Sandy curled up on the couch and willed herself back to sleep. She didn’t want to hear Dell’s footsteps going down the hall toward Irina.

v

Dell unlocked the apartment door, knocked softly, and let herself in—holding her breath until she saw Irina perched on the front windowsill, watching the street. Her wavy dark hair was wet and she wore a pair of Dell’s jeans and a button-down-collar cotton shirt that was tight across her breasts.

“I guess you found the shower.” Dell handed her a cup of coffee and a muffin from Dunkin’ Donuts.

• 123 •

RADclY fFe

“Yes. And the clothes.” Irina nodded toward the bag she’d taken from her house the night before. “I borrowed yours. I need to wash mine. They have footprints on them.”

“There’s a place around the corner.” Dell took her wallet out and handed Irina a twenty. “It takes quarters, so you’ll have to stop at one of the bodegas to get change.”

Irina stared at the money.

“You know how to make change, and everything, right?”

“I know the money.” She looked at Dell. “But no one has ever given me any before.”

“What about—” Dell flushed, about to ask her about the johns.

Jesus, could she be any more of an ass?

“None of us got to keep anything we…earned. The enforcers…

they gave us everything. Food. Clothes. Medicine.”

“They kept you dependent,” Dell said. “It’s hard to run away, to fight back, when you have nothing and nowhere to go.”

Irina turned quickly to the window.

Dell put her hands in her pockets, feeling more like a fool. “I’m sorry.”

“No. I…the coffee is good. Thank you.”

“I have to go out for a while,” Dell said to Irina’s back. “Like I said, you’re not a prisoner, but you should be careful if you go anywhere.

People are probably looking for you.”

Irina turned around. “What is your real name?”

Dell tried not to fidget when Irina’s stare drifted from her breasts to her crotch and lingered. She wondered if Irina liked women, then wondered why she cared. “Dell.”

“Do you mind if I just call you Mitch?”

“No, I don’t mind at all.”

Irina nodded. “I will wait here. After the clothes washing, I will wait here.”

“Good. Thanks.” Dell walked to the door. “I’ll be back.”

When Irina said nothing, she slipped out and closed the door.

• 124 •

Justice for All

ChAPTER TwELvE

She’s got a picture of her sister,” Dell said to the others gathered around the conference table at Sloan’s. “But she won’t let me see it. She doesn’t trust me, and I guess I don’t blame her.”

“If she won’t give it to you,” Watts said, slurping his coffee, “then take it. She doesn’t have a lot of choice in this game.”

Dell shook her head, biting back a retort. “I’m not going to force her to do anything. That’s not the way to get her to cooperate.” When Watts raised his eyebrows, she hastily added, “Detective.”

“So what are you gonna do, big man,” Watts goaded. “Fuck her until she’s brainless and begs to give you anything you want?”

“Watts,” Rebecca said in a steely voice.

“Well, for Christ’s sakes, Loo,” Watts snapped. “The girl’s a criminal, but instead of getting her sweet little ass shipped back to Mother Russia, she’s walking around here free as a bird. Telling us what she’ll do and what she won’t.”

“She’s scared,” Dell said.

Watts muttered something about bleeding hearts.

“What do you suggest, Detective,” Rebecca said, giving Mitchell her head. Mitchell was the one closest to Irina, and it was her ass on the line. They had to trust Mitchell’s take on the situation. Rebecca didn’t like it, not because she didn’t trust Mitchell, but because she was never comfortable being forced to make decisions based on other people’s judgments.

“If we’re going to get her to cooperate, I think we have to help her find her sister. And the only way we’re going to do that is to promise her sister will be safe.”

• 125 •

RADclY fFe

“Promise her Witsec, for both of them.” Sloan stood, coffee cup in hand. “Anybody need a refill?”

“I’ll get it,” Jason said, rising as well. “And I agree. Offer her protection—for both of them. Offer them a new life. It might buy Mitch a safety net.”

Dell looked at Frye. “Can we?”

“I don’t know. Technically, she belongs to Clark.”

“Fucking Clark,” Watts muttered. “I say we do it.”

Rebecca swiveled on her chair and regarded him sharply. “Why the sudden change?”

Watts shrugged. “Because it will burn Clark’s ass.” He shot a look at Jason and Sloan. “And because it’s more likely to put Irina firmly on our side, and that’s good for Mitch.”

“She might not be an easy sell,” Sloan said. “I’ve seen plenty of girls sold into the sex trade in Southeast Asia. All they know is lies and abuse. How much do you think she trusts you, Dell?”

“I don’t know. Some.”

“Are you banging her?” Watts asked.

Rebecca said, “Jesus, Watts.”

“No, I’m not,” Dell said stiffly.

“Well maybe you should. Then, when she’s all softened up, you can—”

Dell shot to her feet and strode out of the room.

Rebecca rubbed her eyes. She’d slept soundly, but only for a few hours. Her head throbbed dully. Better than the day before, but still there. She pushed away from the table and stood. “Watts, go down to the port with Jason. Then see if you can get a line on the Zamoras’

lieutenants from OC. They’re probably the ones playing messenger with the Russians. Somebody get me some names.”

Watts looked in the direction Mitchell had gone, his expression confused. “I was just saying—”

“Dell likes her,” Jason said softly to Watts. “And when Dell likes a woman, she wants her treated right.”

“Oh. Well hell, that complicates things.”

Jason laughed. “So what else is new?”

v

• 126 •

Justice for All

“Sloan. Talk to you a minute?” Rebecca said as the conference room began to clear.

“Sure.” Sloan hiked a hip onto the edge of the conference table.

When they were alone, she asked, “How are you feeling?”

“A little rough around the edges, but I’m getting there.”

“You and Watts can’t cover Mitch every night. I can take some shifts. I’ve got a badge again, remember?” Sloan still couldn’t believe Clark had given her official agent status when she began working with Rebecca’s team. She wasn’t exactly a fed again, because she answered to Rebecca, which suited her just fine. Rebecca she trusted.

“I can’t get departmental authorization for the manpower to cover him twenty-four/seven,” Rebecca said. “No undercover agent gets that kind of backup.”

“I’m not asking to get paid,” Sloan said.

“I appreciate your volunteering. I can use you.” Rebecca shrugged into her wool blazer, as close as she ever came to a winter coat. “I want to cover the two of them as tightly as we can for the first week or so, until we get a feel for how things are working out with Irina. Then, other than critical meets, we’ll have to rely on Mitch to call for backup if he gets in a tight position.

“I’m good for it any time.”

“Thanks.” Rebecca considered the more pressing matter they needed to square away. “About this fund-raiser—”

“Michael is going,” Sloan cut in. “She already had it scheduled—a business thing. I forgot she told me. I’m still hoping to talk her out of it.”

“She doesn’t have to get anywhere near Zamora,” Rebecca said evenly. “If it comes to that.”

Sloan hesitated, then looked out into the main room, checking that no one was around. “Something doesn’t feel right about this, Rebecca.

Not any of it. I don’t trust Clark. He’s always working the angles for himself, and he doesn’t care who pays the price.”

“I’ve got the same feeling, but I can’t put my finger on the reason.

I’m going to talk to Clark today about Witsec, and I’ll see if I can get a better feel for what he’s not telling us.”

“Call me. I’m heading over to Police Plaza for a while and check on my boys. Make sure they haven’t fried the system while I’ve been gone.”

• 127 •

RADclY fFe

“Thanks for lending me your car yesterday.” Rebecca grinned.

“Nice ride.”

Sloan sketched a salute. “Just don’t let Watts drive.”

Rebecca watched her walk away. Sloan was volatile at the best of times and she’d been wrapped tight since Michael was injured. Still, Rebecca trusted her. Whatever it was Sloan had done for the Justice Department, she’d been good at it or Clark wouldn’t have pulled her back in. And Rebecca needed someone with that kind of experience.

Sloan would keep her head, as long as Michael didn’t get drawn in.

Scanning the work area, Rebecca headed for the huge bank of windows at the far end. As she expected, Mitchell was waiting there, slouched with her hands in the pockets of her black jeans, rocking back and forth in her heavy motorcycle boots.

“You want to finish your report?” Rebecca asked.

Dell continued to stare down at the choppy gray surface of the river. “I’m sorry I lost it. I know he doesn’t mean half the things he says.”

“He probably means the other half. But I promise you he’ll always have your back.”

“I know.” Dell faced Rebecca. “Irina is used to protecting herself.

She handled the bartender at Ziggie’s last night really well. I think she can get me inside.”

“You think the Russians will contact her again?”

“Once the word gets out that she’s been spotted at Ziggie’s, yeah, I think so. Especially since she’s reaching out, like she wants to get back to work.”

“You’re going back tonight, right?”

Dell nodded. “I’m taking her to the Troc first to meet the guys.