“I have to go to Lhasa today,” she said in a louder voice as Marpa brought a plate of thin cardamom pancakes, Shan’s favorite.

“Have to? I thought you were on leave.”

“And I thought you wanted me gone.”

Shan winced. He was adrift in such conversations, having built a hard shell around his heart for so many years. “Maybe it’s safer for you. Last night was like a dream. In my waking world, people are getting killed.”

“In Yangkar?”

“In Lhadrung County.” Shan pulled out his badge from Tan and dropped it on the table.

Meng stared at it longer than he expected. “Is that good news then?” she asked, forcing a small smile.

“I wasn’t given a choice. And if I don’t find an answer the trouble could come here.”

“An answer? You mean arrests and justice.”

“It started with an execution that turned out to be a murder by the government. By certain members of the government. I know some of the guilty but not all.”

“And if you don’t discover all of them, you will be the one who’s punished,” Meng suggested, nibbling at her pancake. “Do you ever have cases that actually go to trial, Constable? I think it’s your specialty. Only take the cases in which the government would rather kill you than the criminal.”

“It’s less paperwork,” he ventured. When she didn’t smile, he shrugged. “I’m still alive,” he said, then looked out over the brightening square, trying to push down the new foreboding that had been gnawing at him since Pike’s phone call.

“Maybe you should spend more time on tracking missing cabbages and less on corrupt soldiers and knobs.”

Shan paused. “You heard us yesterday, when we were talking in the station.”

“A bit. Enough for me to smell the same kind of disaster as when we first met.”

“Not your problem this time.”

Meng seemed strangely hurt by his words. She sighed. “Not my problem,” she agreed. “I’m on vacation. I can practice my recorder songs.”

Shan smiled at the memory of the prior evening, then suddenly a fist seemed to seize his heart as his foreboding found its voice. “Lokesh!” he cried and sprang to his feet. “They killed the janitor, then burnt that building. The only other connection is Lokesh. Burning the building proves Huan is working with one of Tan’s senior aides. If it is Xun, then Lokesh is in danger. Xun was there in the hospital! He heard Lokesh say he had a letter about Metok.”

“I have no idea what you mean,” Meng said. “But go. Marpa can finish the breakfast with me.”