LITMIR.BIZ

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accepted the cold glass. The tart-sweet liquid was heaven sliding down her throat, which she hadn’t even realized was dry until that moment.

      “Do what?” Mindy asked.

      “Read my mind when I need something.”

      Mindy shrugged. “Suvi-Tuuli says it’s my gift, that I sense when people I care about are hurt or in distress, and try to help—that’s all.”

      Suvi-Tuuli was Arminda’s Estonian grandmother. Kate had met the wizened woman once, and was still trying to decide if she was a contemplative philosophical genius, or simply buck-nuts batty. Whichever it was, at least the good side of her genes ran true in her granddaughter. “That’s why I hired you,” she said.

      “What can I say, serendipity is a wonderful thing.” Mindy beamed, and Kate smiled with her, enjoying the pleasant moment.

      The room’s silence was shattered by the clamor of multiple electronic devices going off. Kate grabbed for her cell phone and slid the glasses down over her eyes. “Yours or mine?” she asked.

      Mindy checked her tiny phone. “Not mine. Laundry’s done and the Dr. G: Medical Examiner marathon is starting. If it’s okay with you, you’re on your own.”

      Kate stared at her glasses, reading the message she didn’t want to see: “Incoming from Judy Burges.”

      “Ah, crap. Go, get out of here while you still can. This might not be pretty,” Kate said.

      Mindy slipped out of the room as Kate steeled herself for the call.

      Judy’s handsome—no one would ever call her pretty—face appeared on the screen. She was pristine, as always, and stared at Kate like a disapproving nanny would regard a misbehaving child. How does she do that—she’s only five years older than me? Kate thought, trying not to squirm under the other woman’s stare.

      “Judy, how are you?”

      “Fine, Kate, thank you. I was wondering if you had a moment to discuss this afternoon.”

      “Well—” Kate looked at the virtual pile of reports to review, and then there was a conference with Denny to follow up on that meth assignment, as well as a half-dozen other operations in progress that needed attending to.

      I don’t have time to hand-hold my liaison right now, she thought, and then was instantly annoyed at her reaction. No, it’s better to deal with this now, rather than letting it fester.

      “What’s on your mind?” she said pleasantly. She had the satisfaction of seeing an inkling of surprise cross the other woman’s patrician features, as if she had expected to be brushed off.

      “There seems to be some confusion over the duties that people are carrying out in certain departments. I thought we should discuss it and see if we could clear things up a bit.”

      “Please, go ahead,” Kate said.

      “Simply put, a liaison is a person who facilitates communication between one group or office and another,” Judy stated.

      “True, although I don’t have my dictionary handy to confirm the definition.” Kate’s attempt at humor fell faster than the first and last time she had tried to cook a soufflé.

      “Quite. Regardless, in this case I think that the person designated as the liaison isn’t being allowed to perform her duties to the best of her ability.”

      Kate had a master’s degree in psychology, but also knew when the time came to cut through the double-talk. “If I can summarize, you don’t think you’re being utilized effectively?”

      To her credit, Judy’s expression didn’t change an iota, although her voice could have frosted glass. “Correct.”

      “I see.” Kate raised her eyebrows. “Well, how would you like to see the situation changed?”

      A lesser woman would have been caught off guard by the verbal lob, but Judy didn’t hesitate. “Kate, quite simply, you have a lot on your plate. Directors around the world answering to you, the board calling you at a moment’s notice—like this morning—”

      “And I appreciated the heads-up there, too,” Kate said.

      “You’re welcome, and that’s the perfect example of what I’m getting at. Over the past several months, I’ve seen a tendency, and I hope you forgive me for implying anything, for you to micromanage things.”

      Instead of flying into a rage or cutting the other woman off with a cold retort, Kate grinned. “You’ve noticed, eh?” This time she was rewarded with an answering smile. Finally cracked that frosty reserve, she thought.

      “It has come to my attention. A liaison isn’t any good if there is no one to liase between. Although I do admire your aggressive attitude toward this job, which is often exactly what’s needed. But there isn’t a need to take on everything. The board has chosen the best men and women from the top down, or else neither one of us would be here. I can help, if you’ll let me.”

      “My God, you must have crushed your opposition at the Oxford debates,” Kate said.

      “I was part of the Cambridge team, actually, but we did all right.”

      Kate had the advantage in the conversation, since she had had varying versions of it with almost everyone she had ever known for more than a month or two. Some ended well, like the dialogue with her mentor at the CIA, Herbert Foley, who had been instrumental in her getting her current position. Others, like the colossal throw down with her then husband, Conrad, hadn’t ended nearly as well. But through it all, she had let others come to their own conclusions and then moved forward accordingly. Just as she had with Judy.

      “While I understand where you’re coming from, my main concern is that I certainly don’t wish to be cut off from the directors or our operatives in the field,” she said.

      “Naturally, however, like every other organizational structure, there is a chain of command. Operatives report to their directors, who would then report to HQ, such as it is. There the decision would be made to either handle a situation or bring in more oversight. I can certainly prepare action briefs, or whatever you would like to call them for your review, and of course, if you request a status briefing on a particular mission or region, then we’ll crunch the data and present you with whatever is needed, within reason,” Judy said.

      “Don’t worry, Judy, the one thing I’m not is a power-mad office dictator, although sometimes it can be tempting.” Kate laughed.

      “Then, of course, your decisions would flow down the chain, as well, to be disseminated as necessary,” Judy said.

      Kate tried to minimize her triumphant smile. It wasn’t that she was gloating; everything Judy had said made sense. In a way, she wished they had had this conversation about eight months ago, since all of this could have been dealt with and over a long time ago. “I think we have an excellent way to move forward, and I’m looking forward to it. And I think I’ll also take you up on those summary briefs you mentioned. That sounds like a perfect way to start each morning.”

      “Excellent.” Judy’s smile was genuine.

      “There is one catch, however.”

      “And that is?”

      “I can’t promise I’ll adapt to this change right away. I’m more of a take-charge-and-charge-ahead kind of person,” Kate said.

      “Of course, and indeed, there are times when the circumstances may warrant that. I would just hope that you would request assistance at the earliest opportunity.”

      “I’ll do my best. So, speaking of intel flowing up the chain, how are things proceeding with Jonas’s cover?”

      “What is the term the kids are using today? Ah, yes, he’ll be the dopest arms dealer in Florida.” Kate almost choked on her tea when she heard the slang come out of Judy’s flawless mouth. “The allocation-request program has

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