would crunch underfoot.

Quinn usually hated the cold. But for this trip, it seemed appropriate.